An Examination of the Real‐World Appraisal Practices of Archivists

ABSTRACT Archives serve as repositories for items of enduring value. Archivists use a process called appraisal to evaluate the value of these items. While various theories and methods have been developed to guide the appraisal and many issues have been identified, little is known about how archivists conduct appraisals or what efforts they undertake to mitigate these issues. As such, this exploratory and qualitative study aims to examine the appraisal practices of archivists in university special collections, the role of the collection policy, and how these policies deal with problematic aspects of appraisal. This study found that university special archivists view appraisal as a complex but systematic process and implement the collection policy's principles and methodologies into their appraisal practices. Moreover, this study revealed that archivists try to establish and maintain effective relationships with donors and communities throughout the entire appraisal process.