59
Grigory N. Lanskoy1
ARCHIVES AS SOURCE AND INSTRUMENT 
OF DIGITAL ECONOMY 
ABSTRACT
The paper is dedicated to the definition of place of archives in their institutional and 
informational quality in the system of digital economy. Digital economy is defined in 
the context of analyzing the theme as community of forms and spheres of economic 
development, regulated by usage of electronic and particularly digital technologies. 
Firstly, possibilities of development of archival theory and practice are presented in it, 
divided by specificity and content of digital economy. They are directly connected with 
the inclusion of new computer technologies in the sphere of archival work, and as a 
result, with part-automation of some types of work which can be based on realization 
of cognitive possibilities of artificial intellect. This process is analyzed also in the con-
text of appearance of new professional competences, belonging to future generation 
of e-archivists, specialists in working with archival documents, created, and integrated 
to developing digital economy. The paper furthermore studies methodical and theoret-
ical problems in the sphere of archival and documentary sciences which form conditions 
of digital transformation, of social and economic relations. Among these problems, the 
paper indicates a change of community of definitions formed in «paper» (analogue) pe-
riod of development of archives and records management services, formation of cloud 
systems for preservation and inventorying of archival documents, modernization of 
new conditions of authorizing access of different categories of users to informational 
resources, disposed in electronic systems on the basis of the publicity principles and the 
necessary security of some types of documents. 
KEY WORDS: archives, archival documents, informational systems, technologies, digital 
economy, preservation, description, access, public communication. 
ARCHIVI COME FONTE E STRUMENTO 
DELL’ECONOMIA DIGITALE 
SINTESI
Il contributo è dedicato alla definizione del posto degli archivi nella loro qualità istitu-
zionale e informativa nel sistema dell’economia digitale. L’economia digitale è definita 
nell’ambito del tema di analisi come comunità di forme e ambiti di sviluppo economico 
regolati dall’uso delle tecnologie elettroniche e in particolare digitali. In primo luogo 
vengono presentate le possibilità di sviluppo della teoria e della pratica archivistica 
supposte dalla specificità e dal contenuto dell’economia digitale. Sono direttamente 
collegati con l’inclusione di nuove tecnologie informatiche nella sfera del lavoro archi-
vistico e di conseguenza con l’automazione parziale di alcuni tipi di lavoro che possono 
essere basati sulla realizzazione di possibilità cognitive dell’intelletto artificiale. Questo 
processo viene analizzato anche nel contesto della comparsa di nuove competenze pro-
1 Grigory N. Lanskoy, doctor of historical sciences, professor of department of foreign regional studies 
and external policy and of department of documentary sciences, audiovisual, scientific and technical 
archives of Russian state university for the humanities, Moscow, Russia, gri_lanskoi@list.ru 
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60
fessionali appartenute alla futura generazione di archivisti elettronici come specialisti 
nel lavoro con documenti d’archivio creati e integrati per lo sviluppo dell’economia di-
gitale. Successivamente vengono studiati problemi metodici e teorici nell’ambito delle 
scienze archivistiche e documentarie che si formano o sprofondano nelle condizioni di 
trasformazione digitale del sociale e nei loro termini di relazioni economiche. Tra questi 
problemi in carta sono indicati il cambio di comunità di definizioni formata nel periodo 
«cartaceo» di sviluppo di archivi e servizi di gestione dei record, formazione di sistemi 
cloud per la conservazione e l’inventario dei documenti d’archivio, l’ammodernamento 
di nuove condizioni di autorizzazione all’accesso di diverse categorie di utenti alle risor-
se informative disposte nei sistemi elettronici sulla base della composizione dei principi 
della pubblicità e della necessaria sicurezza di alcune tipologie di documenti. 
PAROLE CHIAVE: archivi, documenti archivistici, sistemi informativi, tecnologie, econo-
mia digitale, conservazione, descrizione, accesso, comunicazione pubblica.
ARHIV KOT VIR IN INSTRUMENT DIGITALNEGA 
GOSPODARSTVA 
POVZETEK
Prispevek je posvečen opredelitvi mesta arhivov v njihovi institucionalni in informacij-
ski kakovosti v sistemu digitalnega gospodarstva. Digitalno gospodarstvo je oprede-
ljeno v kontekstu kot skupnost oblik in področij gospodarskega razvoja, ki se urejajo z 
uporabo elektronskih in predvsem digitalnih tehnologij. Najprej so v njej predstavljene 
možnosti razvoja arhivske teorije in prakse, ki jih predvidevata specifičnost in vsebina 
digitalne ekonomije. Neposredno so povezani z vključevanjem novih računalniških teh-
nologij na področje arhivskega dela in posledično z delno avtomatizacijo nekaterih vrst 
dela, ki lahko temelji na uresničevanju kognitivnih možnosti umetne inteligence. Ta 
proces je analiziran tudi v kontekstu pojava novih strokovnih kompetenc, ki pripadajo 
prihodnji generaciji e-arhivistov kot strokovnjakov za delo z arhivskimi dokumenti, ki 
so ustvarjeni in vključeni v razvoj digitalnega gospodarstva. V prispevku so proučeni 
metodični in teoretični problemi na področju arhivskih in dokumentarnih ved, ki se obli-
kujejo v pogojih digitalne transformacije družbe in v njihovih ekonomskih odnosih. Med 
problemi, obravnavanimi v prispevku, se navaja sprememba skupnosti definicij, ki so se 
oblikovale v »papirnatem« obdobju razvoja arhivov in storitev upravljanja z dokumen-
ti, oblikovanje oblačnih sistemov za hrambo in popisovanje arhivskih dokumentov, po-
sodobitev pogojev dostopa do informacijskih virov za različne kategorije uporabnikov, 
razporejene v elektronske sisteme na podlagi pravilnikov o dostopu javnosti in potreb 
po varnosti nekaterih vrst dokumentov.
KLJUČNE BESEDE: arhivi, arhivski dokumenti, informacijski sistemi, tehnologije, digital-
no gospodarstvo, hramba, opis, dostop, javno komuniciranje.
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INTRODUCTION: 
Digital transformation in spheres of social relations, economical development, politi-
cal practice, cultural and educative activity forms objective reality for creation, preser-
vation, diffusion and using of informational resources. Firstly this evident and directly 
developing process covers sphere of records management. In it is possible to see first 
steps of transition from paper to electronic tradition of documenting information with 
different level of publicity. Practically for equipment of these changes it is necessary to 
renew technical and technological resources accessible for collaborators professionally 
obliged to create documents for administrative and other, connected with them pur-
poses and to make their registration in electronic informational systems. It is possible 
to say that all period of second half of XX century was indicated by creation of conditions 
and than by intensive development of electronic transformation in sphere of records 
management speed of which depended only from intensity of scientific progress of in-
formational technologies and level of professional training in this sphere. In this con-
text model of post-industrial society created in sociological studies of 1960 and 1970 
years in USA and in some countries of Western Europe was founded on diffusion and 
accessibility of new technologies for public interests and on following stage for human 
interest (Toffler, 1980). In sphere of archival work process of digital transformation later 
in comparison with sphere of records management which can be explained by two oc-
casions. First of them includes in necessity of infrastructural elements of preservation, 
inventorying and description of electronic documents in archival systems especially in 
form of trusting access to their content for peoples responsible for their security, offi-
cially authorized and all resting categories of users. Second occasion is also objective 
by its content and connected with statute of archival services as ending participants of 
process of migration of sources of documentary information from their creation and us-
ing in current administrative practice to inclusion of their part to community of objects 
of historical and cultural heritage. In result of influence of these two occasions and of 
known professional conservatism of many archivists problem of connection of archival 
practice with realities of digital economical and social process was analyzed firstly on 
theoretical (Avtokratov, 2001) and only than on methodical and practical levels.
METHODS:
Methodology of paper is based on using of system approach for study selected prob-
lems. In paper it is used in three directions. Thirst of them is oriented to analysis of ar-
chives in quality of informational system which includes composition of different types 
of archival documents, metadata system and informational technologies using for stag-
es of archival work. The second direction is connected with study of digital economy 
as specific sphere in which production, diffusion and using of electronic information-
al sources can be indicated as specially organized strategy of industrial activity. In this 
context it is possible to make objective evaluation of efficacy of such aspects of work of 
archivists as preparing digital copies and images of documents, communication with 
visitors of lecture halls organized in virtual form or organized in traditional form with 
computer equipment. Thirdly system approach is used in paper for demonstration of di-
rect connection between stage of creation and current (operative) using of records) and 
stage of their transition to archival services of “historical” public type and disposition 
in them for definitive or long preservation. Application of this approach to aim of pre-
senting study gives possibility to show necessity of organization of whole cycle of work 
with documentary sources in electronic sphere in case of technical and technological 
existing of this possibility. Also in paper is used complex approach. It is oriented to study 
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of objective and subjective factors important for development of archives in realities of 
digital economy. Between objective factors are firstly indicated methodical principles 
of work with documents created in electronic form. Their difference is depended not 
only from level of technical and technological progress in different countries but also 
from attraction of representatives of different national scientific schools to theoretical 
points and methodological approaches belonged to new post-industrial realities of ar-
chival work. Also between objective factors in paper is indicated existence of open pub-
lic archival informational systems in countries with different type of political regime. 
In paper is presented direct connection between development of political governing 
practice, digital economy and functioning of public archival services. 
Using of system and complex approach is logically connected with choice of synthetic 
and comparative methods for prepared study. Synthetic method had been used for 
integration of concrete types of archival work to presentation of whole cycle of man-
aging records from their collect and preservation to organization of communication 
of different categories of uses with them. Application of this method for study gave 
possibility to show connection between state of documents in period of their prac-
tical evaluation and sometimes necessary selection and objectives of their using in 
court and than in large perspective. Comparative method had been used for indication 
of difference of approaches to archival work in democratic and autocratic systems of 
public relations. In condition of diversifying democracy using of technologies and ser-
vices of digital economy is finally oriented to organization of public access to archival 
documents indicated as part of national heritage (Code du patrimoine, 2021). In con-
ditions of permanent or cycled development of autocracy from period of creation until 
their preservation in state or other institutionally depending archival services security 
of content of big and important part of electronic documents rests in priority in com-
parison with interests of public access to informational resources. In a whole level of 
openness of socially important documentary information can be indicated as the main 
criteria in using of comparative method for analysis of different traditions in work of 
archival services in conditions which form during diversifying and development of dif-
ferent branches of digital economy.
RESULTS:
Despite on different nature of processes in sphere of economical development and di-
rection of functioning of public archival services it is evident that changes in industry of 
new informational technologies take influence on practice of work of archivists on the 
same level as theoretical and methodical approaches adopted in sphere of archival sci-
ence. It is possible to say that digital transformation gives possibility to make new con-
ditions not only for practice of managing electronic and than other types of records but 
also for evolution of mind of specialists internally prepared for attraction of achieve-
ments of informational sciences. In Russia on theoretical level conditions for this line 
of professional attraction were formed in the end of 1970 – beginning of 1980 years 
(Gloushkov, 1982). Also in this period in practice of documentary studies were included 
basic principles of information theory according which analysis and using of historical 
and particularly archival documents must be based on features of type of information 
presented in these documents. In this occasion on base of special historical studies there 
was created community of quantitative methods (statistic method, method of content 
analysis) oriented for work with big statistic data. For realization of these methods 
were used electronic computers technical and program features of which developed in 
context of scientific progress. 
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Indicated processes in sphere of historical studies (mostly devoted to study economical 
history traditionally basing on statistic sources (Koval c̀henko, 1982)) formed in 1990 
years base for reminding of approaches to analysis of documentary sources in global 
context of diplomatic science (Duranti, 1998). Than development of archival studies de-
voted to using of computer technologies in work with concrete documents became to 
develop in Russia and from other part in countries of Northern America and Western Eu-
rope in different directions. Main feature of studies of Russian archivists was connected 
with traditional interpretation of evaluation documents and planning of objectives of 
their using. For example they actively included in their conceptions definition of “docu-
mentary” (Kozlov, 2017) and social memory (Ilizarov, 2021) as mostly important object 
concentrated and needed for study in archives. Such methodological approach was ori-
ented for making possibility of part separation of human and technical problems. 
Human problems were analyzed in context of developing methods and practices of 
preservation, description, using of documents mostly on their traditional – original – 
supports. Digital transformation of these supports in form of creation copies for pres-
entation in informational systems of archival services was interpreted in theoretical 
studies as process which changes only formal external features of documents without 
influence on their content. In this occasion global theory of document (identified in 
American and European scientific literature as “diplomatic science”) formed in Russia is 
based on viewpoint according which cognitive and social functions of documents doǹ t 
change in conditions of technical progress and exist independently from transformation 
of material base of objects previewed for archiving. In this context forms and types of 
archival work also rest traditional during all period of development of archival servic-
es and can be only corrected by their mechanism and intensity in result of using new 
computer technologies. This for example means that transformation of approaches to 
description, evaluation, organization of public access to electronic and to digital docu-
ments has only technological content and doesǹ t have big distinctions from the same 
directions of work with archival documents on traditional material supports. That̀ s why 
in contemporary development of informational relations in Russia on administrative 
and public levels it is possible to see big difference between conceptions of work with 
documentary sources in community of archivists and in sphere of work realized by spe-
cialists in sphere of informational technologies.
In practice of work of archival services in many European and American countries it is 
possible to see more synchronous tendency in theoretical and practical directions in 
work of specialists occupied by decision of mostly important problems of archival work. 
In conditions of presenting in some studies attraction of basic importance of human in-
terests in this sphere of professional activity (Delmas, 2006) this situation in sphere of 
archival methodology and practice can be explained by two occasions. 
First of them includes in more uniform realization of new generation of international 
norms based on EAD standard (Society of American Archivists, 2002) in countries with 
close level of resources and possibilities of technical and technological development. 
Realization of this standard in sphere of creation metadata systems formed conditions 
for transition to contemporary conditions of creation and using open archival informa-
tional systems (OAIS) which got in last years big diffusion. This process indicated by defi-
nition of global normalization of archival theory and practice gave possibilities to many 
countries for progressive development of different stages of work with archival docu-
ments. The second occasion for existence of synchronous tendencies in sphere of archiv-
ing informational sources with using of achievements of digital economy is connected 
with forming continuity in processes of records management in institutions obliged for 
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creation, for long-term preservation and organization of access to majority of records 
which have social, historical and cultural importance. Actually model of this connection 
was formed for documents of administrative origin forming and managing of which 
is important particularly from point of developing technological system of electronic 
government (Hajtnik, 2019). But is evident that in close perspective forming of whole, 
methodologically determined system of transformation of all types of documentary 
sources from sphere of their creation to quality of objects of public access in archival 
services can be realized in electronic – “cloud espace”.
DISCUSSION:
The main problem for discussion includes in balance of advantages and threats connect-
ed with process of influence of realities of digital economy on forming, legal estate and 
using of archives. Analysis of this problem is certainly based on confession of inevita-
bility of scientific and technical progress but in the same time objective evaluation of 
process and existing results of digital transformation shows not only positive aspects in 
practice of public informational relations. In presentation of its threats and dangers it is 
firstly possible to see stereotypic elements. For example it is possible to see viewpoint 
according which forming of digital copies from originals of documents on traditional 
(paper, photographic, tape) supports can decline physical estate of them and of texts 
of bad visual quality presented on these supports. Adherents of this opinion (between 
which there are mostly specialists in preservation of documents) indicate that tradition-
al supports can be more stable in comparison with new supports using for creation of 
digital copies or electronic originals of documents. In this context they are also prove 
danger connected with beginning on experimental level practice of substitute scanning 
of some categories of archival documents. In our viewpoint mostly important problem 
supposed by realities of digital economical development is connected with following 
rights of material and intellectual property on content of archival documents replaced 
in open informational systems. Insufficient regulation of realization of these rights in 
normative acts and different level of technological program equipment in sphere of in-
formational security regularly forms among archivists intention to limit process of loca-
tion of digital copies in informational systems accessible for public using.
Recognizing objectivity of indicated skeptical arguments it is necessary to indicate ev-
ident positive results of influence of digital economy on development of archival ser-
vices and work with informational resources for preservation and using of which these 
services are responsible. Firstly technological instruments formed in process of digital 
transformation became base for enlarging of variability in sphere of preservation ar-
chival documents and in equipment of communication with them. Secondly in result 
of digitalization metadata systems to archival documents can be completed by images 
of these documents created in good quality. Also using and development of comput-
er technologies forms large possibilities for projecting and creation of virtual halls and 
other infrastructural objects for communication with archives independently of their 
physical disposition.
CONCLUSION: 
Finally it is necessary to indicate that in developed quality archives can be really pre-
sented and analyzed as important sources and instruments of digital economy products 
of which it is possible to see in many countries with stable industrial basis. Concentra-
tion in community of archives of important documentary objects belonged to histori-
cal, cultural and largely to social heritage gives possibility to show possibilities of using 
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digital technologies in sphere of finding and using valuable retrospective information 
as it possible to see for example in practice of recovery of architectural monuments (Bo-
rodkin, 2015). Also computer technological progress accelerates possibilities of search 
necessary information in metadata systems especially in case of existence in them pos-
sibility of access to electronic documents or to digital copies of traditional types of docu-
mentary sources. In the same time it is evident that in technologically developed estate 
archives can be effective instrument for functioning of digital economical system. From 
one part they can be used as places for secure disposition of informational resources 
which are highly important for state, society and concrete peoples. In this quality they 
take significant place in process model of electronic records management actually in-
troduced in some countries. From other part in digital estate archives enlarge sphere of 
operative communication between their users and social institutions obliged or real-
ized educative and other informational functions. In the same time it is necessary to in-
dicate that utility of digital economy in archives depends from many important factors. 
Mostly important among them are technological equipment of informational relations 
in archival sphere and level of legal culture of creators and especially of users of docu-
mentary resources disposed in electronic – «cloud» - space.
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