Appraisal and Original Order

Abstract

Abstract This chapter introduces two fundamental components of archival practice: appraisal and original order. The most important power exercised by the archivist is deciding whether records are kept or destroyed, a process known as appraisal. Only a small proportion of records survive the appraisal process. The implications of appraisal and destruction are illustrated with reference to the Windrush scandal in the United Kingdom. In order to preserve information about the bureaucracy which created the archive, it is essential to preserve the original order file and other series. However, original order means that interpretations are inextricably tied into the corporate culture of the body which created the archive. Digital records challenge traditional approaches to appraisal and original order, and raise the possibility that we can transcend the power structures associated with the conventional archive.

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