Ms. Farner,
Thank you for taking the time and energy to enter the fray of this
discussion. It is interesting how this topic continually reappears and
still "brings out the best in people."
I have been a certified archivist for roughly a decade. I have worked
in an academic library for fifteen years. As someone who entered the
profession through the back door, or is it a side door--well, since
there is no "real" front door, I got in somehow--I found that there is
less structure to the archival field than for the library profession.
Librarians don't understand archives/archivists (and archives/archivists
don't often understand librarians). For me the CA exam provided a
credential in a very credentialed environment. In libraries nobody wants
an "unaccredited" library degree and for archivists, as Sharon Pullen
and others have pointed out, there is no "degree." The Society of
American Archivists, along with others like the Academy of Certified
Archivists, have attempted to draft a curriculum, but nothing is in
place at the moment. Until recently there seemed to be twelve ways to
Sunday to be able to "sit" for the CA exam.
The real question is why isn't there some standardization?
I have had a thought on this and your post brought it out in the open.
It is the "it depends" factor that you mentioned. I find it quite
interesting that the archival field revels in its idiosyncracy.
Archivists seem to enjoy the lack of certitude that idiosyncratic
practices foster. This very well may be why an archival science
curriculum can't get off the ground.
As a certified archivist and having an "ALA accredited" MLS I can see
well the two different worlds that I work in (a library and an
archives). I call myself an archivist and librarian (though no one ever
asks me what a librarian does). However, I wonder why libraries are far
less idiosyncratic in their practices than archives. Yes the materials
that each one deals with are often different, but do we seek to heighten
the differences when they are differences without a distinction?
I think we like to say "it depends" so that we don't have to hold
ourselves to any strong standards of practice or quality control. If our
mantra is "it depends" than do we have any hope establishing or
furthering our profession in a manner that is easily communicated to
others? If our profession were always "it depends" are we simply not
advocating a "do what is right in your own eyes" philosophy?
In my decade as a certified archivist I have seen the recertification
process get more difficult. You cannot stay certified, as one person
indicated, by paying your money. Simply doing one's job isn't enough.
You must be involved professionally.
Yes, standardized tests aren't the absolute best way to measure
something across all populations and all desired content. But as others
pointed out they are the best we've got with the contraints of time,
space, and money. I recognize that there are those that "don't test
well." But can you imagine what it would take for the dozens and dozens
of folks that take the exam to do it differently, say, in a personal
interview? And, in a professional environment where "it depends" what
standards are going to be used? Who is going to be the arbitar? The SAT
had an essay to it this year. My recollection is that it's a mess and
there isn't a clear way to measure the content of it.
As for comments back and forth about the problems of the archival
literature, where else can ideas break forth and be debated? The
archival literature is the only source for any standards-based
assessment. Last year I participated in the ACA's exam development
seminar to help develop test questions. Many hours were spent reading
the literature and developing several questions that could test one's
knowledge of the archival profession. I would heartily recommend this to
anyone who wonders how it all happens. It is not easy. If you hold your
own ideas and creations tightly it is a humbling place. Questions don't
get in easily and they must be good ones.
As a last note, it should be remembered that the exam is not a bunch of
outsiders dreaming up a torturous exam; it is fellow archivists seeking
a means to measure professional knowledge. In addition to this a
psychometrician is involved to be sure that the best professional
practices in testing are utilized.
Well, this has been a long email to really just say, is "it depends"
really the best thing for the archival profession? Shouldn't we seek to
question the culture of idiosyncratic practice that has evolved? It may
have been good for a scattered cadre of similarly functioning
individuals in damp basements, but today? Today, in a world of
computers, networks, and metadata standards?? I hope the answer isn't
"it depends."
David Malone, BA, MA, MSEd, MLS, CA, and Knight of the Round Table
;-)
On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 10:57:29 -0600, Kelly B. Farner
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>I am not sure how much ethically anyone can tell you what was on the
>exam as well as the exam changes ever year (of course). The Academy
of
>Certified Archivists has a thorough handbook/guide. Look over that
in
>every detail. Like I said maybe it was what I studied or didn't
>study/lack of studied. Or maybe the approach of my library school
was
>not in-line with that of taking a standardized test. I am not sure.
My
>archives professor was extremely well versed in the archival
literature
>and different world views of archive methodology. I didn't feel that
>was the issue. The issues I had with the test came from wording and
>subject matter that I don't feel were covered in the detail or minute
>detail at school that showed up on the test. Again archive work is
very
>situational. There are standards but there are a range of acceptable
>methods within those standards. The test wanted only one answer but
>there may be one or more "correct" or "acceptable" ways. If you
cannot
>state why you answered a question - it doesn't account for these
varied
>yet acceptable and approved methods. I hope that makes sense. Most
>likely I will be taking it over again. I think maybe there should be
an
>off-list study group started.
>
>Have a good day
>
>Kelly
>
>
>
>________________________________
>
>From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
>Behalf Of Russell D. James
>Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 10:23 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: CA Exam
>
>
>
>As a library student who will be taking the CA exam next summer, I am
>interested in finding out just what course materials were not covered
in
>your library school; which courses should be taken to better prepare
for
>the CA exam? What topics were covered on the exam that you had not
had
>exposure to?
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Russell D. James
>
>MLIS student
>
>[log in to unmask]
>
>3450 Nicholson Drive, Apt. 2050
>
>Baton Rouge, LA 70802-8620
>
>tel: 225-382-3858
>
>http://www.geocities.com/russelldjames
>
>------------------------------------
>
>
>
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>A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
*or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html
Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>