Att tämja en hydra : arkivariekompetensernas mångfald och hur de kan förstås i samhället

Sammanfattning: This master’s thesis concerns archivists and the work they do. Archivists view themselves as information specialists, but not many people in society have knowledge about this. In this master’s thesis, four deep interviews have been held with archivists working in different environments. Their opinions and experiences help paint a picture of what working life can be like when working in a field that covers many areas and responsibilities, but few people have knowledge of it. In this paper I have studied archivists’ competences, how they consider themselves and how others consider them. The overall goal of the thesis is to spread knowledge about archivists and what they know and do. Using professional theory, I have tried to explain what archivists might do to gain access to their authority as a profession. To do so, they must be the ones who define their work and different terms within their areas and spread this knowledge. In order to gain full professional authority, the public must also understand these definitions and accept them. Therefore, spreading knowledge about archivists and their work is an important step for archivists so that they can access entry to their ranks. Many archivists have qualities that are considered good leadership qualities, for instance self-efficacy. A good working environment for archivists is important in order to secure access to records and archives, which is why these matters are important to highlight.