Archivariaat

Archivariaat is the field of study and professional practice concerned with archives and records management. It covers the creation, preservation, organization, description, and dissemination of archival records, including both physical and digital materials, across institutions such as government agencies, companies, and cultural heritage organizations.

Key activities include appraisal (determining what survives as archival records), accessioning and acquisition, arrangement and description (creating finding aids), metadata standards, preservation planning, and facilitating access for users through reference services and exhibitions. The field also encompasses governance, policy development, and compliance with legal and ethical obligations, as well as long-term stewardship of digital materials.

Theoretical foundations come from archival science, incorporating appraisal theory, records management concepts, and digital preservation frameworks. Professionals employ standards such as ISAD(G) for finding aids, ISAAR(CPF) for corporate bodies, and ISDF for functions and duties, among others, to ensure consistency and interoperability in descriptions and metadata.

Education and professionalization: Archivariaat is studied at universities within library and information science or in dedicated archival science programs. Training combines theory, methods, ethics, and digital stewardship. Professionals may work as archivists, records managers, conservators, or in archive governance roles. National and international associations provide guidelines, best practices, and opportunities for certification and continuing education.

Geographic usage: In Dutch-speaking contexts, archivariaat denotes the professional field of archival science and its practices, with overlaps to records management and information governance. The term is used to describe both the discipline and the community of practitioners within libraries, archives, and related institutions.