Electronic historical sources and archives. A source expert’s view
https://doi.org/10.28995/2658-6541-2024-6-4-94-115
Abstract
The article deals with the consideration of an urgent topic of modern archival science and source studies – the definition of electronic historical sources (hereinafter – EHS), their features and repositories (archives), which carry out the acquisition, description, storage and the possibility of using EHS in the long term. In the preamble, the author formulates the definition of EHS and lists their key characteristics that distinguish this type of sources from the analog historical sources. At the same time, the author emphasizes that the very concept of EHS is much broader than the concepts of “an electronic document” and “an electronic archival document”, and can be extended to any objects created in a digital environment. In the main part of the article, in historical retrospect, the emergence and development of specialized repositories, departments of archives, museums and libraries keeping electronic (digital and digitized) heritage are considered. The author states that by now three types of EHS archives have been formed: archives of machine-readable data, archives of machine-readable (electronic) documents and web archives. Each type is provided with a brief description, and there also are examples of currently functioning or already re-organized foreign and national EHS repositories. In conclusion, it is resolved that a long-term archival storage and use of electronic historical sources as a source base for historical research will require a serious modification of the methodology of archival science and source studies and necessitate adequate changes in the professional requirements for archivists and research historians.
About the Author
Yu. Yu. Yumasheva
“DIMI-CENTER”, Co. Ltd.
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Yulia Yu. Yumasheva, Dr. of Sci. (History)
43, Izmailovskii Blv., Moscow, 105264
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For citations:
Yumasheva Yu.Yu. Electronic historical sources and archives. A source expert’s view. History and Archives. 2024;6(4):94-115. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.28995/2658-6541-2024-6-4-94-115
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