11597 - Archive Administration (1)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student will know the basics of general archival and archival organization in Italy; be able to apply the theoretical principles and the basic methodology necessary for the archivist presiding over the training, organization, conservation and dissemination of the documentary heritage. They will know how to use both archival and on-line archival techniques with precision and accuracy, as required for management of the documentation produced and collected in various specific institutions, and will also know how to apply the main methods and tools for researching information and archival material, as well as applying the tools of historical analysis necessary for cataloguing, appraising, disseminating and conserving the historical and cultural heritage. They will be capable of collecting, selecting and logically organizing complex data and information, enabling them to formulate independent conclusions and opinions. They will organize information logically and outline it with methodological rigour, care and precision.

Course contents

The course aims to offer a broad overview of the origin, development and management of both public (state and non-state) and private (personal, family and business) Italian archives during the 19th-20th century. On archives between the 19th and 20th centuries, in particular, students will be offered concrete examples of documentation and archival inventories, both paper and digital. There will also be exercises and visits aimed at familiarizing with archives and producers.

Readings/Bibliography

For attending students, preparation for the exam will be based on the teaching material presented in class and the study of the following articles:

• G. Cencetti, Sull'archivio come universitas rerum, «Archivi», s. 2, IV (1937), pp. 7-13
• C. Pavone, Ma è poi tanto pacifico che l’archivio rispecchi l’istituto?, «Rassegna degli Archivi di Stato», v. 30, n. 1 (1970), pp. 145-149
• Introduzione, in Guida generale degli Archivi di Stato italiani, v. 1, Roma, Ministero per i beni culturali e ambientali, Ufficio centrale per i beni archivistici, 1981, pp. 1-32
• A. d'Addario, Lineamenti di storia dell'archivistica (secc. XVI-XIX), «Archivio Storico Italiano», v. 148, n. 1 (543) (gennaio-marzo 1990), pp. 3-35
• G. Penzo Doria, Una nuova definizione di archivio, «Jlis», 13, 2, 2022, pp. 156-173, on-line
• S. Moscardelli, A proposito di archivi d'artista (e non solo). Spunti da una recente pubblicazione, «Archivi», XIX/2 (luglio-dicembre 2024), pp. 69-86 (shared with publisher's permission)

For non-attending students, we recommend studying a general manual:

• Giorgetta Bonfiglio-Dosio, Primi passi nel mondo degli archivi. Temi e testi per la formazione archivistica di primo livello, 5. ed., Padova, Cleup, 2023
  

Teaching methods

Frontal lesson in Italian and exercises on documents and on the use of inventories and other archival tools.

There will be educational visits to public and private archives.

Assessment methods

The exam will focus on the course program. The exercises, if carried out in writing, will contribute to the student evaluation.

For all students exam sessions are scheduled for the following months of the academic year:

• June (2 sessions)
• July (1 session)
• September (1 session)
• October (1 session)
• December (1 session)

Teaching tools

Power Point and bibliographic information for further information. The material will be shared in the 'Virtual Learning Resources' section. It should be noted that the initiatives (educational visits, seminars, conferences, book presentations ...) indicated and / or organized are to be considered supplementary to the teaching and will be recognized in the examination.

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students.

Office hours

See the website of Federica Rossi