What are archives? The purpose here is to understand the vision of archives in Russia . What user's needs are in archives? And what can archives propose to users?
Traditionally archives are the large centers of information so understanding archives will help to receive, use and exchange information. Preserved records transmit our cultural heritage from generation to generation. Also archival records and manuscripts are cultural legacy of any state so understanding archives will help to understand cultural traditions of the other people.
Recorded information is everywhere in modern society. Many different people create such records in the course of daily life, and many people need in information for different purposes. Archival records have broad administrative, legal, and social users. Archives have importance for the individual, the community, corporate organizations, and society as a whole. But what the kinds of information must archives keep? And what the bulk of records must archives select?
Traditionally in Russia state archives keep records, papers, audiovisual materials, photographs, and maps - - all types of archival materials. Also archives keep rare books, books from private collections, and local newspapers.
Today Russian state regional archives are keeping records that protect rights, privileges, and property, and property of individuals. The volume of such records is increased every year. Also archives keep historical records that support internal research and program evaluation. And bulk of such records is increased very quickly too.
We can see that state archives begin to keep personal papers of employees and workers of state organizations. Many non-state organizations finished to transfer own records to state archives. Many state regional archives can't select and keep private papers of individuals and audiovisual materials.
The special theme is the oral history. Today Russian archives must pay attention to the problem of oral history because good oral history materials not only complements textual records, but they are essential to understanding the records that archivists traditionally collect. Written documentation and official records always revealed more about concerns of the political elite. Oral history gave people the opportunity to talk about personal, social and culture areas of experience.
All changes point out to new position of state regional archives in Russian archival system. Now the archival system is changing in Russia too. What functions will state archives execute in the future? State regional archives can't select and keep all types of archival materials today. So they must find new methods to select and keep objective and versatile information about society and individuals.