• The Korean Journal of Archival Studies
• /
• no.80
• /
• pp.43-88
• /
• 2024

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is a relatively quiet latecomer to the traditional archives of the Western world. Although the United States lacks a long history of organized public records·archives management, it has developed a modern system optimized for the American historical context. This system focuses on the systematic management and preservation of the vast amount of modern records produced and collected during the tumultuous 20th century. As a result, NARA has established a modern archival system that is optimized for the American historical context. The U.S. public records·archives management system is based on the principle that records·archives are the property of the American people and belong to the public. This concept originated during the British colonial era when records were used to safeguard the rights of the colonies as self-governing citizens. For Americans, records and archives have long been a symbol of the nation's identity, serving as a means of protecting individual freedoms, rights, and democracy throughout the country's history. It is natural, therefore, that American life and history should be documented, and that the recorded past should be managed and preserved for the nation's present and future. The public records·archives management system in the United States is the result of a convergence of theories, practices, lessons learned, and ideas that have been shaped by the country's history, philosophies, and values about records, and its unique experience with records management. This paper traces the origins of records and archives in the United States in a historical context to understand the organic relationship between American life and records. It examines the process of forming a modern public records management system that is both uniquely American and universal to the American context without falling into the two forms of traditions that reflect the uniqueness of American history.

• The Korean Journal of Archival Studies
• /
• no.11
• /
• pp.181-214
• /
• 2005

Metropolitan rapid transit system plays an essential role in the public transportation system of any large city, and its managing agency is usually charged with the responsibility of storing and managing the design drawings of the system. The drawings are important and historically valuable documents that must be kept permanently because they contain comprehensive data that is used to manage and maintain the system. However, no study has been performed in Korea on how well agencies are preserving and managing these records. Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation(SMRT) is the managing agency established by the city of Seoul to operate subway lines 5, 6, 7, and 8 more efficiently to serve its citizens. By the Act on Records Management in Public Institutions(ARMPI), SMRT should establish a records center to manage its records. Furthermore, all drawings produced by SMRT and other third party entities should be in compliance with the Act. However, SMRT, as a form of local public corporation, can establish a records center by its own way. Accordingly, the National Archives & Records Service(NARS) has very little control over SMRT. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to research and analyze the present state of storage and management of the drawings of metropolitan rapid transit in SMRT and is to find a desirable method of preservation and management for drawings of metropolitan rapid transit. In the process of the study, it was found that a records center is being considered to manage only general official documents and not to manage the drawings as required by ARMPI. SMRT does not have a records center, and the environment of management on the drawings is very poor. Although there is a plan to develop a new management system for the drawings, it will be non-compliant of ARMPI. What's happening at SMRT does not reflect the state of all other cities' metropolitan rapid transit records management systems, but the state of creation of records center of local public corporation is the almost same state as SMRT. There should be continuous education and many studies conducted in order to manage the drawings of metropolitan rapid transit efficiently by records management system. This study proposes a records center based on both professional records centers and union records centers. Although metropolitan rapid transit is constructed and managed by each local public corporation, the overall characteristics and processes of metropolitan rapid transit projects are similar in nature. In consideration of huge quantity, complexity and specialty of drawings produced and used during construction and operation of metropolitan rapid transit, and overlap of each local public corporation's effort and cost of the storage and management of the drawings, they need to be managed in a professional and united way. As an example of professional records center, there is the National Personnel Records Center(NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri. NPRC is one of the National Archives and Records Administration's largest operations and a central repository of personnel-related records on former and present federal employees and the military. It provides extensive information to government agencies, military veterans, former federal employees, family members, as well as researchers and historians. As an example of union records center, there is the Chinese Union Dangansil. It was established by several institutions and organizations, so united management of records can be performed and human efforts and facilities can be saved. We should establish a professional and united records center which manages drawings of metropolitan rapid transit and provides service to researchers and the public as well as members of the related institutions. This study can be an impetus to improve interest on management of not only drawings of metropolitan rapid transit but also drawings of various public facilities.