OVERVIEW

The course offers a training pathway designed to frame the entities, resources, and dynamics involved in the proper management of information for research activities and active citizenship. Starting from general notions of bibliography and documentation as tools for navigating the infosphere, the course proceeds to examine archival information as the material trace of administrative activity, as a primary source for understanding the past, and as a tool for safeguarding rights and organizing society.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to offer a complete framework of the theories and techniques of document information management in an analogue and digital environment, with particular regard to the formation, organization and preservation of archives as well as to the elaboration, implementation and use of finding aids.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course in Documentation and Archival Science aims to provide students with the fundamental skills required to identify, retrieve, and manage bibliographic, documentary, and archival information resources for research purposes through three progressive levels of study corresponding to the course modules.

First Module (6 ECTS)

The first module provides a systematic and critical introduction to the tools and methods required for the proper management of bibliographic and archival information, understood as both a tool and a by-product of administrative activity that only subsequently becomes a source for research.

At the end of the module, students will be able to:

• identify and select information resources;
• organize information resources independently.

Second Module (9 ECTS)

In addition to the topics covered in the first module, the second module explores cultural and heritage institutions within the local area as practical experiences in accessing user services.

At the end of the module, students will be able to:

• independently identify archival fonds relevant to their research interests;
• use both traditional archival finding aids and Web 2.0 tools related to archival websites and digital communication.

Third Module (12 ECTS)

The third module completes the programme by examining the impact of information and communication technologies on contemporary archives.

At the end of the module, students will be able to:

• critically evaluate document management systems and digital preservation systems in relation to digital preservation challenges;
• independently implement basic strategies for the proper management of small digital archives.

Common Learning Outcomes

Regardless of the number of credits undertaken, students will also acquire the ability to:

• use appropriate technical terminology, including in the international context of the discipline;
• compile bibliographies and lists of information resources organized by subject or chronology;
• produce short reports describing the main characteristics of a documentary heritage collection or a heritage institution.

PREREQUISITES

No specific prerequisites are required, except for an adequate knowledge of the Italian language (B1 level).

TEACHING METHODS

Classes will be delivered in person. Attendance is not compulsory but is strongly recommended.

Upon request from non-attending students, the lecturer may provide access to classes and recordings through Microsoft Teams.

Teaching materials will be made available through the AulaWeb platform.

Self-assessment activities will be provided to identify topics requiring further clarification and discussion.

Seminars with representatives of significant cultural institutions will be organized, where possible including visits to their premises.

Students unable to attend classes may contact the lecturer to arrange synchronous or asynchronous distance-learning options.

Students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD) may request support services, compensatory tools, accommodations, and specific aids according to University regulations.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Main Topics Covered in the First Part of the Course (6 ECTS)

• General introduction to the discipline and key concepts
• The ecosystem of published information
• Elements of bibliography
• Catalogues and online searching
• Bibliography and citation software: Reference Management Software / Citation Management Tools
• Scholarly communication and Open Access
• The life cycle of archives and the record continuum concept
• Current records: tools and activities
• Intermediate archives and appraisal
• Historical archives and archival arrangement
• Archives, structure, and related entities
• Archives in Italy: distribution and geography of archival institutions
• Archives as cultural heritage: protection, enhancement, and promotion
• Use of archives and documentary sources: access and consultation
• From finding aids to research tools: description and representation
• Research tools: guides and inventories
• From description to sharing: archival standards

Main Topics Covered in the Second Part of the Course (9 ECTS)

• Responsibilities of the Archival and Bibliographic Superintendencies
• The archival web
• Elements of archival history
• Educational visits to major heritage institutions in the region
• Thematic workshops

Main Topics Covered in the Third Part of the Course (12 ECTS)

• Information technology and historical archives
• Fundamentals of digital archival science: documents, information, data, and metadata
• Technological obsolescence and its implications for archives
• Characteristics and classification of digital file formats and extensions
• The reliability of digital evidence
• Transmission systems for digital documents
• Creation of digital documents and digital archives
• Hybrid archives
• Digital preservation

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For Students Taking the Course for 6 ECTS

• Carlo Bianchini, Mauro Guerrini, Guida alla biblioteca per gli studenti universitari, Editrice Bibliografica, 2019.
• Federico Valacchi, Elementi di archivistica, Carocci, 2026.

For Students Taking the Course for 9 ECTS

• Carlo Bianchini, Mauro Guerrini, Guida alla biblioteca per gli studenti universitari, Milan, Editrice Bibliografica, 2019.
• Federico Valacchi, Elementi di archivistica, Carocci, 2026.
• Archivistica. Teorie, metodi, pratiche, edited by Linda Giuva and Mariella Guercio, Carocci, 2014 (excluding Chapters 10 and 11).

For Students Taking the Course for 12 ECTS

• Carlo Bianchini, Mauro Guerrini, Guida alla biblioteca per gli studenti universitari, Milan, Editrice Bibliografica, 2019.
• Federico Valacchi, Elementi di archivistica, Carocci, 2026.
• Archivistica. Teorie, metodi, pratiche, edited by Linda Giuva and Mariella Guercio, Rome, Carocci, 2014.
• Stefano Pigliapoco, Documentare archiviare conoscere. Formare e conservare la memoria nel contesto digitale, Civita Editoriale, 2022.

This bibliography is intended for non-attending students. Students who regularly attend classes and successfully complete continuous assessment activities may agree upon an alternative programme with the lecturer.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Week beginning 15 September 2026, according to the official timetable.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination. The examination includes the presentation of a topic chosen by the student from among those covered in the syllabus, followed by at least one additional question posed by the lecturer. Further questions may be asked in order to assess the candidate’s level of preparation more thoroughly.

Students who attend classes will have the opportunity to complete continuous assessment activities and prepare coursework assignments, resulting in a reduction of the material to be covered in the final examination.

For attending students, successful completion of the continuous assessment activities will lead to a reduction of the examination workload according to arrangements agreed upon with the lecturer during the course. The average mark obtained in the continuous assessments will contribute to the final grade, although not according to a strictly arithmetic calculation.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral examination will cover the topics addressed during lectures and in the assigned bibliography.

Assessment will take into account:

• mastery of the fundamental concepts of the discipline;
• ability to critically analyse and discuss the issues addressed during the course;
• correct use of specialist terminology;
• ability to establish critical connections between different topics and themes.

For non-attending students, the examination will be based exclusively on the assigned bibliography, while maintaining the assessment criteria listed above.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities (SLD):

Students with disabilities or SLD are reminded that in order to request exam accommodations, they must first submit their certification on the university website at servizionline.unige.it under the "Students" section. The documentation will be reviewed by the University's Disability and SLD Student Inclusion Services Department (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111).

Subsequently, at least 10 days before the exam date, an email should be sent to the instructor who will oversee the exam, copying both the School's Disability and SLD Student Inclusion Coordinator (email of the coordinator) and the aforementioned department. The email should specify:

• The name of the course
• The date of the exam
• The surname, first name, and student ID number
• The compensatory tools and dispensatory measures deemed functional and requested.

The coordinator will confirm to the instructor that the applicant is entitled to request exam accommodations and that such accommodations must be agreed upon with the instructor. The instructor will respond by indicating whether the requested accommodations can be utilized.

Requests must be sent at least 10 days before the exam date to allow the instructor time to assess them. Specifically, if conceptual maps for the exam are to be used (which must be much more concise than those used for studying), if the submission does not meet the timing requirements, there will not be enough time to make any necessary adjustments.

For further information regarding the request for services and accommodations, please consult the document: https://unige.it/sites/unige.it/files/2024-05/Linee%20guida%20per%20la%20richiesta%20di%20servizi%2C%20di%20strumenti%20compensativi%20e_o%20di%20misure%20dispensative%20e%20di%20ausili%20specifici%20Maggio%202024.pdf