The Future of Archives and Recordkeeping: a reader (and a review)

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It's been a while since I posted. Time goes by quickly when you're having fun!!  Currently I'm nearing the end of a 'reader' edited by Jennie Hill that I hope we'll use as one of the required readings in the MARA (Master of Archives & Records Administration) program.   The Future of Archives and Recordkeeping was published by Facet Publishing in 2011 (available through Neal-Schuman and AMAZON here in the states).  The opening chapter written by Jennie HIll and Victoria Lane sets the stage for the remaining 10 chapters which deal with defining archives, shaping a discipline, archive 2.0 - archives in society, and archives in the information age. This last section asks the question, "Is there still a role for the archivist?"  And, of course, the answer is yes!  But exactly what that role should be is the question.  Chapter 9 by Adrian Cunningham on the 'postcustodial archive' gives us a clue.  Archivists will continue to accept, protect, and make available objects within physical spaces, but they will also be responsible for managing digital artifacts in both centralized and distributed environments. Although I did not intend to turn this into a recommendation, I do highly recommend that you read this book if you are a serious student of archival studies and wish to understand how some of the archival scholars view the role of the archivist now and into the future. (ISBN: 1-85604-666-4)