JIMMA UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
FACULTY OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATICS
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SCIENCE
ARCHIVES AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT
GROUP ASSIGNMENT Group – 4
GROUP MEMBERS
NAME ID NO
1. TOMAS BALCHA……......……………………………………………………………………………RU 1087/14
2. YARED ADDISE……......……………………………………………………….……………………..RU 2119/14
3. UMER GEMEDA……......………………………………………………………..…….…………….RU 0779/14
4. SHIKUR EBRAHIM……......……………………………………………………..……….………….RU 0494/14
5. SELAM MEIRAB……......…………………………………………………………………….……….RU 1697/14
6. TOFIK JEMAL……......………………………………………………………………………………….RU 1324/14
7. ZUBEYR HASSEN……......…………………………………………………………………………….RU 0345/14
8. NARDOS GIZACHEW……......……………………………………………………………….………RU 1155/14
9. SURAFEL MABIRATU……......……………………………………………………………….………RU 1632/14
10.UMER ISMAEL……......………………………………………………………………………….…….RU 0960/14
SUBMITTED TO: Dr Minyichil .B
SUBMISSION DATE: Mar, 2025
1. Museum Management and the Information Science Profession
1.1 Introduction
Museum administration is museum management, i.e., collection management, exhibition planning,
visitor engagement, and financial administration. Museum professionals used to specialize in the
conservation of physical materials. Nowadays, with technology, museums increasingly depend on
information science for the management of digital files, enhancing access, and supporting research
[1].
Information science, being a multidisciplinary discipline within the framework of information
organization, retrieval, and provision, provides information control methods of physical and virtual
collections of museums [2]. As collections and archives in museums are getting digitized,
cooperation between museum professionals and information scientists becomes crucial.
1.2 Role of Information Science in Museum Management
1.2.1 Digital Archives and Collections Management
Museums house enormous collections, and these have to be cataloged in a systematic manner and
tagged with metadata. Information science provides standardized processes like:
• Dublin Core Metadata Standards: Used for describing digital objects [3].
• Controlled Vocabularies: An institution like the Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus
(AAT) ensures consistency to museum records.
• Digital Asset Management Systems (DAMS): Software like TMS (The Museum System)
and PastPerfect enable museums to manage and retrieve digital collections in an effective
way [4].
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration: AI facilitates automatic image tagging, artifact
classification, and exhibition curation suggestions [5].
1.2.2 Digitalization and Virtual Museums
Museum processes have been revolutionized with the introduction of digital technology:
• 3D scanning and modeling allow individuals to see exhibitions remotely.
• Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence support artifact classification and historical
analysis [6].
• Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) offer immersive experiences, allowing
remote users to access museum collections .
• •Blockchain for Provenance Tracking: Blockchain technology is implemented by museums
for provenance tracking of artifacts to establish authenticity and transparency in
collections.
1.2.3 Information Science in Preservation and Conservation
Information professionals help museums create digital preservation strategies such that digital
records are made accessible over the long run. The most crucial strategies among them are:
• Bitstream Preservation: Digital objects preserved in the original format.
• Migration Strategies: File format conversion to prevent obsolescence.
• Trusted Digital Repositories: LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) systems store
several copies of museum records.
• Cloud-Based Archiving: Museums are moving towards the implementation of cloud
storage for secure and scalable management of artifacts.
1.3 Challenges and Ethical Challenges in Museum
Information Management
In spite of the use of technology, there are several challenges that still persist:
• Copyright and Intellectual Property: Museums have to balance open access with copyright
law when digitizing collections .
• Cultural Sensitivity: Online presence and digitization of artifacts of indigenous or
colonized cultures pose ethical concerns.
• Data Security and Cyber Attacks: Digital assets have to be protected by museums from
cyber attacks and intrusions.
• Digital Archiving Sustainability: Software upgrade on a periodic basis and sustainable
financial investments are involved in long-term digital preservation.
2. History of Archives and Museum Management
2.1 Introduction
Archival and museum administration have developed over centuries, as per the needs of society
for preserving history and knowledge. Archival science and museology have developed in
accordance with political, technological, and cultural revolutions [7].
2.2 Ancient and Medieval Archives
• Ancient Civilizations: The earliest archives were found in Mesopotamia (around 3000
BCE), where administrative and legal documents were kept on clay tablets [8].
• Egypt and Greece: The Library of Alexandria (3rd century BCE) was an early example of
preserving knowledge.
• Medieval Period: Monasteries and royal courts held government records, but they were not
accessible to anyone but elites [9].
2.3 The Emergence of Modern Archives (18th-19th Century)
• French Revolution (1789-1799): The French National Archives established a precedent for
public access to state records [10].
• Public Record Offices: Formal professional archival process was set in motion by the
British Public Record Office (1838) and US National Archives (1934).
• Industrial Revolution Impact: Expanded literacy and printing presses propagated the
demands of documentation resulting in enhanced archival process .
2.4 Evolution of Museums from the 19th and 20th Centuries
• British Museum (1753) and the Louvre (1793) initiated the transition from a private
collection to a public museum [11].
• Museology as a Profession: Formal training in museum studies and curatorial training was
initiated in the late 19th century.
• World War II and the Protection of Cultural Heritage: Laws were created by governments
to protect museum artifacts from looting and destruction .
2.5 Archives and Museum Management in the Digital Age
Archives and museum management in the 21st century are faced with new challenges and
opportunities:
• Digitization of Historical Archives: Organizations such as Europeana and the Digital
Public Library of America (DPLA) offer free access to digitized archives.
• AI and Big Data in Archival Research: AI-driven metadata extraction and automated
classification enhance the efficiency of record-keeping.
• Decolonization and Repatriation Movements: Libraries are rethinking their collections to
repatriate cultural objects to their communities of origin.
• Climate Change and Museum Conservation: Rising temperature and humidity affect
artifact preservation, making new conservation practices necessary .
References
[1] Ambrose, T., & Paine, C. (2018). Museum Basics. Routledge. [2] Buckland, M. (2017).
Information and Society. MIT Press. [3] Gill, T., et al. (2019). Metadata and Digital Libraries.
Springer. [4] Parry, R. (2010). Museums in a Digital Age. Routledge. [5] Gates, C. (2021). AI and
Museums: A New Frontier. Cambridge University Press. [6] Kenderdine, S. (2019). Virtual
Museums and Cultural Heritage. UNESCO. [7] Eastwood, T. (2010). Archives and the Digital
World. Springer. [8] Duranti, L. (1996). Diplomatics: New Uses for an Old Science. Scarecrow
Press. [9] Shepherd, E. (2013). Archives: Principles and Practices. Facet Publishing. [10] Cook,
T. (2000). Archival Science and the Digital Era. Scarecrow Press. [11] Alexander, E. (2008).
Museums in Motion: An Introduction to the History and Functions of Museums. Rowman &
Littlefield.
