Marac panel 2 Digital Archivists (2 of 3)

Marac Panel Part 2 of 3 on Digital Archivists from MARAC Spring 2017 Presentation

This is Part 2 of a panel presentation on the differences and similarities between digital archivists and IT professionals. Presented by David Kay, MLS. In Part 1, he discussed the different types of archival collections. In addition, he also examined their different mindsets and strategies on the part of the institutions and the archivists.

Similarities and Differences between IT and Digital Archivists

Earlier we addressed similar challenges faced by IT professionals and digital archivists. Undoubtedly, there are commonalities shared by IT and digital archivists. In fact, if you look at big picture goals such as preservation, access, control and security, both are quite similar. To be clear, for example, data warehousing and storage are the same!  Organization and centralization of data; backup and archiving, they are all alike! But as Stephen Comey wrote: “Strength lies in differences, not similarities.”

Differences

Needless to say, there also are indisputable differences between IT and digital archivists. Although this is most obvious from a budgeting perspective. IT always has deeper resources and personnel. Also, they bring greater visibility and have a louder, more persuasive voice. IT is indispensable to each modern institution. Consequently, they have more power to buy and build systems and communicate with stakeholders. For them, technological solutions provide opportunities to find solutions and request sufficient funding.

In addition to budget, visibility and staffing, there are significant differences in the language, tools, and knowledge between the two disciplines. There are many general terms that we appearto share with IT and others. Here are three examples of terms with different meanings:

So unfortunately, the terms digital archivists employ sound similar to the language used in other departments– including IT. But it is important to note that certain “key words” within a shared semantic environment describe the reality of that environment. This can be especially confusing when a different interpretation of terms require different workflows and procedures. Simple non-technical words may appear in many semantic environments, but meanings shift as words pass from one context to another.

A Shared Understanding

A shared understanding or awareness of cultural differences defining generally used, common terms like archive, information, and metadata is extremely important. To be clear, as Neil Postman wrote it in Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk (1976): “a semantic environment includes first of all, people; second, their purposes; third, the general rules of discourse by which such purposes are usually achieved; and fourth, the particular talk actually being used in the situation.” So given this context, simple non-technical words may appear in many distinct semantic environments, but their meanings shift as general language words transit from one person’s context to another’s.

In addition to the general language words we “share” with IT, there are also specialized terms that define what we do, how we do it, and why. We learn traditional archival values and principles and apply knowledge to build trusted digital repositories. These include: