International Directory of National Archives

Patricia C. Franks, a certified archivist, certified records manager, and information governance professional, holds a Ph.D. in Organization and Management from Capella University. Her research focuses on the impact of emerging technologies—including social media and cloud computing—on recordkeeping procedures and practices. Franks was a member of the InterPARES Trust Project (2013-2018) leading two research projects—the first on social media and trust in government and the second on retention and disposition in a cloud environment. She is sole author of Records and Information Management (2013, 2018) and co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Archival Science (2015). Anthony Bernier, teaches foundational course in library and information science and holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of California. He has received several IMLS National Leadership research grants, published research in top-tier journals, and served on the American Library Association’s Committee on Accreditation. He serves on the program committee for the Lubuto Library Project (in Zambia).

• Foreword by Ian E. Wilson, CM, FICAPrefaceDirectory

I congratulate Patricia Franks and Anthony Bernier for compiling the International Directory of National Archives.  This comprehensive reference places each institution side by side, with a description of its scope and role expressed in its own words.  I find it fascinating to see the common themes that all archives and archivists share, but also the few tensions and contradictions that remain unresolved as archival institutions define their ideals of national identity and what constitutes a nation’s archival collection.  This is a unique and most useful reference both as a directory, but also a snapshot of today’s archival environment.