As early as 5000 years ago, when people invented words and used them to record words and notes, files appeared. Archives are the product of the transition from barbarism to civilization, and develop with the development of society.
From ancient archives such as stone carvings, clay tablets, papyrus and Oracle bones, to the emergence of paper archives, and then to the emergence of modern archives such as photos, films, audio recordings, video recordings and machine-readable archives, it constitutes a rich and colorful archive wealth, recording every step of human history.
Since ancient times, human beings have attached importance to the preservation and utilization of archives, established libraries and appointed special personnel to manage them. Since modern times, especially in modern times, the number of all kinds of archives has increased at an alarming rate, and the demand for archival information in various fields of society has also generally increased. Archives work has also developed from a simple, closed and experienced management mode to a complex, open and scientific management system, becoming a professional cause.
Archives science is a discipline that explores the development law of archives and archives work and studies the theory, principles and methods of archives information resources management and development. Its application is helpful to improve the scientific level of archives management, develop and utilize archives information resources more effectively, and serve the progress of human society.
The emergence and development of archival science
The history of archives and archival work can be traced back to thousands of years ago, but archival science was formed after the implementation of archives reform in Europe at the end of 18, and it had gone through a long brewing process before.
In the embryonic period of archival science, from slave society to feudal society, archival work developed continuously and accumulated a lot of experience, but mainly the experience of sorting out and cataloging.
In Europe, the ancient Romans classified and kept files according to the documents they sent and received; In the 5th ~11century, feudal manor archives and church archives classified archives as "open" (general documents) and "closed" (confidential or personnel appointment documents). 11~15th century, some archives classified and kept the files according to the order of business department, time order and file type. 16 ~ 17 century, there appeared the methods of sorting files according to monarch, subjects and diplomacy, the methods of sorting files according to region, cause and time sequence, and the methods of sorting files according to branches of central organs, which were divided into church rule, political leadership, judicial affairs and financial management.
Archival cataloging is also developed on the basis of archival arrangement. For example, the ancient Romans compiled a chronological copy, the Kingdom of Naples compiled a file directory of 1284, and the French constitutional treasure house compiled a file directory of 13 18.
/kloc-In the mid-6th century, early works on archival work appeared, such as Ramingen's Comprehensive Report-How to Calculate a Perfect Registration Room and Registration Room and Its Organization and Management.
In China, the Shang Dynasty kept files on bones or tortoise shells by binding them into books. The archives appraisal system of "sorting once every three years" was implemented in the Tang Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, the method of "cataloging books in different categories" was adopted to arrange files in chronological order. The stored files were classified, numbered and sealed in Yuan Dynasty. Huangshu in Ming Dynasty was classified according to the standard of chronological and geographical classification. During the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, the Classified Catalogue of Clearing Dongda Library compiled by the Economic Records Department of the Cabinet adopted the method of classifying documents by their names and problems. Ancient Chinese scholars attached great importance to summing up the experience of archival document compilation, and put forward the compilation principles of "words don't mean everything" (that is, respecting the original text) and "asking more questions for reference" (that is, not making arbitrary corrections).
The ideological factors and germination of archival science in ancient society are partial, fragmentary and empirical knowledge, which has not yet formed a scientific knowledge system, but it has prepared conditions for the formation of archival science.
After the formation and development of archival science in Europe and America 18, some European countries, driven by the bourgeois revolution, reformed archival work, established national archives, promulgated the Archives Regulations and other rules and regulations, put forward the principle of "opening archives", opened archives to the society, set up archives schools and trained archives professionals. And develop into a national cause. This change and development of archival work practice and the rise of archival undertaking not only put forward urgent requirements for archival research, but also provided conditions for the establishment of archival science.
/kloc-At the beginning of the 9th century, the concept of "archival science" first appeared in Germany. 1804, Og wrote the theoretical thinking of archival science, and the magazines of archival science, ancient philology and history founded by 1834 all used the concept of archival science. From 65438 to 0885, the French scholar Langlois published the article "Science of Archives" in the first issue of International Archives, Libraries and Museums published in Paris, and put forward the view that archival science is a science for the first time.
/kloc-in the 20th century, many European archivists have conducted extensive discussions on the nature, position and function of archives, as well as the arrangement, identification, cataloging, utilization and publication of archives, involving all aspects of archival work. The theory of archival arrangement is the core issue discussed in the formation of European archival science. Archivists have put forward the principle of cause, the principle of respecting the whole clan and the principle of source, and demonstrated the advantages and disadvantages of these principles in theory and practice.
1898 The Handbook of Archives Arrangement and Cataloguing, published by Dutch archivists Miao Lei, Firth and Fo Luo Ying, summed up the experience of European archives work, inherited and developed the previous research results, and systematically expounded the theories, principles and methods of archives arrangement and cataloguing, among which the most wonderful part was a profound exposition of the whole clan theory, and put forward the principle that archives should be organically linked and not dispersed by the whole clan.
In the 20th century, with the development of archival work practice, archival works are increasing. Representative works include Archives Management Manual by jenkinson in England, Archives Science by Casanova in Italy, Archives Science Manual by French Archivists Association, Modern Archives Science-Principles and Technology and Archives Management by Schellenberg in the United States.
The Formation and Development of Archives Science in China 19 1 1 The Revolution of 1911 ended the feudal monarchy in China, and the archives of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which had been kept secret, were no longer exclusive to the royal family. In the early 1920s, due to the spread of ouchi archives to the society, it attracted the attention of academic circles, and carried out the collection and arrangement activities of Ming and Qing archives. In 1930s, historians such as Shen Jianshi, Xu Zhongshu, Wu Han and Zheng Tianting wrote many papers, which made a meaningful discussion on the historical value of archives in Ming and Qing Dynasties and the arrangement and cataloging of archives.
In order to improve administrative efficiency, the Kuomintang government agencies launched a file reform movement. Some administrative workers and archivists study the archives of existing institutions, study archives management, and publish a number of archives management works.
In the 1940s, China began to set up archives education, set up archives management specialty in Wenhua Library College in Wuchang, set up private Shi Chong Archives School in Chongqing, set up archives management courses, studied archives science, and introduced archival science ideas and management experience from some European countries.
The research of archival science in the Republic of China was conducted by historians, administrators and archival educators respectively. It is helpful for the construction and development of archival science in China to study archival management from its own needs. However, due to the limitation of the practical development level of archival work at that time, archival research still stays on the summary of the experience of archives management in Ming and Qing dynasties and the current archives management in institutions, focusing on specific business research and lacking theoretical generalization.
After the founding of New China, the national archival undertaking was established, which opened up a broad road for archival science research. China attaches great importance to the construction of archival science discipline system. In the mid-1950s and 1960s, it established many disciplines, such as philology and the history of China's archival undertaking, the history of foreign archival undertaking and so on. In 1980s, a discipline system of archival science was established, which paid equal attention to basic theory and applied theory and technology, and all disciplines were further improved and developed.
Since the establishment of 1950, the academic activities of the International Archives Council have played an important role in organizing international archives academic exchanges and cooperation. In order to facilitate the international exchange of business experience, there are various publications such as Archives (annual), Bulletin of the International Archives Council (semi-annual) and International Archives Magazine (semi-annual). Since 1979, UNESCO and the International Council of Archives have systematically carried out special investigations and special pilot projects on archival undertakings around the world.
The content of archival science
Archives science takes archives and archives work as the research object. Its basic task is to put forward the scientific theory, principles and methods of archives work on the basis of studying the development law of archives and archives work, to guide the practice of archives work and improve the scientific level of archives management, so as to fully realize the value of archives and serve various social practices.
The research contents of archival science mainly include five aspects: archival basic theory, archival history, archival management, archival resource development and archival application.
The basic theoretical research of archival science is to study the origin and development of archives, the essence and general attributes of archives, the classification of archives types, the regularity of archives value and its realization, and the essence and structure of national archives. The structure, function and social environment of archival work system, the nature and basic principles of archival work, and the relationship between archival work and documents, books and information work; The structure and function of the national archival undertaking system and its relationship with national construction, and the structure and function of the archival legal system; The conditions and signs of archival science, the research objects and tasks of archival science, the system structure of archival science, the relationship between archival science and related disciplines, and the research methods of archival science.
The research on the history of archival science is to study the emergence, development process and laws of archives, archival work and archival science in accordance with the order of historical periods and using specific historical materials. Its task is to clarify the development characteristics of archives and archival work in various social forms, its relationship with politics, economy, science and culture at that time and its social effects, so as to seek historical experience for reference today; On the basis of analyzing and summarizing the previous research results of archival science, this paper explores the origin, factions and development law of archival science thought, with a view to deeply understanding and understanding the formation process of archival science thought, theory and principle, and improving the theoretical level of archival science.
Archives management research is to study the emergence and development of archives management, its guiding ideology, principles and systems, its decision-making, planning, organization, coordination, inspection, supervision and guidance functions, and its administrative, policy, legal, planning, economic and educational means. Its task is to improve the scientific level of archives management, promote the overall coordinated development of archives, create all favorable conditions for the management and development of archives information resources, and better serve the economic and social development.
The research on the management and development of archival resources is the whole process of archival entity management system, archival information development system and its feedback system. The research of archival entity management includes the research on the collection, arrangement, storage and identification of original archives; The research on the development of archival information includes the research on the selection, processing, editing and output of archival information, that is, the research on the cataloging, editing, provision and utilization of archives; The feedback research of archives management includes archives statistics and archives user survey. Its task is to continuously improve the scientific level of archives management, organize archives information exchange in a timely, accurate and extensive manner, and provide efficient services for archives users.
Research on application technology of archival work. Including the research on file protection technology, such as the research on file storage environment control technology, pest control technology and repair technology; Microfilming technology research of archives, such as photography, development, processing, copying, repair, storage and retrieval of archives; The research of computer-aided file management includes the collection and pretreatment of file data before input, the input, storage and processing of file data by computer, and the whole process of file information output by computer. Its task is to gradually realize the modernization of file management technology and improve the efficiency of file management.
The early discipline of archival science was single, mainly studying the arrangement and cataloging of archives. With the massive growth of all kinds of archives, the development of archival work practice and archival undertaking construction, archival science has developed into many branches and undertaken certain research tasks.
In 1950s and 1960s, China divided archival science into several sub-disciplines, such as introduction to archival science, archival management, scientific and technological archival management, archival protection technology, the history of China's archival undertaking, and the history of foreign archival undertaking. In 1980s, Chinese archivists discussed the system structure of archival science, and the representative views are as follows:
Archival science is divided into two parts: theoretical archival science and applied archival science, and then divided into disciplines; Archives science is divided into three parts: basic theory, management discipline and applied technology, or into three parts: theoretical archives science, applied archives science and archives management technology, and then into disciplines; Archives science is divided into seven parts: basic theory, archives professional history, archives career management, archives management, archives talents, archives utilization and benefit, foreign archives work and archives science research, and then divided into disciplines.
Theoretical archival science is to grasp the relationship between the research objects of various branches of archival science as a whole, make a high-level theoretical summary on the basis of applied archival science, reveal the essence and general laws of archives, archival work, archival undertaking and archival science itself, and provide a general theoretical basis for archival work practice and national archival undertaking construction.
Applied archival science is the general name of archival undertaking management, archival resource management and development, and archival work application technology research. Subjects include: archives management, archives management, science and technology archives management, archives compilation, archives statistics, archives bibliography, archives protection technology, computer-aided archives management, archives microform technology, etc.
The characteristics of applied archival science are: first, practicality. Its theory, system, principles and methods are directly applied to the practice of archives management and archives business, and the specific principles and methods occupy a large proportion in the subject knowledge. Second, it is technical. It studies the application of modern technology in archives management, and solves the problems of modernization of archives protection technology, automation of archives management, miniaturization of archives replication and networking of archives information transmission.
Contemporary archives management and national archives management are a complex system, including macro management and micro management, so archival science must also carry out macro research and micro research. Theoretical archival science is an advanced theoretical summary of applied archival science, which plays a guiding role in applied archival science; Using the research results or problems of archival science will promote the development of theoretical archival science. The coordinated and synchronous development of the two is conducive to improving the overall level of archival science.
The disciplinary nature and characteristics of archival science
Archival science is a social science, or basically belongs to social science, which is determined by the nature of the research object of archival science. Archival work is a social activity to manage archives and provide archival information to serve social practice. Archival science is to study the special social phenomenon of human society, that is, to study the movement law of archives and archival work and its relationship with people's social practice, so it belongs to the category of social science.
The research object of archival science determines that archival science has two distinct characteristics: one is that the important theories and principles of archival science are restricted and influenced by social system and ideology, and the other is that it has strong practicality. The development level of archival practice determines the development level of archival science. The knowledge provided by archival science is not only the basic theoretical knowledge about archives, archival work and archival science itself, but also includes a large number of specific principles, methods and technologies of archival work.
The relationship between archival science and other disciplines
Archival science and philology are the most closely related sister disciplines. From the research objects of the two disciplines, documents are the predecessor of archives, archives are the transformation of documents, and paperwork is the premise and foundation of archival work.
The inseparable relationship between archives and history determines the close relationship between archives and history. Archives are the wealth of history and culture, and how to collect, sort out, edit and use archival historical materials is a common concern of archivists and historians. The study of history is inseparable from historical materials, and archives are the original records of history, which is particularly important for the study of history.
Archives science, library science and information science are independent and closely related disciplines. Because of the particularity of their research objects, they have their own characteristics in management system, principles and methods. Archives are mostly manuscripts, originals, or "manuscripts", so there is a special utilization system, which is generally not lent to libraries; Archives have a strong confidentiality in a certain period of time, so it is necessary to establish a confidentiality system and an open system. These are obviously different from library management and information management.
Archives and books are both documents and carriers of knowledge and information resources. The manuscripts of books are archives, and the compilation of archives can be transformed into books. Archives and books are written information, and intelligence is targeted knowledge information. The knowledge and information contained in archives and books can be transformed into intelligence.
In a word, there are many similarities between archives, books and information work, which determines the close relationship between archival science, library science and information science. The research results of these three disciplines can learn from each other and learn from each other the knowledge suitable for this discipline.
In addition, the research of archival science is closely related to other disciplines, such as using quantitative analysis methods of mathematics, using theories and methods of system science, sociology and management science, and using knowledge of natural science and technical science.
The development of archival science has a history of nearly two centuries, but it must adapt to the needs of social development and constantly improve and improve. The new technological revolution in the contemporary world also challenges the archival work, and the traditional archival management mode will change to the modern archival management mode.