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Patricia C. Franks, ed. The Handbook of Archival Practice. London: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 2021. Hardcover/Paperback/eBook, 512p. $100.00/$49.00/$46.50.
(ISBN 9781538137345/9781538192221/9781538137352).

Patricia C. Franks’s edited volume, The Handbook of Archival Practice, pulls together in a single publication an indispensable guide for archivists responsible for today’s varied and complex recordkeeping landscape (xvii). With its central focus on “contemporary archival practice” the Handbook covers both traditional archival fundamentals such as appraisal, arrangement and description, preservation, and access and additional topics that were previously on the archival periphery but significantly impact the current archival landscape — i.e., cybersecurity, block chain, digital forensics, information governance, business continuity, risk management, and e-discovery. 

The Handbook consists of concise entries, averaging between 2 and 4 pages, covering various relevant archival subjects. Initially identified by an international advisory board made up of Luciana Duranti, Julia McLeod, Adam Jensen, and Richard Pearce-Moses, 120 different terms underwent a crowdsourcing process seeking extensive community consultation through listservs and other channels. Over the course of eighteen months the list of terms was refined resulting in the removal of some terms and the inclusion of additional terms. This distributed approach resulted in a publication shaped by the collective insights of archival practitioners and experts outside of the archival profession, totaling 111 entries from 105 authors. Contributing authors from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Jamaica, New Zealand, and the Russian Federation were solicited through open calls and recommendations made by the advisory board and other contributing authors to the Handbook.  

This inclusive methodology, utilized for both content and authorship, has yielded a diverse range of subjects offering a comprehensive snapshot of current archival and recordkeeping topics relevant to early and mid-career archival practitioners, graduate students pursing careers in the archival profession, and those in archival adjacent fields. Originally intended to be organized alphabetically, the editor recognized the need for context in understanding certain entries. Consequently, the Handbook is structured thematically into ten sections: the prevailing environment; records creation and record keeping systems; appraisal and acquisition; arrangement and description; storage and preservation (analog); digital preservation; user services; outreach and advocacy; risk management, security, and privacy; and lastly, management and leadership. Following the ten sections are substantial appendices that correlate to each of the above-mentioned sections. The thematic approach to the Handbook’s structure increased the overall accessibility and approachability of the volume, allowing the reader enhanced navigability to explore related entries on a given theme, while still facilitating access to individual entries.

The Handbook's notable strength lies in the extensive range of subjects it covers and the diverse experiences of its authors. It addresses appraisal, arrangement, preservation, and delves into more intricate technical aspects related to digital preservation practices, records management, and information governance. The comprehensive coverage of these topics makes the Handbook invaluable for experienced and novice archivists and students pursuing careers in the archival profession. Importantly, the Handbook is not the creation of a single author; rather, its content is the collaborative effort of 105 subject matter experts originating from within archives and related fields. This multidisciplinary approach, bringing together ideas, approaches, and practical insights from both archivists and non-archivists, underscores the evolving competencies required in today's rapidly changing archival landscape.

With a keen emphasis on practicality, each entry in the Handbook regularly integrates case studies, anecdotal insights, templates, workflows, and forms. Additionally, the thirty-eight-page appendix functions as a valuable compilation, presenting a summary of ISO standards, technical records, field survey templates, privacy statements, and infographics that serve as communications tools for stakeholders. Unquestionably, the Handbook provides readers with valuable introductions and insights into various archival topics. 

One section of note is Section 6 “Digital Preservation.” This section pulls together entries on topics ranging from more general explications of digital preservation such as digital curation, social and web archiving, file formats, to more technical topics such as emulation, digital forensics and blockchain. This section underscores the ubiquity of digital content in the archives and archivists’ responsibility for its stewardship. This is captured in the 2022 A*CENSUS II All Archivist Survey which identifies the growing need for archival practitioners to have a base-level competency in the preservation of digital materials and the desire among archivists for continuing professional development on digital preservation.^[1] 

The inclusive and democratic methodologies used in the Handbook unintentionally introduced certain weaknesses. Having 105 contributing authors results in a variation in writing style and tone. While some readers would not be bothered by this, others, me included, would contend that this lack of a consistent voice is jarring and reduces the ease of readability. Additionally, the Handbook contains variations in the strength of individual entries. Contributing authors often approached their subjects from their own experiences or institutional contexts, resulting in a lack of entry consistency and overly specific content. An unintended consequence is that some entries may be less useful to a general audience. It certainly would be of benefit to users to read the book in its entirety to gain a comprehensive understanding of its content. Multivocality may be a strength if breadth best illustrates the topic. In this instance however, greater univocality might have proven better as some entries are more substantive than others, giving the appearance of being more relevant and useful. 

Despite contributors hailing from eight different countries, a notable imbalance exists in that seventy-five percent of the authors originate from the United States. This skewed representation results in an undue emphasis on issues, practices, and standards centered around the United States. The deficiency is particularly apparent without discussions on international archival associations, descriptive standards, copyright, and privacy. A more diverse representation of authors beyond the United States could have enhanced the volume's strength and potentially increased its relevance for an international audience. Future editions of the Handbook should prioritize including authors from more internationally diverse geographical backgrounds. 

While the Handbook does an admirable job of including an abundance of relevant information, it should be noted that this volume is a “snapshot in time” fixed in print and some of the entries will quickly become dated. The fixed form of the Handbook might over time render it less useful which defeats the purpose and intent of the volume to be of practical use and service in a “point of need” (xix). This is especially evident in the section titled “Prevailing Environment.” Future editions of the Handbook should explore an electronic format allowing relevant timely updates. 

In summary, the Handbook stands as an indispensable resource for archivists, aspiring students in the archival profession, and individuals in related archival fields. Its unique practical approach sets it apart from other handbooks and guides within archival literature. Despite any imperfections, the Handbook remains a valuable reference and tool for those working and aspiring to work in the field. I strongly recommend the Handbook as a resource for gaining insights into "contemporary archival practices."

— Krista Oldham, Cushing Memorial Library & Archives, Texas A&M University