National Archives store materials relating to the history of a nation, usually operated by the government of that nation. As of 2016, there are 195 countries recognized by the United Nations, 193 member states and 2 non-member observer states: The Holy See and the State of Palestine. A decision was made to include those 195 countries plus 3 countries not recognized by the UN: Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the Republic of China (Taiwan), for a total of 198 entries.
Books have been written about the archives in the past, usually focusing on the national archives of a particular nation. However, none have concentrated on the national archives of all countries recognized through the United Nations. This book will serve as a single source of information about 198 National Archives spanning the globe.
A unique aspect of this project is that, under the lead of the co-editors, SJSU iSchool students and alumni had the opportunity to participate as part of an extended research team. A total of forty-six students and alumni conducted the research between September 2016 and December 2017.
The International Directory of National Archives helped students and alumni conducting the research to better understand how nations worldwide address the challenge of managing and preserving their documentary heritage and contribute to a work that shares their findings with a worldwide audience.
The main audience is archivists, historians, researchers, and institutions serving them, seeking information regarding the archival holdings of National Archives in this increasingly global world. This work is also of value to students of archives and records administration, history and political science, and library and information science who seek a reliable source about national archives. It may also serve as a source of information for travelers visiting national archives around the world.
Dr. Patricia C. Franks and Dr. Anthony Bernier, professors in the School of Information at San José State University, co-edited The International Directory of National Archives, published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. It is now available through the publisher and on AMAZON.
Questions on this project can be directed to Dr. Franks at patricia.franks@sjsu.edu or Dr. Bernier at anthony.bernier@sjsu.edu
International Directory of National Archives 