Celebrating change in archives

Abstract

This paper deals with a number of changes. The first is the new way of looking at and beyond the record, trying to read its tacit narratives of power and knowledge, and taking into account archivalterity, which refers to the acts of continuous and discontinuous change that transform the meaning and authenticity of a fonds as it is transmitted over time and space. This means a broadening—thus a change—of archival science and an openness to contributions from other disciplines. Looking beyond the record brings the contexts of archiving to the forefront, the why, who, what, and how, embedded in various temporalities. Contexts will change, and creation, capture, organization, and pluralisation will change, and societal challenges and technology will change. The major change in the 21^st century and the major challenge for the archival endeavour is the existential threat from climate change (global warming), requiring an urgent switch to environmental sustainability, in all areas of archival practice.