Archival informatics
Encyclopedia
Archival informatics refers to the theory
and application
of informatics
in and around the realm of archives and record keeping. More specifically, it refers to the proper understanding and use of emerging technologies, techniques, and theories such as linguistic analysis
, heuristics, and automation
in the storage, manipulation and retrieval of archives and databases.
An Archival Informatics Newsletter was started in 1987.
dates back to 1986 with the formation of Archives & Museum Informatics
by David Bearman. He indicated that he borrowed the term from the field of biomedicine
where "the importance of information technologies (like computers), information techniques (like full-text retrieval or digitizing
radiographic images) and information theories, especially those of linguistic analysis, artificial intelligence
, indexing and retrieval, are coming together in new ways of practicing medicine". The concept was critical to him because it illustrated a "system oriented view of the synergism
of information based activities", rather than the more parochial
view implied by confined subject names such as automation or computerization. Although it has been 21 years since this term has been introduced its usage is not common in literature
; largely it is used in reference to Bearman’s creation, though exceptions do exist.
Theory
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
and application
Application
Application may refer to:* Application for employment* Application software* Function application in mathematics and computer science...
of informatics
Informatics (academic field)
Informatics is the science of information, the practice of information processing, and the engineering of information systems. Informatics studies the structure, algorithms, behavior, and interactions of natural and artificial systems that store, process, access and communicate information...
in and around the realm of archives and record keeping. More specifically, it refers to the proper understanding and use of emerging technologies, techniques, and theories such as linguistic analysis
Computational linguistics
Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the statistical or rule-based modeling of natural language from a computational perspective....
, heuristics, and automation
Automation
Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization...
in the storage, manipulation and retrieval of archives and databases.
An Archival Informatics Newsletter was started in 1987.
Etymology
The first use of informatics specifically within the field of archival scienceArchival science
Archival science is the theory and study of storing, cataloguing, and retrieving documents and items. Archival science evolved from mankind's need to classify the world around them...
dates back to 1986 with the formation of Archives & Museum Informatics
Archives & Museum Informatics
Archives & Museum Informatics is a company based in Toronto, Canada , that organizes conferences, and undertakes consulting, publishing and training in the field of cultural heritage, especially for museums....
by David Bearman. He indicated that he borrowed the term from the field of biomedicine
Biomedicine
Biomedicine is a branch of medical science that applies biological and other natural-science principles to clinical practice,. Biomedicine, i.e. medical research, involves the study of physiological processes with methods from biology, chemistry and physics. Approaches range from understanding...
where "the importance of information technologies (like computers), information techniques (like full-text retrieval or digitizing
Digitizing
Digitizing or digitization is the representation of an object, image, sound, document or a signal by a discrete set of its points or samples. The result is called digital representation or, more specifically, a digital image, for the object, and digital form, for the signal...
radiographic images) and information theories, especially those of linguistic analysis, artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
, indexing and retrieval, are coming together in new ways of practicing medicine". The concept was critical to him because it illustrated a "system oriented view of the synergism
Synergism
In theology, synergism is the position of those who hold that salvation involves some form of cooperation between divine grace and human freedom...
of information based activities", rather than the more parochial
Parochialism
Parochialism means being provincial, being narrow in scope, or considering only small sections of an issue. It may, particularly when used pejoratively, be contrasted to universalism....
view implied by confined subject names such as automation or computerization. Although it has been 21 years since this term has been introduced its usage is not common in literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
; largely it is used in reference to Bearman’s creation, though exceptions do exist.