Concluindo e ampliando estudo sobre as dificuldades de preservação documental (em especial as do período da borracha) nos arquivos de Belém

Abstract

Archives are above all institutions of memory. The collections they hold are of interest to society. Proper storage conditions are essential to preserve historical documents, which often have a fragile support. Organizing, preserving, and facilitating access to the collection are the functions of an archive. This work intends to give continuity to the research "The difficulties of Document Preservation (especially those from the rubber period) in Belém's archives. Concluding the study in the archives foreseen in the previous project and expanding the research to other archives. Understanding the difficulties of Belém's archives in our context is relevant, as it can offer data to better understand and inform society and public authorities about the issue. The institutions we used for analysis were: the Library (Fran Pacheco) and the archives of the Grêmio Literário Português, the archive of the Regional Labor Court (TRT/Pa), the archive of the Federal Labor Court, the museum and the archive of Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará. The method used in the previous research was continued, crossing oral history and archival knowledge. This resulted in a questionnaire that, together with oral history techniques, served as a basis for the interviews. The results of these interviews became a very valuable source for the analysis. In addition, direct observation of the storage conditions was important. The archives visited face difficulties such as: lack of qualified labor, insufficient and inadequate spaces for storage (with infiltration, excessive heat, inadequate shelving), lack of basic materials such as gloves, masks, etc. The archive is not perceived by the employees themselves as something relevant and useful. Often the archives are identified as a "deposit" of old paper and in this sense it is believed that there are more important things that need investment. Documentary losses were identified in the institutions visited. Resources for the archives are scarce.