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Monash scholars keep a record

27 April 2005

It began with the Sumerians, the Egyptians, the Persians and the Chinese and ever since, countries, organisations, communities and individuals have maintained extensive records, documenting all aspects of their lives.

While in the past, archives were written on media ranging from clay tablets to paper and stored in hundreds and thousands of boxes, the information technology age has changed the way we make and keep records.

A new book, edited by Professor Sue McKemmish and Mr Frank Upward from Monash's School of Information Management and Systems, University of Melbourne archivist Mr Michael Piggott and Ms Barbara Reed from the Recordkeeping Institute, celebrates the role of archiving in society in relation to governance, power, memory, identity and accountability and addresses the new challenges of electronic recordkeeping.

The book, Archives: Recordkeeping in Society, was launched at the Victorian Arts Centre earlier this month and explores the role of archives throughout history in Australia and internationally.

It was written by a team of Australian and international archival scholars and practitioners.

Launching the book, Monash historian Professor Graeme Davison said it was a product of the new demands of the electronic era and a reminder of the important role archivists play.

"In a dispersed record regime, in which everyone has a PC on their desk and a connection to the internet, how do institutions and governments ensure the important transactions that matter are recorded?" he said.

"How do we balance the needs of executive governments for security with the citizens' demand for transparency and access and sometimes, where their own private affairs are concerned, for confidentiality?

"Archives: Recordkeeping in Society makes a powerful contribution to the understanding of these complex issues."

Acting as master of ceremonies at the launch, Professor Eric Ketelaar, professor of archivistics at the University of Amsterdam , former national archivist of the Netherlands and honorary professor at Monash, said the book would be welcomed by scholars and record keepers as a truly comprehensive treatise on archival thinking.

For information on books written by Monash scholars, go to the Books by Monash authors website.