%0 Journal Article
%T On Retroconverting the State Archive in Wrocław — from the Perspective of a “Rank-and-File” Rewriter
%A Galik, Elżbieta
%J Archeion
%V 2018
%N 119
%P 121-139
%K retroconversion, finding aids, ZoSIA, State Archive in Wrocław, State Archive Directorate, State Archive Head, norms, csv files
%@ 0066-6041
%D 2018
%U https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/archeion/article/o-retrokonwersji-w-archiwum-panstwowym-we-wroclawiu-slow-kilka-okiem-szeregowego-przepisywacza
%X In July 2016, the Head of State Archives initiated the Finding aids retroconversion programme. The programme involved converting all paper finding aids into digital form and making them available to users online. At the same time, particular archives were to meet specific norms regarding the number of archival descriptions to be rewritten by every archivist per hour. The timeframe for the project was two years. The resulting scope and workload were both immense. The total number of descriptions to be converted in the Wrocław archive was 1,156,000, and nearly all central-level and regional branch archivists were involved in the project. Many errors and inconsistencies in the documents and the still-imperfect registry were discovered during the retroconversion process. However, the breakneck pace, the insufficient time and wrong order of operations, rule changes during the project, as well as the approach to the task at hand and the objectification of individual employees at the Archive level sparked numerous protests. Nevertheless, it is beyond all doubt that a new era has begun for the Polish State Archives.