Academic Archives ─ Managing the Next Generation of College and University Archives, Records, and Special Collections

Purcell (special collections, Virginia Tech) examines the changing field of academic archives, what academic archivists do, and the future of their work, for archivists of all levels and experience, other information professionals, library directors, historians, and academics. He explores practical issues of work and the management of programs, with a focus on merged departments in academic libraries, such as a special collections unit. He describes choosing this career, working with other information professionals in an academic library, defining and articulating the vision, connecting the program with the goals of the institution, integrating records management functions, building collections with the help of donors and dealers, presenting unique material to many audiences, determining the best approaches to processing and organizing collections, digital opportunities, and the definition of an academic archivist and the role in the twenty-first century. Annotation Ac2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)