By Victor Andreev
Archive documents still stored as hard copies, since digital formats are thought unreliable
Vladimir Adamushko, the Director of the Department for Archives and Records Management at the Ministry of Justice has told journalists that hard copies of documents are still stored carefully, so that archivists do not rely exclusively on digital formats. He underlines, “We know the conditions required for storage: those used since the 14th century — no lower than +15°C and with humidity of no more than 55 percent. Kodak tapes can last one hundred years in these conditions but we have no idea of the lifespan of electronic carriers. Nevertheless, digitisation of archives continues.”
About 100,000 new files arrive at state archives annually, with the main task being to make them accessible to the public. Mr. Adamushko emphasises, “We must publish as much as possible, so that historians can work with materials, giving us an objective picture of the past.”
The National Historical Archives, directed by Dmitry Yatsevich only stores existing, older documents. He explains that these date up until 1917 and would stretch 11.5km if placed end to end. They accept church books and other such materials, which can used to help the public research genealogy and historians research wider domestic history. Mr. Yatsevich notes that new collections of documents have been published this year, with some already on sale in bookshops.
Archive documents still stored as hard copies, since digital formats are thought unreliable
Paper more reliable than figures
