Archivist

Job overview
"Archives” is the name given to any extensive collection of papers, correspondence, printed or written records, files, maps, photographs etc.

More particularly the term applies to collections either of official, government material or of correspondence between well known personalities or institutions.

Archivists, usually employed by the government or a large private corporation, are responsible for the preservation, care and accessibility of the material in their custody.

What do people do in this job?
Archivists collect, assemble and index material and make it available to registered users of the archives on request.

Modern computerisation and micro-filming techniques are an increasingly significant aspect of the work of archivists who are involved also in record management (the control over documents which remain physically in their places of origin), and the distribution of publications.

To preserve archives for posterity,? they have to be protected against theft and damage in strong rooms under optimal storage conditions.

Archivists therefore, have to be fully conversant with modern preservation techniques, including pest control, combating fire and water hazards and restoring documents and films that are liable to disintegrate or fade.

What kinds of people are suitable for this job?
Archivists tend to have an interest in subjects such as history, political science and public administration.

They will spend much of their working life at a desk in front of a computer or a pile of documents and this is probably not a career for the extrovert.

The National Archives is the major employer of archivists in Zimbabwe.

What qualifications are needed?
Normally a degree in one of the areas indicated above or a degree or diploma in librarianship.