The Archival Image

In the seventeenth century, Dutch administrators considered their books and records important evidence of their regard for the proper conduct of their duties. As David Bearman proposed in Archival Methods, and now in Archival Strategies, archivists should focus on ensuring that proof of accountability in the present is sufficiently prepared and preserved. In addition, archives' dual roles of preserving the past and documenting the present could be advanced further by emphasizing the visibility, clarity of purpose, and accessibility of archives. Bearman's Archival Strategies can provide a tool for the reinvention of the archival image.