An archives is the memory of the nation or community or institution whose records it safeguards. and "the physical defence" of the materials in its custody is easily its primary responsibility. The sheer variety of materials deposited in an archives and the complexity of problems attendant on their preservation call for a scientific approach in dealing with them. This is what is sought to be conveyed by the title of this Monograph.
Within the compass of the suggested size of a book in this Monograph Series. I have attempted to delienate the methods of such preservatory work, taking care to describe also the chemical and physical nature of archival materials and the causes and results of their deterioration. Every attempt has been made to bring satisfactorily between the covers of a book the growing knowledge of the methods of preservation of archives materials, especially with reference to such work in Indian conditions.
It was in 1967, when I was Assistant Chemist in the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, that I received from the State Archives of Andhra Pradesh, their acceptance of my topic for a book in their Monograph Series. When the book was ready and sent to the Archives not a little later, it was put through its paces before being taken into the fold of the Monograph Series. I am most grateful to the Director of the State Archives of Andhra Pradesh for the opportunity given to me to write in the Monograph series. Shri R.C. Gupta, Deputy Director of the National Archives of India, New Delhi very kindly went through the manuscript and made a number of valuable suggestions which have been incorporated. I am most beholden to him for this. I thank Sri R. Viswanatha Rao and Sri A. Jagannadham. Assistant Directors of the State Archives for all the help rendered through the various stages of the publication of this book. The diagrams in this book were made by Shri Mumtaz Ali to whom my thanks are due. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to the late Shri V.D. Krishnaswamy, the then Director of the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad for his inspiring guidance.
The State Archives, Government of Andhra Pradesh is a rich repository of the administrative and historical records dating back to 15th century A.D. The records now housed in the State Archives consist among others. of the erstwhile Hyderabad Government records, the records of Government of Madras relating to the eleven Andhra Districts in the Composite Madras State and many private collections.
In order to encourage scholars to utilise archival sources in this office as well as elsewhere for writing monographs on the History of Andhra Pradesh and on technical aspects of Archives Keeping in India, the Government of Andhra Pradesh instituted in 1966-67, a Monograph Series Scheme under the Plan Schemes of the State Archives. This scheme envisages the publication of selected monographs.
In order to select suitable candidates for writing monographs and selecting the monographs for publication under the scheme, a Selection and Review Committee was constituted by the Government of Andhra Pradesh in 1966 and is being reconstituted from time to time.
So far three monographs have been published under this scheme. The present monograph on "The Science of Archives Keeping" by Sri N. Harinarayana, M.A., B.Sc. (Tech.), Assistant Director of Museums, Madras was selected for publication by the Selection and Review Committee on the expert advice of Sri R.C. Gupta. Deputy Director of Archives, National Archives of India, New Delhi. The Monograph gives the practical information essential for the Archivists and Librarians faced with the problems of decay and deterioration of the varied material in their custody, its storage and scientific repair.
I hope this monograph will be a valuable addition to the works on Archival Science and useful to the Archivists, Librarians, students and all those who are interested in the preservation of records and manuscripts.
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