The magazine Arkiv is published jointly by the Swedish archive associations. It is also sponsored by the National Archives. Together we constitute Arkivsverige in an organized form. Cooperation between us now takes place on an almost daily basis. We jointly support the Archive Day financially and organizationally, we organize Archive Week every three years, and we pursue a number of issues together. But the archive associations have emerged in a different context, as a response to yesterday’s problems. I usually say that the classic approach within Swedish archival work has been that each problem has been attempted to be solved by forming a new association. In the long run, however, it does not work for small interest groups to compete or stake out their respective areas in the small world we make up, which at any moment risks being swallowed by an expanding museum sector or erased as a budget item in favor of dance or performing arts. At the same time, we have developed and changed over the years, even become fewer, which is good. I believe it is important that we realize that together we must continue the concerted effort in the future. I can see no way back.
This can be done by jointly approaching the Ministry of Culture, which we will do in April. There we will explain the role we play regarding the use of history, cultural heritage issues, source criticism, archival pedagogy, democracy, and once again emphasize what we believe is the real challenge of "digitalization."
When worrying signals come that the archives have been "forgotten," both in the upcoming cultural heritage proposition and in the democracy inquiry, there is reason to go on the offensive. This can also be done by ensuring that the industry gathers, which will happen at the next Archive Week, AVEC 2017, taking place May 16-18 next year in Visby.
Another way to cooperate is to join in celebrating the National Archives’ 400th anniversary in 2018. It will then be 400 years since the new chancellery order was introduced, which became the starting signal for a national archive and an archival system. National Archivist Björn Jordell thought so, at least. Instead of just holding a ball at the castle with the major archival authority, he invited all archive associations to participate in a joint celebration. Jordell has realized that archival work does not only take place within the state authority’s walls but is entirely dependent on efforts by determined archivists within individual associations, municipalities, county councils, state authorities, and companies. The invitation has been accepted and the starting signal has thus gone for Archive Year 2018 under the name Arkiv400, where the value and usefulness of archives will be highlighted to both public and private financiers and which will focus on accessibility, democracy, and the principle of public access. I hope you all will want to be involved and participate with experiences and stories whether we meet at seminars, conferences, or on social media!
Speaking of Björn Jordell, it was recently announced that he will resign early. The organizational change work of the National Archives he has led has not been popular with everyone, but for us who work with individual archives, his years as national archivist have been characterized by cooperation, collaboration, and genuine support. I therefore want to extend a big thank you to Björn and at the same time send a heads-up to the next person who takes on the responsibility he has assumed that there is much to live up to!
