Educating the Reference Archivist

Although much has been written recently on archival education and the role education plays in certification and professionalization, little of this literature addresses archival reference and the skills archivists need to carry out their reference responsibilities. This inattention to the training of reference archivists reflects the field's general indifference to the reference process relative to other archival concerns. This article, through a selected survey of the literature, suggests that only in the last decade have archivists begun to examine critically the reference process and to recognize the shortcomings of archival finding aids and reference personnel. Several archivists have suggested ways of improving archival finding aids, but few have addressed the issue of personnel expertise. This author recommends increased formal education and suggests potential topics of study.