International Directory of National Archives - by Patricia C Franks & Anthony Bernier (Hardcover)

About the Book

This is the first ever comprehensive source of information about national archives around the world covers the national archives of all 195 countries recognized by the United Nations (the 193 member states and the 2 that non-member observer states: The Holy See and the State o...

Book Synopsis

National Archives store materials relating to the history of a nation, usually operated by the government of that nation.

This is the first ever comprehensive source of information about national archives around the world covers the national archives of all 195 countries recognized by the United Nations (the 193 member states and the 2 that non-member observer states: The Holy See and the State of Palestine) as well as Taiwan (Republic of China).

Of the 196 countries, 54 are in Africa, 49 in Asia, 44 in Europe, 33 in Latin America and the Caribbean, 14 in Oceania, and 2 in Northern America. All countries maintain a repository for government and historical records; whether all allow public access will be determined through research for this work. The National Archives of all 196 countries will be included in this work (see Appendix A).

Each entry contains:

• general information about the archive and when it is open to researchers (if applicable),
• historical information about the institution and how it developed,
• information about the archives today (its mission, functions, organization, services, and a description of its physical and digital infrastructures), and
• a current focus section spotlighting one part of the collection's holdings.

Review Quotes

I am convinced the Directory will rapidly become an indispensable tool, not only for national archives, but also for all professional archivists and students in the field. It is a goldmine filled with information for those looking for best practices and innovative solutions.

I congratulate Patricia Franks and Anthony Bernier for compiling the International Directory of National Archives. This comprehensive reference places each institution side by side, with a description of its scope and role expressed in its own words. I find it fascinating to see the common themes that all archives and archivists share, but also the few tensions and contradictions that remain unresolved as archival institutions define their ideals of national identity and what constitutes a nation's archival collection. This is a unique and most useful reference both as a directory, but also a snapshot of today's archival environment.

About the Author

Patricia C. Franks, a certified archivist, certified records manager, and information governance professional, holds a Ph.D. in Organization and Management from Capella University. Her research focuses on the impact of emerging technologies--including social media and cloud computing--on recordkeeping procedures and practices. Franks was a member of the InterPARES Trust Project (2013-2018) leading two research projects--the first on social media and trust in government and the second on retention and disposition in a cloud environment. She is sole author of Records and Information Management (2013, 2018) and co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Archival Science (2015).

Anthony Bernier, teaches foundational course in library and information science and holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of California. He has received several IMLS National Leadership research grants, published research in top-tier journals, and served on the American Library Association's Committee on Accreditation. He serves on the program committee for the Lubuto Library Project (in Zambia).