Micrography in Archives
By:
Yulianti L. Parani
Background
Nowadays, micrography in archives has been
considered as one of the solution in facing archival complexity in our country.
There are two groups supporting this based on their interests, namely the
producers who wish to market their products and the consumers who need to solve
the archival problems. Assuming from the
simple principles of marketing, sellers will always promote their products related
to the buyer needs. However, if we look more deeply, it needs to be implemented
the feasibilities of the approach or usually well known as “Cost Benefit
Analysis”. Provided that the
consideration is delivered to the producers, then the results will tend to be
subjective towards the related products purchased. Nevertheless, the
recommendation and consideration from the producers can be accommodated,
providing that consumers themselves firstly need to do a study and analysis on
matters dealt with their various conditions and to determine the way out by themselves
after taking those various considerations (including from the producers).
For the instrument, we then need to highlight what
is micrography and its benefit in archival matters.
Micrography
as reprography
Basically, micrography is a reprography in the form
of a micro. The function of reprography is in communication intended to deliver
information recorded, if it is related to the scope of officials’
administration. Simply, reprography in officials’ administration connected to typing,
duplicating, printings, photographs, microfilms, and other graphic skills involving
official management.(1)
(1)
Lecture material of Jim Keene, from Public
Records Office in England, at the National Archives of the Republic of
Indonesia, December 1978
If we compare from the original text, the
reprography materials have functions as means of communication utilized in a
shorter period. Whenever legality and authentication appears as matters,
original text will be the first priority and obtain higher values.
The advanced technology and communication in the
future might bring new atmosphere for the denomination of the reprography. This
has been started from the invention of photocopy machines and other tools by
which have emerged new progress in the administration of companies and offices.
Likewise, the discovery of numerous types of
micrography as reprography, The excitement of grasping “miracle” from the
plentiful new innovations has brought us in “blindness” of seeing the real
problem and negative effects of the products. On behalf of analyzing the
advantages of micrography for administration in general and for archives in
specific, we need to acknowledge first the superiority of micrography for
unraveling troubles in administration in offices and companies and compare it with
other reprography tools.
Micrography
and Office Administration
Generally,
as one of the instruments in office administration and archives, micrography
holds functions as:
1.
Information security from calamity or hardship
2.
Information security from retention and deterioration
3.
Saving storage space and practical usage in distribution
Information
security from calamity and hardship has a connection with the creation of shadow
archives (schaduwarchief). The
purpose of the shadow archives is to preserve archives in different places apart
from its original script to secure the information.(
2 )
Normally, the policy is implemented for archives
having high informational and evidential values in a relatively long period of
time. Information security from retention is slightly different from the first
function of the micrography, if it is recognized from the material arrangement
point of view. In this function, the policy of using micrography is associated
with the information security of archives having high informational values for
the creators’ institutions. Yet, it can be disposed prevailing to the formal
procedures in Indonesia namely, Government Regulation Number 34 Year 1979 once
it is observed from its significance role in the offices.
The challenge when applying micrography for information
security from deterioration is based on the apprehension that physical archives
preservation will damage the information recorded on the archives, and then it
will be unreadable. The procedures
employing micrography is derived simply from saving the space. Since the records
volumes increase so high that it cannot be controlled makes so perilous.( 3
)
We cannot solve problems of the inability of
managing the overwhelming volumes of archives by using micrography in the first
place. We initially need to handle it conventionally or manually because what
really matters on this situation is the lack of personnel. Basically,
micrography requires a large amount of more money than increasing the number of
employees with their various trainings.( 4 )
Considering the archival techniques, disorder
microfilm of archives can add troubles of retrieving information; thus, we
cannot discuss on strengthening the information security. Disorder archives
need to be administered before being microfilmed, so that we can implement the
organized, well-planned, and well-evaluated micrography. We will dig a hole and
cover the hole back up and add more troubles if we do not do the complete
steps.
In relation with retention of records micrography
will be useful for a long-term storage. The micrography procedures will be useful
for saving spaces in record storage only if it is connected with archives
disposal. First step, it can be demonstrated through the records which have
been disposed. The next level, we will then see from M.I.S and the
dissemination of information on a network planning related with corporate
planning, corporate improvement and state administration monitoring.
Micrography
in Archives
Obviously,
the demand of micrography in archival world is irrefutable. For the reference
service, microfilm has emerged new vision concerning research and development
of sciences. Microfilm in the term of materials exchange and archives
collection among archival institutions result in a dynamic relation towards the
improvement of archival functions.
(2,3,4)
Drs.
B.J. Slot & Drs. H. Bordevyk, Nederlandse Archievenblad, 81e jaargang/1977.
alf. 5.
The new advancement though brings delight, assigns
dilemma that cannot be simply ignored. As one of profession, archives cannot be
separated from four factors, namely:
- Scope of archival condition
- Government policy
- The Advancement of Science
- Appreciation of the society
Each factor carries its own problems which
eventually become a responsibility for archival functions. The poor records
management will deliver another responsibility for archival functions to put
them orderly. It is needed to consider that various government regulations and should
be noticed and executed by archival institutions functioned as a channel and interception
of the interests of both state administrators and societies.
As one of aspects in archival functions, microgaphy
turns out to be the liability of archival institutions for conducting archival
development. Thus, before discussing on technical matters such as “hard ware”,
it is better to talk on mental ware” and “soft ware” especially in
preparing the use of microfilm and its equipment.
