Wayfinding: Navigating Archival Theory in Times of Technological Change

Are new technologies creating better frameworks for achieving “best practice”? What impact might tools like ArchivesSpace have on the future of the profession? Implementing ArchivesSpace at the Archives and Special Collections Department at the University of Minnesota brought internal practices in closer alignment with archival standards, and in doing so drastically changed the way we intellectually and physically manage our repositories. This article will explore whether or not these changes undermine traditional theoretical frameworks for archivists, or simply represent a realignment of professional principles.