Archivists decide what records are worth keeping forever, organize them so people can find them, and protect them for the long haul. Most US jobs ask for a master's degree (MLIS or a history MA with archival coursework), so this roadmap builds your skills for free first, then points you to the degree and the experience that gets you hired. You will learn to appraise records, arrange and describe them using the standards (DACS, ISAD(G), EAD), handle digital files safely, help researchers, and manage a small collection. Every stage ends with a real project you can show an employer. You can do th
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Every stage from beginner to expert, with lessons, practice drills, projects, interview questions and free resources. Free with a Rolearch account.
Stage 1 of 3 · about 10 weeks
Understand what archives are, how they differ from libraries, and how to arrange and describe a small collection using core principles.
Archival principles: provenance, original order, and appraisal
Everything an archivist does rests on these ideas. Provenance means records are kept together by who created them, and original order means you preserve how the creator arranged them, because that arrangement carries meaning. Appraisal is the decision of what to keep. Without these, you would just be sorting paper by topic like a library.
Arrangement and description (DACS, finding aids)
Researchers find material through descriptions, not by wandering the shelves. DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard) tells you what to write: title, dates, extent, scope and content, biographical note. A finding aid is the guide that pulls it together, arranged in levels from collection to series to folder to item.
Basic preservation and handling
Paper, photos and film deteriorate from light, heat, humidity, acid and rough handling. Knowing safe handling prevents damage you cannot undo, and it is something every archive checks you can do from day one.
Research and clear writing
You will write descriptions, policies and reference answers daily, and you must research the origins of materials. Clear, neutral, short writing is the core craft of the job.
Then 2 more stages (about 64 weeks in all) with lessons, drills, projects, 6 interview questions with strong answers and free resources.