n. (abbr. ARMA)a nonprofit association supporting information management professionalsNeazor 2007, 54The ARMA code defines itself as intended for a much wider audience than most other codes—membership in ARMA includes not only archivists but also librarians, legal professionals, information technology (IT) managers, and others.Madsen 2008, 55Records management as a function and a profession has developed unevenly within and across the public and private sectors in Canada. The profession has grown significantly over the past fifty years, and while this growth may mark the general acceptance of the function, it does not reflect the success of individual programs. Even though ARMA International currently has over eleven thousand members, the size, scope, and penetration of information management programs within organizations varies significantly.Scanlan 2011, 440While the professionalization of records management stemmed from archivists in the federal government, ARMA International originated from pre-existing paraprofessional groups that focused on filing and clerical work, primarily in the business realm. ARMA International found its niche, borrowing from the public-sector rise of the records management professional while maintaining an otherwise neglected focus on private-sector business needs, from the earliest days of its existence.Scanlan 2011, 446ARMA International now has over eleven thousand members from over thirty countries and includes “records managers, archivists, corporate librarians, imaging specialists, legal professionals, IT managers, consultants, and educators.”ARMA 2021ARMA International is committed to providing our community of members and information management professionals with industry best practices and opportunities for professional development, ongoing education, and networking.
Notes
ARMA International, formerly the Association of Records Managers and Administrators, was founded in 1975 after the merger of the American Records Management Association (ARMA) and Association of Records Executives and Administrators (AREA), both established in 1955. The Association of Records Managers and Administrators changed its name to ARMA International in 2005.
