Dr Mike Jones wins prestigious Mander Jones awards

ANU archivist, historian and collections consultant Dr Mike Jones is the recipient of two Mander Jones awards for works published in 2021.

The annual awards for professional writing were introduced in 1996 by the Australian Society of Archivists Inc. (ASA), Australia’s peak professional body for archivists and recordkeepers, to honour Phyllis Mander Jones who, amongst other contributions to the profession, authored Manuscripts in the British Isles relating to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, in 1972.

It invites nominations from any person or institution for entries published in the previous calendar year.

Dr Jones received his first award for a book written by him titled Artefacts, Archives, and Documentation in the Relational Museum for 'Publication making the greatest contribution to the archives profession in Australia, written or edited by a person in their own right.’

The book is the first interdisciplinary study of the digital documentation of artefacts and archives in contemporary museums, while also exploring the implications of polyphonic, relational thinking on collections documentation.

Dr Jones shares that the book has information about the practical impact of the work done in collecting institutions, and the way that material is managed, returned to the community or communicated to different communities depending on its place of origin.

The Mander Jones Awards judges called it an “exciting and informative book.”

“It addresses discussions amongst GLAM professionals on removing divisions between institutions that hinder cooperation and the opening of the archives.

“The author examines this; and using relational thinking he proposes ways that institutions can break down the internal divisions, or silos, that disrupt the management of collection items within a single institution, such as a museum with an archive.

This work will be of practical assistance to many collecting institutions as they consider how to document collections, and to open the archives to new forms of exploration, discovery, and re-use.”

Meanwhile, the second award is for an article written by Dr Jones titled The Temple of History: historians and the sacralisation of archival work, winning the category for the 'Best article or chapter about archives written by an Australian in a journal or newspaper or within an anthology/monograph not primarily intended for archivists or records managers.'

“The article speaks directly to the historians about the way they talk about archives and research. Some of my fellow historians speak about it as a religious experience and I think, in the era of democratisation today, it’s important to have a more open view of what historical research is about and communicate our methods more clearly, rather than have a religious-inspired idea that archives are a place only a sacred few can access,” Dr Jones said.

The judges commented: “An excellent work aimed at a strategic audience.

In this article Jones aims to break down the overly deferential attitudes some researchers have towards archives that conceal archival theory, and the work of archivists.

He calls on historians to demystify and explain their research in the archives, to reveal the value of archival research, and help re-build trust in history.”

Dr Jones is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Deep History, which includes ‘Rediscovering the Deep Human Past: Global Networks, Future Opportunities’ – an ARC-funded program of work led by Professor and ANU Historian Ann McGrath.

This project will analyse Australia's epic Indigenous narratives alongside relevant new scientific evidence in order to create a big picture history of Greater Australia/Sahul, and as a result, transform the scale and scope of history.