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Publication Date
Spring 2013
Degree Type
Thesis - Campus Access Only
Degree Name
Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)
Department
Library and Information Science
Advisor
Debra L. Hansen
Keywords
Archivist, Government, Public_history, Records, Responsibility, Roles
Subject Areas
Library science
Abstract
The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill has been labeled America's most devastating human-error environmental disaster. To gain full understanding of the event, researchers must consult both government and public history repositories, which house very different types of records. This leads to questions regarding the roles and responsibilities of the archivists charged with preserving records of disaster. Are the roles of government archivists different from those of public history archivists? What are the responsibilities and are they the same for all repositories? This study examined policies and procedures, finding aids, and the archival collections of 2 government and 2 public history repositories to understand each aspect. It was determined that the underlying roles of the repositories are the same. However, the responsibilities, or the execution of these roles, are what makes each repository unique, and essential in fully documenting a historic event like the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.
Recommended Citation
Dexter, Robyn, "Whose Job Is It? An Examination of Archival Roles and Responsibilities in Documenting Disasters" (2013). Master's Theses. 4269.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.td7r-2pnj
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4269
