Collective residencies / ARCHIVISTICS / Olot
JOAN SOLER
From Wednesday, 24 April 2019 to Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Bio
Director of the Historical Archive of Terrassa, professor of Diplomatics at the School of Archival and Records Management of UAB (Barcelona) and president of the Catalan Society of Archivists and Records Managers. Since 2004 carries on investigating new uses of Diplomatics, understood as the science that studies the authenticity of documentary records made in any historical period, also the present. He has worked with medieval, modern and contemporary documentation, being particularly prolific in the study of documentary authenticity of digital records. If a document is authentic is vital for it to be a real source of guarantee. Its management and protections are basic for a more transparent organizations, helpful promoting access to data and information of quality and to provide critical knowledge and tools for accountability.
Project
Two are the main areas that I would like to work during my stay at Faber. Evaluation of the quality and genuineness of documentation used by the press to justify certain news and show its veracity. Secondly, to continue improving the methodology of diplomatic analysis as a tool to enrich the arguments for critical analysis of the information, being able to have the criteria to discern genuine news, misinformation and so-called fake news.
Files in permanent transformation and adaptation
This is the spirit of Catalan archival science, which progresses as its professionals are active and eager to innovate and improve. This is the spirit that the Association of Archivists – Document Managers of Catalonia aims to channel through training and networking initiatives that open the doors to the profession to keep alive and attentive to change. The area of information governance and the comprehensive management of data and documents is perhaps one of the areas that has evolved the most in recent years and sometimes it is difficult to maintain a pace that is overwhelming. At the FABER residence on archiving we have all been given the participants. AAC members who participated in Saturday’s Board were able to see that there are problems that are the same in other parts of the world such as Brazil, China, the Netherlands, the United States or the United Kingdom. Different residents have made it clear in their presentations and in the conversations and discussions that took place. The AAC, in this sense, takes note of the contrast observed between the different realities and the common points, in order to continue promoting the profession here and abroad. In this sense, in the meeting we had on Saturday, April 27, different determining agreements were made:
the first, to make the Archivistics Congress next May in Sant Feliu de Guíxols a success and that the international partners who participate, return to their countries with a powerful idea of Catalan archival. Catalan archivistics must be known and recognized in the world;
The second is to establish a permanent framework of collaboration with the College of Secretaries, Auditors and Treasurers of Catalonia in order to continue opening up the labour market for archivists and document managers to Catalan administrations;
and three, to initiate an awareness campaign in Catalonia that will allow us to increase the social base of Catalan archivistics with a campaign aimed at attracting new associates which, in turn, will serve to make us clearer and closer to citizens interested in our functions and values.
The atmosphere of FABER, the permanent accompaniment of Francesc, Gavina i Pau, the facilities and conversations offered at all times, have allowed us to work in an incomparable framework and that new ideas emerged fine, clear and diaphanous. Thanks to the FABER residence for having allowed us to show that our profession is a source of professionals committed to providing access to quality information.