Month: October 2016

MLIS student, national archives

State Archival Service of Ukraine

inna-2The State Archival Service of Ukraine is a national government agency that oversees the network of 2,677 institutions, including 9 central state archival institutions, 4 research centers, and 24 regional archives—among others. The agency is responsible for preserving and providing access to, 58 million items, receiving over 414,000 requests per year. More than 25,000 researchers visit its research rooms every year.

It is with great enthusiasm and awareness of the importance of the task that I began working on the entry dedicated to the national archive of the country where I was born, for the International Directory of National Archives. ukraine-state-archive-2_smDuring my work, I learned about the history of the Ukrainian archives, the core functions of the national archives government agency, its physical and digital makeup, and the services it provides to the public and the government of Ukraine. A native ability to speak Ukrainian and Russian has been a helpful tool in my quest for the most up-to-date information about the archives for the IDNA entry. It allowed me to access the information not only on the official agency website but also in the online mass media and other publications describing the archives in Russian and Ukrainian languages. I am excited about having brought the draft to completion and look forward to seeing it in the new publication! ~Inna Gogina

MARA student, national archives

National Archives Unit of the Commonwealth of Dominica

robert_clevidence
Robert Clevidence

Thanks to the research conducted by Robert Clevidence, we have our second completed entry for the International Directory of National Archives! From Robert, I learned: The island of Dominica is noted for having been named by Christopher Columbus in 1493. Although concern was expressed for the improper storage of historical documents as early as 1968, it was not until 33 years after the Island won independence from the U.K. (2001) that the National Archives Unit of the Commonwealth of Dominica was funded by the Organization of American States “to conserve and preserve the historical and documentary heritage of the nation and make it accessible for use.” 2 entries completed and only 194 to go!

MLIS student, national archives

Russia: First entry completed

svetlana    Way to go Svetlana! 

Svetlana Ushakova is the first the IDNA project team to complete a entry for inclusion in the International Directory of National Archives.  The Federal Archival Agency of Russia is routed in the 16th century when the first Russian archives was established; however, archival materials date back to the 11th century.  In addition to a fascinating history of archives in Russia, this entry provides information about the responsibilities of the Federal Archival Agency, the services it provides to government departments, its physical and digital infrastructures, and how the public can gain access to the holdings.  1 entry down–195 to go!