Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-To-Do-It Manual

by Gregory S. Hunter

Library Journal and other review journals raved about the first edition of this now-standard guide. This new edition has been completely updated ad expanded to include crucial new information on digital records, encoded arcival description (EAD), copyright issues, post-9/11 security concerns, international perspectives on tuse issues--content that makes this manual essential for archivists of all backgrounds. Setting up archives, appraisal and accessioning, acquisition strategies and policies, arrangement description, reference and access, preservation, and electronic records are just some of the topics covered in both theory and practice in this clear, comprehensive, ad practial guide.

Genres: Nonfiction, Library Science, Reference, School, Textbooks, Academic, Read For School

457 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1996

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay, this is obviously one of my textbooks, but i kind of love it. it's probably written at about 5th grade reading level-- very matter of fact, simple, practical. a nice escape from academic journal articles on theories about metadata and other such dense subjects.

[Jonathan Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite comprehensive - at times, maybe almost too much so (from my perspective as a 'lone arranger' without formal training). Many of the discussions of technology are somewhat dated by this point; but then again, that's why there exists a later edition of this book, so that can't be held against it. Hunter has done an exceptional job producing a thorough manual exhaustively (and at times, I admit, exhaustingly) covering the tasks of the archival profession - and at times, not without a sense of humor, which one might not expect.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best text books I've ever read! It is clear, well articulated, and FUNNY. Hunter is a fantastic, down to earth writer. Also love the archives-related news articles generously sprinkled throughout the book. Just fantastic...all textbook writers should be forced to look at this book as a model. Downside: it's nearly $90. Yup, $90.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly accessible textbook. It also has a sense of humor, not to dry, and easy to follow.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, cheers to finishing a textbook before the semester even starts. But I'll agree with everyone that say this is an engaging, funny, straightforward and exhaustive text. If you needed an intro, there couldn't be a better one; if you need a quick reference text, there probably isn't one more succinct.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was assigned for LIS 581, "Archives and Records Management". This had great information; however, it was written in the early 2000's and I believe it is slightly outdated. In the end, I learned great information and it was an easy read.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I read (most) of this for a class, it was a good introduction to archives. I purchased it for my class, and even though I don't plan on a career in archives, I believe I'll draw on the very practical applications from this book, as the title suggests. There's great real-life quips about archives--even when they're not called archives in the news!--as well as checklists of highly applied processes, such as performing a survey or an inventory. I hope this book will updated in a newer edition as well! It would be fascinating to see how much has changed in the 13 years since this edition was published.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually one of the most well-written textbooks I have encountered. It is written in a conversational tone and includes a healthy dose of humor. I especially like the inclusion of excerpts from news articles related to archives and records. The only minus is the use of low-resolution scans of figures.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed to learn more about archives and archival sciences. This proved to be an excellent source of knowledge. I found it very helpful and easy to follow, as well as to appreciate the need for each of the key archival functions.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good practical book for the person interested in Archiving.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good for a textbook. About every third page contains a snippet of a news article related to archives, which made the reading a lot more fun.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical, yes. Exciting, no. But it served its purpose.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and pretty comprehensive. It took me almost a year to read it, though, so it's definitely not a book you can't put down.

[Probibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Textbook like, but very useful. Like a lot of old-style, pre digital archive knowledge, it's all stuff that seems obvious after you read it.

[Rosanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great introductory to how archives work.

[MK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't really something to "read," better reference than a book.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, and has helpful examples. I am waiting for the new edition which comes out soon, and I hope it is as good as this one

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This can be a little repetitive at times, but it is a very thorough resource for managing archives. I particularly appreciate the information on a/v and digital formats.

[ACRL]

Read by ACRL Member of the Week Stewart J. Van Cleve. Learn more about Stewart on the ACRL Insider Blog.