Did you know ? Regardless of prejudice and the collective imagination, an archivist is not necessarily this hunched over person as dusty as the boxes she pushes on a trolley whose wheels creak in the back of a room with dim lights. . No ! An archivist is even a rather cool person who has several very useful skills to carry out this multifaceted function! We explain to you…
What is the role of the archivist?
The archivist collects, classifies, conserves and restores archives in order to communicate them to the public and to researchers. He deals with all types of documents, whether old (a medieval manuscript, a cooking recipe, why not) or contemporary (the electronic recording of the finale of the last season of Top Chef, say) ; trivial (the different weekly menus of a restaurant) or with legal value (the notarial deed attesting to the purchase of said restaurant). In all cases, these are original documents (written documents, photos, discs, films, etc.) intended for one reason or another to be kept. Its primary mission is to classify and preserve these various documents.
What are the skills of the archivist?
Due to the technological evolution of the media used today (such as digital directories, computerized databases, etc.), the archivist must master specialized software as well as online tools.
Keeping records is good. But it only makes sense if it serves to transmit them under the right conditions. The archivist is the one who transmits the documents to the public or to the authorities. It is therefore up to him to be comfortable in terms of communication.
In dynamic companies, the archivist is at the heart of information management. Indeed, more and more large companies are concerned about preserving their memories and therefore have an archive service. The archivist must therefore demonstrate organization and responsiveness.
More than just a serving hatch, the archivist must sometimes accompany the public in discovering the archive. He will then gain by being a fine teacher and by liking contact with others.
En somme, archiver le passé, c’est un métier d’avenir qui a encore de beaux jours devant lui !
Take advantage of our advice on archived documents!
Do not hesitate ! For all your document archiving, destruction and digitization work, you can trust Archives Conseil and its 40 years of experience in the field! You can contact our team of professional archivists by e-mail at info@archivesconseil.be or fill out our contact form on our website to request a free quote.
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