Preserving Local Documentary Heritage—Conversations with Special

Archival records are meant to serve as evidence of responsible governance, and in addition to their undeniable political value, they also serve as the basic component of a nation’s documentary heritage. Records today are history tomorrow. However, with the absence of an Archives Law in Hong Kong and the significance of keeping records being overlooked or actually not understood by people of Hong Kong, there are heightened concerns that government records would be destroyed for unjustifiable reasons and that public’s rights to access well-preserved government records would be deprived of.This book in 16 chapters is based on a series of direct face-to-face interviews with different practising archivists and special library managers in Hong Kong. Their conversations recorded in the book not only enable readers to understand the urgency of approving the Archives Law, but also reveal the details about their profession, as well as the richness of the local heritage that is uniquely Hong Kong.

While the role of archivists is always being confused with that of librarians, this book clarifies the function and job nature of the two professions and demonstrates the prospects they have and challenges they face. The book also serves as a reference guide for current students and graduates who are considering choosing the archival science or library and information science profession, providing them insights into the life and work of archivists and special library managers.