From document to file : a paradigm shift in archival training in Benin

Abstract: The archival training program implemented in the early 1980s in the Republic of Benin was inspired by the model developed in the aftermath of the French Revolution and long implemented by the Ecole nationale des chartes. A recent evaluation revealed three fundamental gaps in teaching: 1) skills in active records management; 2) archival description standards; and 3) subject indexing tools. In response, a new training program has been developed. The article describes the difficulties encountered in the management of archives in government and businesses in Benin, and the solution provided by the University of Abomey-Calavi