Job profile: archivist

Overview

An archivist manages, maintains and researches collections of archives.

Full Description

Responsibilities

An archivist manages, maintains and researches collections of archives. These items aid the work of researchers, providing a record of how people lived in the past, and how society, organisations, Government and institutions operated. In turn, the information we generate today will, if properly preserved, show future generations how we live and work.

Archives may consist of books, papers, maps, plans, photographs, prints, films, tapes, videos and computer records. During everyday life, people and organisations create or collect a lot of archives. Items may be collected by government agencies, local authorities, universities, businesses, charities, professional organisations, families and individuals.

Archivists usually work with a small team. Sometimes they work alone, but are often in contact with the public and other organisations.

Skills associated with this job

Work activities

  • arranging the acquisition and retrieval of records - if they belong to a private organisation or family this may involve negotiating for them to be donated or sold to the archive
  • identifying, evaluating and selecting documents for preservation or destruction
  • preparing record-keeping systems including cataloging and indexing - this may involve using specialist software to catalogue archives on computers and make them available over the internet
  • helping to make archives accessible to people who want to use them - this may be through computer aided searches
  • responding to requests from the public (by phone, fax, email and in person, who may be researching family trees or their local community for a hobby or university project)
  • advising on the use and interpretation of the material
  • arranging exhibitions and events
  • giving talks
  • managing budgets and applying for grants.

Knowledge

  • knowledge of the ways to arrange and organise archive material
  • knowledge of decay processes and conservation techniques
  • knowledge of disaster planning

Skills

  • research skills
  • committed to customer service, heritage and information management
  • a good communicator
  • forward thinking, as demands for information are constantly changing
  • have a logical mind to identify and sort information before it can be interpreted or used
  • able to undertake research
  • comfortable with new technology, computer packages and systems

Behaviours and personal qualities

  • an interest in history and preserving records
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