The Need for and Needs of Archives

Guide to the archives and documentation of the member parties of the European Free Alliance (EFA)

The Need for and Needs of Archives

1. The outline of the project

Basic question

What is the situation of the historical and archival awareness

amongst the political parties assembled in the European Free Alliance (EFA)?

Goal

Mapping the archives of EFA’s member parties to plan future support where it is needed, develop

recommendations and facilitate (historical) research

Setup

•initiated by CMC (Centre Maurtis Coppieters)

•carried out by NISE (National movements and Intermediary Structures in Europe)

NISE?

•international historiographical, heuristic and archival platform•facilitate scientific historiography of national movements (e.g. guidance towards source material) •coordinated by the ADVN - archives and research centre in Antwerp (Flanders, BE)•more info: http://www.nise.eu

Timeline

•2009: preliminary study, setting out the framework•2010: carrying out survey•2010-2011: additional interviews and visits•2011: final data processing•2012: presentation of results: database, online manual, publication

Why do we need archives anyway?

•legal function: a.o. support and guarantee the rights and obligations of governments and citizens•administrative function: good governance•historical value: influence the contents and orientation of personal and collective memory, thus the formation of a national identity•policy supporting: legimitation of policy

and decision making

What are archives then?

•“materials created or received by a person, family, or organization, public or private, in the conduct of their affairs […]”•parties: letters, policy papers, meeting reports, financial administration, party publications, campaign material, audiovisual materials (photos, films etc) and all digital born or

digitised materials

The Need for and Needs of Archives

2. The survey

Yes, another survey…

•few (European) examples of surveys on the archives of political parties•most were very unsuccesful with very limited response (statistically worthless)•rather succesful among socialist and social democrat parties. Due to higher historical/archival awareness?

Three kinds of data

•Archival data: are there archives, what is their background and what do they contain•Archival context: who created those archives, e.g. information about the political parties/organizations•Archival holders: who keeps those archives and how are they being kept

Selection of respondents

•EFA (2010): 33 full member parties•added with prospective members and observers•a limited control group of non-member parties, although part of national or regional movement•total of 46 possible cases

Four steps

1.Questionnaire by e-mail (2010): 25% returned at least a minimal completed form;2.Interviews at EFA GA in Venice (March 2010):56% of member party representatives contacted;3.Visits at selected party archives (2010-2011): 5 in 2010, added with 11 extra visits in 2011;4.Additional research (2011).

Problems

•By the end of 2010: only 30% sufficient data•Causes:

- general low return on surveys- language problem (despite use of 5 languages)- unfamiliar with archival matters- incomprehension / suspicion regarding project

Data processing

•During 2011 at the ADVN, Antwerp•Translated, checked and systemised•Database input using international standards of the International Council on Archives (ICA):

- Archives: ISAD(G)- Context (parties): ISAAR(CPF)- Archival holders: ISDIAH

The Need for and Needs of Archives

3. The results

Database

http://gta.nise.eu

Statistics: where are the archives kept

Statistics: where are the archives kept

Statistics: where are the archives kept

Statistics: how are the archives kept

Statistics: how are the archives kept

Statistics: how are the archives kept

Statistics: what is kept in the archives

Statistics: how the archives are disclosed

Statistics: how accessible the archives are

Statistics: how accessible the archives are

Conclusions (1/2):

•amazing and even surprising amount of historical valuable materials•huge difference whether party archives are kept at an institution or not•party archives are often underresourced•archival care is not according to common standards, methods and procedures

Conclusions (2/2):

•the retrieval of documents often depends on the knowledge of the archives responsable•the level of access lacks consistency•digitisation, if applicable, lacks a methodical approach•all archives lack an international dimension

The Need for and Needs of Archives

4. Recommendations

Manual

•an online resource with practical guidelines bundled in 6 main themes: context, appraisal, arrangement, preservation, digitisation and access•part of NISE Expertise and Information Centre (wiki)•http://eic.nise.eu•work-in-progress: constantly updated and added to

Flying Archivist

•follow-up project initiated by CMC and NISE•assist with the most urgent and basic needs and consult on archival care by offering archival service on a temporary basis (5 days)•selection of 3 cases: application process from March 26th until April 16th•more info: http://www.nise.eu

The Need for and Needs of Archives

Thank you for your cooperation with this project

and attention during this presentation

Further information

•General report: http://www.nise.eu and NISE Proceedings, nr. 2 (summer 2012)•Database: http: //gta.nise.eu•Manual: http://eic.nise.eu•Contact: tom.cobbaert@nise.eu or luc.boeva@nise.eu