A Study on Appraisal and Selection Indicators Based on Content Analysis of International Archival Appraisal Policies

Abstract

The goal of archival appraisal is to assist archives in selecting and preserving information of permanent value in accordance with established principles, to efficiently enhance archival management and maximize the value of archives. Archival appraisal is an important procedure for the construction of archives collections. This study utilizes content analysis. First, it constructs an indicator classification framework based on research papers related to archival value issues. Subsequently, it examines the archival appraisal policies of six countries, namely the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand. It analyzes the emphasis on archival value and policy characteristics in these six countries and summarizes core indicators used in archival appraisal. These findings serve as a reference for the archival practice field to improve archival appraisal operations and archival selection competencies for administrative agencies.

Keywords

• archival appraisal
• archives management
• archival studies
• international archival studies