More recently, however, information management has become more specialized, and some areas of information management now require the skills of a computer specialist as well. Nevertheless, students of history are still important as archivists and can use their history education as a valuable supplement to courses in library science or database management.
Archivists constitute an important segment of the information management community.
Archivists are responsible for the establishment and maintenance of physical and intellectual control over the records in their care. As part of their work, they appraise documentation to determine its value, arrange and describe the material, refer for repair and preservation of the records as needed, and make the material available for users. Each state has some type of official archives. In addition to the well-known National Archives, many federal agencies maintain archives for their own use. Entry-level positions generally require at least a B.A., more often an M.A. in history or a related social science, and a basic knowledge of archival skills.