Records, Information and Data (Principles and Practice in Records Management and Archives)
Geoffrey Yeo
Synopsis "Records, Information and Data (Principles and Practice in Records Management and Archives) "
This dynamic book considers whether and how themanagement of records (and archives) differs from the management of information(and data). Can archives and records management still make adistinctive contribution in the 21st century, or are they now being dissolvedinto a wider world of information governance? What should be ourconceptual understanding of records in the digital era? What are the practicalimplications of the information revolution for the work of archivists andrecords managers?Geoffrey Yeo, a distinguished expert in the globalfield, explores concepts of ‘records’ and ‘archives’ and sets today’srecord-keeping and archival practices in their historical context. Heexamines changing perceptions of the nature and purpose of records managementand archival work, notions of convergence among information-relateddisciplines, and archivists’ and records managers’ attitudes to information andits governance. Starting with Peter Morville’s dictum that ‘when we tryto define information, we become lost in a hall of mirrors’, Yeo considersdifferent understandings of the concept of ‘information’ and theirapplicability to the field of archives and records management. He alsolooks at the world of data science and data administration, and asks whetherand how far recent work in this area can enhance our knowledge of how recordsfunction and how they relate to the information universe.Key topics covered include:The keeping ofrecords: a brief historical overviewThinking aboutrecords and archives: the transition to the digitalArchivists,records managers and the allure of informationFinding a waythrough the hall of mirrors: concepts of informationRecords anddata Why records arenot (just) information; understanding records in the digital era.This thought provoking and timely book is primarilyintended for records managers and archivists, but should also be of interest toprofessionals in a range of information-related disciplines. In addressing theplace of record-keeping in contemporary information culture, it aims toprovide a balance of theory and practice that will appeal to practitioners aswell as students and academics around the world.
