Libraries are archives for books, but archives are not just for books. An archive is an organized collection of documents, photos, objects or recordings. Some archived material has historic value and much of it is original. Archive clerks help organize and maintain the collections in archives.
Archive clerks understand how the archive is organized. They prepare the archive records and computer databases that include descriptions of the material in the archive. They can also show researchers where to find the information they need. For example, if the archive uses the Library of Congress’ reference system, the clerk can explain it to the researcher. The clerk can also take the researcher to the section where the materials are stored.
If materials in an archive are fragile or breakable, such as old documents or china, archive clerks can preserve documents, such as newspapers, by copying them to microfilm. They also take pictures of objects in the collection. This allows the archives customers to do research without handling fragile materials. Archive clerks also do research on the materials in the archive. This means they examine a document’s history, called its provenance, to see if it is real or a copy.
Every archive has polices and guidelines about who can access and use its collection. The archive clerk carries out the archive policies about who can use archive materials and how they may do so. The archive clerk researches the historical significance of materials in the archives. For example, if the archive owns a letter by Benjamin Franklin, the clerk might look for hints that relate to historic or significant events during his life.
The clerk also finds items of interest to the archive. If another organization, such as a museum or library, owns these items, the archive clerk might arrange for that organization to loan them or sell them to the archive. If a private person owns the items, the archive clerk might ask the person to donate them to the archive.
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