I once heard the expression “archive rat.” Of course I laughed. And all because I have never encountered archives and the people who work in them. My uncontrolled imagination quickly drew a picture for me - a rat in a hat reading a book. Do you agree that it’s funny?!
A few years later, one of my friends, who was getting ready to retire, needed documents confirming her work experience. It would seem that nothing could be simpler: a work book in hand, and in it - notes. I went through the addresses, and here they are, the certificates! Ah, no! In the 90s, she worked for foreign companies, which, like mushrooms after a rain, appeared in our city in huge numbers. In the 2000s they disappeared just as quickly, and, as it turned out, without a trace.
That's when archives were needed. I would say that all the workers there were nice and professional, but, alas, I can’t - that would be a vile lie. But one thing is certain: their work is very necessary. And not only for those who collect pension certificates. Any organization has an archive, this is especially true for all government and financial organizations.
Who do you think was at the origins of archival work in Russia? That's right, Peter the Great! Back in 1720, he issued a Decree that determined the system of organization of all government institutions of the empire. He called it “General Regulations”, most often it was simply called “Decree”. Among other points, it was ordered to maintain archives in all government structures.
Archival workers were called actuaries. This is because this position was usually filled by a court scribe, who wrote acts and then entered them into the court register. It is the root “act” that has become the main part of this word. Then it turned out that archives are needed not only in courts. There was no need to write acts there. Then archive workers began to be called archivists. Everyone, without exception.
The work of archival employees, frankly speaking, at first glance and even at second glance, is rather boring. Having received the document, the employee must enter it into the register, that is, register it. Today this is done not only electronically, but also in paper form. Then the document is sent to its designated place on the shelf and waits in the wings.
Archive workers not only accept documents for storage, but also issue them. Of course, for a while and only for work. Sometimes it is not the document itself that is issued, but only a copy of it. And this is done only when there is no “Secret” stamp. In this case, you should check whether you have access to work with classified documents. All document management activities are strictly accountable. A special journal is kept where any “movement” of the document is recorded.
This type of work requires a certain type of character. No choleric can sit in the archives, give him something creative. And here you also need to know a huge number of regulatory documents almost by heart. Add to them regulations, instructions and various provisions. Of course, you also can’t do without knowledge of a computer and office equipment.
What does this mean? This means that the archive employs very serious people who do important work. And they are called “archivists” or “archivists.” The last word appeared in the lexicon at the beginning of the 20th century. And they say this was done to make pronunciation easier. That is, the word “archivist” sounded too anachronistic, and therefore was modernized.
But I’ll tell you a secret that the workers themselves call the head of the archive an archivist, and all other employees are called archivists. And if you turn to the dictionary, then there is simply no difference in the lexical meaning of these words.
What is an archivist?
An archivist (archivist) is an archive employee, or, in a broader sense, a custodian of documents. The archival fund of Russia includes both state and non-state archives; in this case, state ones can be divided into:
- to federal archives;
- archives of the subjects of the Federation;
- archives of various departments.
Due to the fact that many documents accompanying the business activities of any organization (tax reports, orders, accounting documents, office work documents, etc.) require preservation for a certain period of time, private companies may also require a specialist who can organize the work of the archive and systematize the document flow in it. This is exactly what an archivist does.
Thus, he can be an employee of both a state (budgetary) institution and a private enterprise. In particular, archivists are quite in demand in insurance and financial companies, banks, and state-owned enterprises. Such diversity significantly affects the range of job responsibilities of a specialist, and therefore the content of the job description in each specific case.
Structure and content of the job description of an archivist
The job description of an archivist must not only comply with the standard structure adopted in business for such documents, but also take into account the professional requirements for the employee and the specifics of the work of the organization for whose employee it is being drawn up.
A typical job description for an archivist might look like this:
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- The document begins with notes on the approval and approval of the job description, as well as the signatures of responsible persons and dates (approval and approval), entered in the appropriate columns in the upper right corner of the first page.
- Next comes the “General Provisions” section, which includes requirements for the employee’s age and professional skills. General provisions also include information about the place of the archivist’s position in the company’s staffing structure, that is, it is clarified to whom the employee reports, what kind of employees the archivist’s position belongs to (technical, managerial, etc.). This section also lists legislative acts and internal documents of the organization with which the employee must be familiar, and also defines the rules for hiring, dismissing and replacing an employee during absence.
- Next comes a section that describes the job responsibilities and rights of the archivist. This is the most important section of the document that requires careful study: it is not enough to list the typical job responsibilities inherent to an archivist - you need to make adjustments to them taking into account the specifics of the organization’s work, and also include in the scope of obligations functions that may correspond to the profession, but which the employee will have to do in the process of work fulfill. As for official rights, they mean the range of powers arising from official duties and provided to the employee for their prompt execution.
- The next section discusses the archivist's responsibilities for improper performance of his duties. Attention: the degree of responsibility cannot go beyond the limits defined by labor legislation.
- The job description ends with a place for notes (dates and employee signatures) indicating familiarization with the document.
Typical requirements for an archivist
You can obtain the specialty of an archivist by taking the course “Document Management” (“Archival Science”) or “Archival Science”. You can also receive training through short-term courses provided, for example, by the labor exchange. Certificate of completion of such courses is one of the main requirements for a candidate for the position of archivist.
Other requirements that allow the employer to select a suitable specialist from applicants for the position of archivist include:
- A certain level of education. In addition to having a certificate of qualification as an archivist, some employers may have requirements regarding the educational institutions from which the candidate for the position must graduate. So, for some, a secondary or specialized secondary education will be enough, for others to be satisfied with an incomplete higher education, and for others, only a document management specialist who has graduated from a higher educational institution will be needed.
- Experience.
- Age. A certain age limit may be discussed if a specialist is being sought for the position of archive manager or other leadership position in the field of organizing archival affairs at an enterprise.
- Knowledge of regulatory documentation related to archival matters.
- Knowledge of computers, including required office programs.
Also, a specialist in the field of archival affairs may be required to:
- ability to work with office equipment;
- skills to work with significant amounts of information;
- Correct oral and written language;
- other skills determined by the specifics of the work of a particular enterprise.
Job responsibilities of an archivist
The range of job functions of an archivist should primarily include those responsibilities that are directly related to his professional specialization, since it is precisely because of these special skills that an employee is hired. In addition, each employer is free to include in the employee’s job responsibilities other, different from standard, labor functions, which may either correspond to the employee’s professional skills and only be slightly adjusted in accordance with the specifics and characteristics of the organization’s work, or may not be related to his specialization.
Typical job responsibilities of an archivist include:
- Organization and maintenance of archival records management at the enterprise (both in paper and electronic form).
- Reception and registration of documents received in the archive.
- Storage of archived documents.
- Participation in the preparation of regulatory requirements for the recording and use of archival documentation.
- Ensuring employee access to the archive, issuing the required archival documents.
- Making report.
- Maintaining accounting and reporting documents (magazines, registers, etc.).
Non-skills related job responsibilities that may be included in a job description include:
- Various organizational requirements for compliance with labor regulations in the organization.
- Responsibilities related to maintaining the workplace and archive room in proper order (for example, maintaining fire safety).
- Commitment to collaboration and interaction with various parts of the organization.
Development and adoption of a job description for an archivist
The procedure for creating a job description for an archivist can be divided into the following stages:
- Development of a draft document. This is usually done either by employees of the department in which the specialist will have to work, or by employees of a special department, whose responsibilities, among other things, include the development of various instructions.
- Document approval. The draft job description must be agreed upon with all interested services. Typically these include:
- the structure in which the specialist will work (in our case, this is an archive or an archive department at an enterprise);
- legal department;
- personnel service.
An approved job description at an enterprise is used, as a rule, until the requirements for working conditions or the range of job responsibilities of a specialist change. In conclusion, we invite you to familiarize yourself with the job description of an archivist available on our website.
A successful present and a happy future are impossible without respect and effective work with the discoveries of the past. Not only multimillion-dollar organizations and enterprises with thousands of employees, but also small companies are often forced to turn to earlier developments, use outdated and archived information in order to solve pressing issues.
But an incredible amount of information accumulates day after day, and if you haphazardly put things on shelves or fill computer memory with them, sooner or later the moment will come when it will become impossible to find anything quickly.
In order to easily use archival documentation without spending a lot of time, organizations often invite specialists to serve as archivists. The archivist can not only tell you where, but also what exactly to look for, set the right direction for searching for materials, or independently prepare the necessary papers.
Profession archivist description: this is a specialist, the head of the archive of a state or private organization, who organizes archival documents, compiles their descriptions and is responsible for their safety.
The word archivist is derived from archive, a Latin concept meaning a government building. Like any specialty, the archivist profession has a sufficient number of pros and cons. The advantages of the profession include the creative component of the process, a calm environment, unhurriedness, minimizing stressful situations, the opportunity to gain skills, develop personal qualities, and improve professional qualifications.
The disadvantages of the profession include low wages, the presence of medical contraindications, loneliness in the workplace, and the lack of open vacancies on the labor market in Russia.
The position of archivist is in demand in various organizations. Popular, for example, the position of an archivist in a court or the position of an archivist in a medical institution or hospital.
Responsibilities of an archivist (archivist)
In order to get a job, a professional archive keeper must have a set of personal and professional qualities to successfully complete tasks.
Formally, the work seems simple, but the archivist undertakes to both store and interact with documents. The list of main responsibilities includes:
- selection, systematization, archival storage;
- processing and receiving documentation into the archive;
- generation of reference data from archival documents;
- transfer of documentation to the state repository;
- control over the office work process in organizations.
An archivist must be able to organize the storage of documents, register and encrypt papers, and prepare inventories of items in a timely manner. In addition, the archivist has additional responsibilities:
- participate in examinations;
- monitor compliance with fire safety rules;
- issue archival copies if requests for them are received; use modern technical means in work, if necessary.
Archivist requirements
The work of an archivist is not easy and involves serious responsibility for the result. For this reason, the requirements for the position are high. Some may find them overly strict, but this is necessary to reduce the number of unforced errors due to the human factor. All requirements for the profession can be divided into several main groups.
Archivist - personal requirements for the position:
- attentiveness;
- love of order and structure;
- organization and discipline;
- calm;
- perseverance, patience;
- concentration.
Qualification requirements for an archivist:
- knowledge of a unified office management system;
- knowledge of regulations on archiving;
- knowledge of the rules for drawing up documents;
- ability to write reports;
- knowledge of operating rules for technical means;
- ability to receive, process, store, and dispose of documents.
Senior Archivist requirements:
- about 5 years of experience as an archivist;
- higher professional education.
- archivist education requirements:
- completed secondary education based on 9 or 11 grades of secondary school;
- completed secondary specialized or higher education in the field.
Archivist training
You can get an education as an archivist in institutions of medium and higher category in different cities of Russia. Studying is considered completed after 4 or 5 years, depending on which form of lecture attendance is chosen. An important factor is school education. You will have to study longer at the 9th grade level.
The specialty of an archivist is included in the group of specialties in the field of training “document science and archival science.” The direction, in addition to the specialties of an archivist (archivist), includes such professions as a librarian, press secretary, management documentation specialist (archivist), historian-archivist, museologist, secretary, and personnel records specialist.
What you can learn in this training course:
- organization and management of archival affairs;
- creation and processing of documents;
- archive management;
- carrying out examinations;
- office work.
Profession archivist - where they teach:
- 4 universities in Yekaterinburg;
- 3 universities each in Krasnodar, Kazan, Ufa, Nizhny Novgorod;
- 2 universities each in Barnaul, Murmansk, Irkutsk, Samara, Saratov, Ulan-Ude.
Archivist training in Moscow (examples):
- at the Russian Economic School;
- at the State Institute of Russian Language named after A.S. Pushkin;
- at MGIMO.
Archivist training in St. Petersburg (examples):
- at Leningrad State University;
- at the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions;
- at the St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design.
archivist college training (examples):
- at the Moscow Regional College of Arts;
- in the College of Automation and Information Technology.
Historian archivist
Archivist is the modern name for the profession of archivist. This specialist has approximately the same responsibilities as a regular archivist. However, there is a difference between the similar specialties of archivist and archivist. To discern the difference, we need to look at history.
The position of archivist appeared several hundred years ago during the time of one of the most influential people in world history - Peter the Great. Then, in 1720, the Russian emperor first introduced the position of archivist, as the head of the archive. At the same time, an ordinary employee of this unit was considered an archivist. Over time, these two concepts became synonymous, and later “archivist” practically ousted “archivist” from circulation.
In addition to the usual specialty of archivist, there is also a related profession “historian archivist”. Many people entering educational institutions in the field of document management and archival science are interested in: who is a historian archivist? This specialist forms and stores the archival fund of the Russian Federation, standing guard over the cultural heritage of the state. The historian preserves documents and conveys the spiritual experience of the country.
An archivist must have accuracy, perseverance, an analytical mind and scrupulousness. Who came up with this and what are the requirements? Throughout the day, the employee is faced with a huge amount of information that needs to be read, registered and its storage period determined according to the document flow list. This activity requires attentiveness, perseverance, self-control, developed thinking, patience and fine motor skills. Not all people are capable of doing monotonous and painstaking work every day.
Archivist salary
Remuneration directly depends on the region, the financial well-being of the company and the scope of responsibilities. Today, the average salary ranges from 20-35 thousand rubles. Over 40,000 rub. received by an experienced archivist with many years of experience. Who he is and what he does was described above. The profession is quite in demand, but it is called a little differently - secretary or clerk.
Archivist: responsibilities in an enterprise
An archivist can be an archive employee or a document custodian. The job responsibilities of an archivist at an enterprise are aimed at competent organization of work and document flow in the archive. Let's talk about them in detail in this article.
Where can an archivist work?
The job responsibilities of this specialist are great. An employee with such a profession is in demand where there is a large document flow. These can be insurance, financial enterprises, banks, government agencies.
There is also such a position as an archivist in court. His responsibilities include maintaining document flow in this institution.
How did the profession originate?
In the twenties of the 18th century, Peter I issued the “General Regulations,” which laid down the basis for the formation of government in the country and which indicated the formation of archives in all departmental institutions. At the same time, a position such as an actuary was created. This was a scribe in court who was involved in writing various acts and registering them in the register.
Over time, its functionality expanded beyond the scope of legal proceedings, and the profession began to be called “archivist.” In the 20th century, the word became obsolete and was replaced by the position of “archivist.”
Basic provisions
An archivist is a technical performer. This position can be held by a person who has a vocational education or secondary education and any completed courses in this area.
Many young Bahá'ís, when choosing a profession, try to find one that will combine their desire to leave a mark on history and preserve history, especially Bahá'í history, and provide a unique opportunity to serve the Faith. Shoghi Effendi often advised youth to study and be aware of the essential role of history. He noted in letters to individual believers that the Bahá'í Faith can shed entirely new light on the study of history, and that such studies enrich the understanding of the Bahá'í Faith (see Bahá'í Youth: A Compilation, p. 15). Shoghi Effendi's own writings continually emphasize understanding the events of the Bahá'í era in their historical context. In addition, he gave the Bahá'í world two major historical works - his translation of Nabil's The Dawn Messengers and his own - God Passes By.
Historical science, however, depends significantly on the work of people who try to ensure the preservation of historical documents. These people are professional archivists. Archival work as a field of knowledge will provide Bahá'ís with close contact with history and provide them with knowledge and skills that are increasingly in demand throughout the world, both within and outside the Bahá'í community. The following sections provide answers to frequently asked questions about archives as a career.
What does an archivist do?
An archivist is a person whose profession involves acquiring, preserving and making available authentic primary historical materials for research. These can be documents of institutions and organizations, as well as personal documents of individuals. These documents and papers provide important evidence of what happened in the past and useful information about how and why something happened. The archive is a collection of documents carefully selected for their historical value. These documents are generally not published and include working papers of institutions and organizations; personal correspondence, manuscripts, notes and clippings; photographs, maps, films, records, historical printed materials, and digital data.
The archivist finds out what historical documents and papers exist and where they are located; it also determines whether these documents are worth retaining. In order to do this, the archivist must have an understanding of the historical background of these documents, the circumstances under which they were created, and how they relate to other available sources of information. This understanding allows him to determine how useful these documents will be to researchers, and thus decide whether they are important enough to be preserved. If materials are damaged, he must take steps to restore and protect them to ensure their physical integrity. The archivist must also organize and describe documents to assist the researcher in locating relevant information. In addition, he should disseminate information about the fund so that researchers know what its value is and how it can be used. The archivist often works closely with the researcher to provide the researcher with full access to all relevant documents.
Serving others in their quest for information and knowledge is the primary purpose of the archivist profession. Satisfaction in such work comes from recognizing the assistance that the archivist provides to a variety of people, including historians, sociologists, students, administrators, journalists, and genealogists. This work also allows the archivist to deepen his knowledge of history. Many archivists use the history resources available to them to publish scholarly articles and books.
Where do archivists work?
Archivists can find work in the archives and manuscript collections of colleges and universities, as well as in research libraries; in state archival institutions at the federal, regional and local levels; in the archives of large enterprises and labor organizations; and private organizations such as religious institutions, ethnic organizations and professional societies. They are often part of the professional team of libraries, historical societies, museums, and records centers. Because archival institutions vary in size, structure, and type of holdings, an archivist may work in a large department with other archivists and people involved in various aspects of historical research, or he may be the only person responsible for preserving the history of the organization. companies or institutions.
What personal qualities should an archivist have?
The archivist must combine his desire to serve others with organizational talent and the ability to express thoughts accurately, both orally and in writing. He must have a serious interest in history and a detective's ability to unearth seemingly well-hidden facts.
How can a student begin to prepare for a career as an archivist?
A university student, or just planning to enter a university, intending to work in the future in the archive, should seriously think about obtaining a specialty related to history or one of the social sciences. Whether a student chooses to study American, European, African or Asian history, or art, music, economics, social or political history, will depend on his interests and the specialization of the archives where he would like to work. Studying history will provide the student with the necessary foundation, because... training and experience in historical research is essential for continued training in archival science.
What professional training does an archivist need?
Professional training for work in archives usually occurs at the master's level. In the past, most archivists learned on the job, but the more knowledge gained at university, the better for the aspiring archivist. Very few institutions offer formal degree programs in archives management. However, the number of institutions offering training for archival work is growing. This training is typically part of a master's degree program in library science or history. The degree of preparation varies from a single overview course, to a sequence of courses including internship and research in the field. Although there is currently no generally accepted standard of minimum qualifications and training to work in archives, a student wishing to become an archivist can best prepare himself by choosing further study that will provide maximum opportunity to learn both the theory and practice of archival science. Whether to pursue a master's program in history or library science depends primarily on the student's interests. Some students decide to study in both programs, and there are universities that allow their students to combine their studies in this way. A full-time student can earn a master's degree in library science in twelve months from most institutions in the United States, and a master's degree in history in twelve to eighteen months, depending on the requirements of individual institutions.
Some students combine academic training with work in the archives. Some institutions hire students on an individual basis, while others hire students through special student employment programs. Depending on the number of hours per week that a student works, such work may affect the length of time it takes to complete a degree, but the experience that work provides can be an invaluable part of preparing a student for archival work.
What other opportunities exist for getting involved in working with archives?
In addition to offering training courses in archives management as part of a formal academic degree program, some archival institutions and universities also offer stand-alone seminars and courses in archives management. These programs last from one to six weeks to provide hands-on experience as well as an introduction to the basic principles of archival operations. Often they only enroll those who already work in archives and libraries.
Where can I get more information?
A list of educational opportunities in the archival field has been compiled by the Society of American Archivists. It can be viewed on the society's website www.archivists.com
Those interested should contact the listed institutions for detailed information about their programs. Because new programs are introduced annually, the Society frequently revises its list.
Information about educational opportunities at foreign universities can be found on the websites of national archival associations. A good source of information is the International Council on Archives website www.ica.org UK universities offering training in archives see: www.archives/org.uk/training/
Conclusion
Bahá'ís who choose to become archivists will find that this field of work provides them with the opportunity to serve others while being directly involved in preserving the history of the past and present. They will be able to offer their talents to the Bahá'í community, helping to preserve Bahá'í history locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
What is an archivist? Only by honoring the past can we have a bright future. Very often, companies with thousands of employees and companies with a huge number of employees, as well as small firms, often have to resort to previous best practices, use old and filed data in order to find a solution to the problem that has arisen.
But a lot of data accumulates every day, and if you randomly put each case on a shelf, or use the computer’s virtual memory for this, then it will soon be impossible to quickly find the information you need.
In order not to waste a lot of time and effort and use archival data, companies often call professionals to serve as archivists. Only this guardian of the archive will advise in what place and what exactly to look for, establish the correct direction of the search for data, or even organize the necessary documents himself.
What is an archivist? An archivist is an expert who manages the archives of an individual or state company, systematizes archival documents, is responsible for their security and compiles their description.
The term archivist comes from the word “archive”, and the latter, translated from Latin, means “government building”. Like every profession, the specialty of an archivist contains a fair number of pros and cons.
Advantages of the profession:
No special education required
The work, almost all mental, is not physically difficult
There is a creative part of the actions in the process
Peace and quiet in the workplace
Slowness
Reduce to a minimum number of stressful situations
The likelihood of acquiring abilities, improving individual properties, increasing high-quality qualifications.
Disadvantages of the profession:
How much do archivists earn? The disadvantages of the specialty include low salaries, the presence of medical contraindications, loneliness at the work site, and a lack of vacant positions on the territory of the Russian Federation.
This profession is considered one of the most boring professions;
lack of career growth.
The specialty of an archivist is popular in various institutions. An archivist may be in demand in a judicial or medical institution, or in a clinic.
Responsibilities and skills of an archivist:
A professional archive guardian, in order to get a job, must have a list of personal qualities and professionalism in order to effectively perform tasks. The work of an archivist may seem ordinary at first glance, but he undertakes to preserve and interact with documents. The list of main obligations includes:
-Selection, classification, preservation of the archive
-Receiving and processing documents in the archive
-Development of reference information, according to archival documents
-Providing documents to the state repository
- Supervision of the progress of office work in institutions
-The archivist should have the ability to store documentation, record and encrypt documents, and prepare items for inventory in a timely manner. In addition, the archivist has additional responsibilities:
-Take part in examinations.
-Monitor compliance with fire safety rules.
-If requests for archival copies are received, they are provided.
-Use innovative resources in their work, if necessary.
-Requirements for an archivist
-The work of an archivist is complex and involves significant responsibility for the outcome. According to this circumstance, the requirements for this position are quite high. Some may find them too harsh, but this is all with the goal of reducing the number of unforced human errors. All conditions for the specialty can be divided into main types.
We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with the professions of underwriter, midwife and hotel administrator.
Personal requirements for the position of archivist:
Vigilance
-Love systematization and structuring
-Discipline and organization
-Pacification
- Diligence and patience
-Concentration
-Qualification requirements for an archivist:
-Know general office management concepts
-Know the regulations governing archival maintenance
-Know how to draw up a document correctly
-Be able to create a reporting sheet
-Own instructions for operating technical equipment
-Be able to accept, process, store and recycle documentation
-Requirements for a senior archivist:
-Have at least 5 years of experience as an archivist
-Have a document confirming graduation from a higher professional institution
-Education requirements for an archivist:
-Receive a completed secondary education after 9 or 11 grades of secondary school
-Receive a higher or secondary specialized education in your field of study
Where can I study to become an archivist? It is possible to obtain a diploma of education as an archivist in various localities of the Russian Federation, in organizations of medium and higher categories. The preparation of a specialist is completed after 4-5 years of training, depending on what form of training is chosen. School education is an important condition, but you need to be prepared for the fact that after completing nine grades you will need to continue your education.
How much does an archivist earn? The salary of an archivist is one of the disadvantages of this profession. It significantly depends on the degree of qualification of the specialist, his work experience and the location of the area of activity. According to open positions, on average, an archivist can earn 15-18 thousand rubles per month; these are statistics for 2016. And in March 2015, the salary of an archivist barely reached 15 thousand rubles.
You can get to know the profession better in the video: