Archival Records Management

A.Y. 2022/2023
9
Max ECTS
60
Overall hours
SSD
M-STO/08
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The course aims to develop the cognitive and methodological tools necessary to address the issue of the training and preservation of new digital archives, including aspects regarding current legislation and industry standards; It also aims to address the issues of the enhancement of historical archives through the use of descriptive IT resources.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be expected to have the necessary knowledge for a primary approach to digital archival training and management issues, and to have a knowledge and awareness of the critical issues of long-term retention of digital documents and possible operational solutions. Students are also expected to be able to access historical documents through the use of digital descriptive resources (especially through archival information systems)
In the exam, students will have to demonstrate that they know how to communicate their learned content clearly and correctly and that they have mastery of the specialist lexicon of the subject.
The lessons will be supported by one or more guided tours of actual archives and depots and through the experienced talks from professions active in the management of hybrid and digital archive storage systems or experts in the use of archival description software.
Students opting not to attend the course will be able to make use of the educational tools that the instructor may make available on Ariel, and deepen their knowledge on the main topics through reading suggested by the instructor.
Single course

This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Title of the course: Archival Records Management
1. part, Historical evolution and context: characteristics, origins, history, context of Archival Records Management and Digital humanities; areas of humanistic research that can draw inspiration for renewal from the application of informatic tools and methods. Introduction to the concept of Linked Open Data and Semantic Web.

2. part, Digital archives: Digital archives: digital documents (media and formats), digital archives, electronic signatures, regulations and reference standards, document management systems and storage systems

3. part, Principles and languages: acquisition, representation, management and output of data (standards for the description of resources of the bibliographic, archival, museum, exchange formats, citation styles), elements of scientific communication and dissemination, open science and open access, social media.
Prerequisites for admission
There are no specific requirements different from those requested for the MA degree admission.
Teaching methods
Attendance to classes is strongly recommended although not compulsory. The teaching is delivered through frontal lectures aimed primarily at the acquisition of knowledge, competence and specific language of the subject.
Given the interdisciplinary nature of the course, many existing projects, resources and tools will also be shown, also useful to prepare the final exam. Visits to archives may be made.
Discussion with the teacher in the classroom is integrant part of the didactic method and aims at promoting a critical attitude and the capacity to apply the acquired competence and knowledge.
The teaching is also based on didactic and multimedia material provided on Ariel.
Students are required to carry out an activity in the field of digital archiving to be agreed in advance with the teachers.
Teaching Resources
- Programme for 6 cfu:
Knowledge of the topics taught in lectures (modules 1 and 2)
Textbook:
Stefano Pigliapoco, Progetto archivio digitale: metodologia, sistemi, professionalità, 2. ed., Lucca: Civita editoriale, 2018.
Regulatory texts that will be made available by the teacher in ARIEL.

Knowledge of one of the following volumes:
Francesca Tomasi, Organizzare la conoscenza: Digital Humanities e Web Semantico, Milano: Editrice Bibliografica, 2021
Federico Valacchi, Lorenzo Pezzica, Dimensioni archivistiche. Una piramide rovesciata, Milano: Editrice Bibliografica, 2021
Archivi e informatica, a cura di Maria Guercio, Stefano Pigliapoco e Federico Valacchi, con introduzione di Antonio Romiti, Torre del lago: Civita editoriale, 2010
Federico Valacchi, Diventare archivisti: competenze tecniche di un mestiere sul confine, Milano: Editrice bibliografica, 2015
Marco Lazzari, Informatica umanistica, 3. ed., Milano: McGraw-Hill, 2021.

Non attending students are required to read a text of their choice in addition, among those proposed above.

- Programme for 9 cfu:
- knowledge of the topics covered in class (parts 1, 2, 3);
- knowledge of both of the following texts:
· Stefano Pigliapoco, Progetto archivio digitale: metodologia, sistemi, professionalità, 2. ed., Lucca: Civita editoriale, 2018
· Maria Guercio, Archivistica informatica: i documenti in ambiente digitale, Roma: Carocci, 2019.

As well as the regulatory texts that will be made available by the teacher in ARIEL.
- critical reading of one of the following texts:
· Francesca Tomasi, Organizzare la conoscenza: Digital Humanities e Web Semantico, Milano: Editrice Bibliografica, 2021
· Federico Valacchi, Lorenzo Pezzica, Dimensioni archivistiche. Una piramide rovesciata, Milano: Editrice Bibliografica, 2021
· Archivi e informatica, a cura di Maria Guercio, Stefano Pigliapoco e Federico Valacchi, con introduzione di Antonio Romiti, Torre del lago: Civita editoriale, 2010
· Federico Valacchi, Diventare archivisti: competenze tecniche di un mestiere sul confine, Milano: Editrice bibliografica, 2015
· Marco Lazzari, Informatica umanistica, 3. ed., Milano: McGraw-Hill, 2021.

- Critical reading of an article of your choice in the archival field, taken from scientific journals.
- Carrying out an activity in the field of digital archiving, described in a short paper.
Non-attending students are required to read a text of their choice in addition, among those proposed above.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Method and type of exam: oral exam (interview)

Evaluation criteria: ability to critically reflect on the issues dealt with in the paper and during the course; ability to demonstrate and process the knowledge acquired, both theoretical and practical; ability to hypothesize a project in the field of digital humanities; critical analysis and knowledge of the main problems and solutions in the field of digital archiving; quality and clarity in the presentation.
The interview will focus on the topics covered in the course, in the reference texts and in the chosen ones and on a paper to be delivered by email to the teacher at least ten days before the exam.

Type of evaluation: mark out of thirty

The examination methods for students with disabilities should be agreed with the professor, as well as the relevant Office.
Unita' didattica A
M-STO/08 - ARCHIVAL SCIENCE, BIBLIOGRAPHY AND LIBRARIANSHIP - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor: Brambilla Federica
Unita' didattica B
M-STO/08 - ARCHIVAL SCIENCE, BIBLIOGRAPHY AND LIBRARIANSHIP - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor: Venuda Fabio
Unita' didattica C
M-STO/08 - ARCHIVAL SCIENCE, BIBLIOGRAPHY AND LIBRARIANSHIP - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor: Venuda Fabio
Professor(s)
Reception:
Office hours for students will be held on Wednesday 03:00 p.m. in the studio, and on MS Teams if necessary
Via Festa del Perdono, 7 - Cortile della legnaia - dept. of History, sector C, second floor; Microsoft Teams classroom, code e3eetcb