S. Nikolovska, B . Asprovska, S. Dragićević, 0 .

Iliev, The integrated information system of the

Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

Slavica Nikolovska Oliver Iliev

Biljana Asprovska
Sveučilište Sv. Ćirila i Metoda
Sanja Dragićević Skopje
Republika Makedonija
Arhiv Makedonije
Skopje
Republika Makedonija

THE INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEM OF THE

ARCHIVES OF MACEDONIA 1

UDK 930.25(497.17):007 Stručni članak

This paper presents the current status in the development of the Integrated In­
formation System which is set up for the needs of the Archives of Macedonia. Your-
don 's Object Oriented Approach - OOA and the client-server methodology are used
in developing the model. The preliminary exploitation results comply in full with the
demands set up in the design project. The implementation of the system enabled a
modernization in archive work, application of current mass storage media and effi­
cient multi-criteria methods for data searches. The computerized link of the central
unit with the local departments and their connection with the creators and holders of
archive materials will enable an integration of an archives data base, while the inte­
gral approach to the protection of archive materials will be implemented through
the structural integration of this system with the security system and the automatic
climate control system for the repositories.

i Izlaganje s godišnjeg savjetovanja Hrvatskog arhivističkog društva i Odbora za informatičku tehnolo­

giju M A V - a , održanog u Bizovcu u listopadu 1997. godine, s temom Elektronički zapisi i informatiza­
cija arhiva {Electronic Records and Archival Automation).

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S. Nikolovska, B. Asprovska, S. Dragićević, 0 . Iliev, The integrated information system of the
Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

1. INTRODUCTION

The implementation of computer information systems in archive work appears

as an inevitable step towards their modernization and connection within the context
of the new "information" society.
The study on the implementation of a unique information system for the Archi­
ves of Macedonia is the first document that analyses and sets up the relations, ele­
ments and activities of the archive service in Macedonia from the aspect of a compu­
ter supported system for providing the security and protection, micro-climate and
information subsystem for archive materials and facilities of the Archives of Mace­
donia (Nikolovska - 91, 92). The prepared Study is especially important under con­
ditions when the modern function of the archive service is the result of historical de­
velopment and the awareness about the importance of archive materials in overall
modern life (Nikolovska, Iliev and Asprovska - 94).
The expansion of the functions and importance of archive materials and the Ar­
chives must be followed with the appropriate development of knowledge and asses­
sments regarding everything that must remain as archive material and needs a last­
ing preservation (Stulli, B . 77). This, on the other hand, has the consequence of a
gradual reduction in the rights of the creators and holders of documented and archive
materials in their decisions how to keep, document and select the material which is
and would be created through their work. It is foreseen for the future to significantly
shorten the deadlines for availability of archive materials for public use (Dojcinov-
ski - 96).
With the collection, admittance, documenting and lasting storage of archive
materials starts also its complex physical security and technical-technological prote­
ction and maintenance, aimed at stopping or preventing the processes of its attrition
and destruction, as a unique, lasting and unrepeatable testimony about the life and
actions of the people in the territory.
As the main user of the archive materials, science dictates fast, precise and mo­
dern directions for archive materials as information bearers. Therefore there arises a
focused attention at the Archives of Macedonia on the methods, principles and man­
ner of arranging and scientific processing of archive materials, based on own experi­
ence, but also on international experience and knowledge.

2. PRELIMINARY RESEARCH

The conceptualization of methodologies for efficient administration of archi­

ves appears at the beginning of this century in Great Britain (Jenkinson - 22), while
the works of Cook (Cook - 77, Cook & Grant - 85) presents a modern and currently
relevant approach to the administration of archive materials. This basically pragma-

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

tic approach draws its experience form smaller organizations and through a scientif­
ically supported generalization, it sets up the basics of modern archive work. This
direction was later supported by numerous research work in this field (Roper - 72,
Evans - 83, Posner - 76). They raise the level of archive work from mere preservati­
on of documents and their use, mainly for historical research, towards a public servi­
ce for current administration and citizens. In this way an integral approach was made
possible towards the research of historical and current archive materials.
The development of computers at the end of the sixties, and of the media for
mass data storage and processing, gives the stimulus for the development of new
conceptual models for efficient archive administration (Shellenberg - 75, Benedon
- 79). Still, the implementation of computer systems becomes attractive in this field
at the beginning of the nineties, as a result of: the sudden fall in prices of mass data
storage media, of the new user-based operational systems, development of applicati­
on programmes for multi-media data processing (processing of text, picture, sound,
etc.).
As one of the currently most relevant problems in the implementation of com­
puter systems for archive work is the problem of data search. The problem arises
from the impossibility to set up archive materials in an efficient structural frame­
work (categorization) which would meet the needs of various kinds of historical re­
search (Cook - 85), (Dojcinovski et al. - 96), the lack of precision in the presented
data, overlapping, non-existence of a uniform terminology and search procedures.
This problem is known as interdisciplinary searches (Weisberger - 93). The imple­
mentation of the concept of fuzzy sets (Chang - 92) and the cognitive sciences (Ku-
hlthau - 93) give a solid base for the development of efficient algorithms for inter­
disciplinary searches. At present, there are three different methods for solving this
problem:

- Method of weight vectors

In this method, documents are represented as weight vectors in models ba­
sed on the frequency of appearance (Forsyth & Rada - 86), (Salton - 70),
binary probability models (Wong & Yao - 90), non-binary represented
probability models (Meng & Park - 89), and fuzzy logic-based models
(Salton - 83, Zadeh - 89). In agreement with this, searches will depend
upon the value of the similarity function (metric distance) between the ve­
ctor representations of the documents and the questionnaires.

- Method of sentence collection

This method uses a model of logic information models (Van Rijsbergen -
87), where a premise is defined based on which the questionnaire can be
derived.

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

- Application of artificial neuron networks

This method uses models based on artificial neuron networks (Kwok -
89), where the search is reviewed as the spreading in activation of an inter­
active three-level neuron network, while the learning process is based on
the back-propagation method.
Therefore the joint principles on which these methods are based are:
- Documents and questionnaires are reviewed as two different and independent en­
tities. There is no effective link (of any type) between them.
- The search is a process that is initiated by a unique questionnaire based on a
unique and closed set of documents. The search does not imply interaction
between these two categories.
- The relevance (which represents a critical parameter in modeling, i.e. whether a
document is relevant or not for the defined questionnaire) is reviewed as a third
entity that needs to be known a priori.
This model can be shown in the following structural scheme:

It must be stressed that the application of these methods is connected with pre­
vious theoretical and applicative research in order to get the optimal solution for the
structural set up of archive materials.

3. INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEM

By means of object-oriented analysis of the Archives of Macedonia (which co­

vers its structural, functional and behavioral aspect), the basic directions of develop­
ment of the informational model of the Archives were derived. The structural model
of the Archives is shown in Figure 1.

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 S. Nikolovska, B. Asprovska, S. Dragićević, 0 . Iliev, The integrated information system o f the
Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

Figure 1. Structural model of the Archives of Macedonia

The functional analysis showed that this is a complex mutually interlinked

system with three subsystem units and a very expressed subsystem interaction. As a
residue from the legal regulation from the previous system, numerous discrepancies
still come through, mainly from the functional aspect, and because of the relatively
low level of equipment, the manipulation with information means is inefficient. The
analysis showed that the human factor also (mainly for objective reasons) is a
frequent cause whose correction is long-term and complex. In global, the following
problems have been disclosed:

- optimal planning of visits to holders;

- more difficulties in controlling the delivered plans and holder lists;
- problems with the handing over of archive materials;
- control over issued and returned materials;
- wrong maintenance of documentation and loss of data on the materials;
- unauthorized access to data on the fonds that have strategic importance;
- unauthorized visits to repositories;

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

- Physical damage and loss of materials;

- errors in signing, classification and systematization of by-laws, etc.

Especially important is the decision making process for elimination of worth­

less documentary materials, whose inefficiency consists in the fact that an on-line
access is not possible to the data regarding current and similar holdings, which again
is reflected in an inflation of documents and data without real information potential.
Based upon the above definition, five basic directions have been drawn for the
automation of archive processes:

- control by the creators and holders of archive materials;

- processing of archive materials and preparing scientific information aids;
- searches and discoveries in archive materials;
- linking with the creators and holders of archive materials;
- integration with the subsystems for security and protection and for climate control
in the repository.

At present, the first three have been implemented, and the preparation of the
main design/implementation project for the realization of the third subsystem is now
in progress. The computer link between the creators and holders of archive materials
and the Archives of Macedonia should enable an automatic taking over of plans and
lists of archive marks, inventory and description of archive materials with lasting
value, and inventory of documentary materials that are proposed for rejection. A di­
rect intervention will be made possible for on-site work by the archive services at the
holders and providing appropriate solutions, approvals, etc., conform to the legal re­
gulations. In this way, the efficiency will be increased in the operation of the service
for working with users, as well as in the degree of primary processing of archive ma­
terials. This on the other hand will influence a larger efficiency in the compiling and
processing subsystem.
In the process of modeling the information system three subsystem units have
been set apart: protection of archive materials at the site of the holders, compiling
and processing archive materials and protection of archive materials at the Archives
(repository) with expressed subsystem interactions. A l l data and material flows in
the system have been resolved by using the object methodology in the process of
system modeling. The application of multi-attribute indexing in the relational tables
made automatic generation and updating possible for a whole set of reviews, files
and reports, which facilitates the manual part of work to a large extent.
Conform to Yourdon's approach for object oriented analysis (OOA) and object
oriented modeling (OOM), an object model of the Archives of Macedonia was cre-

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

ated (see Figure 2). Four classes of objects have been defined: users, archive materi­
al, equipment and premises.

10, 11, 12

Figure 2. Object model of the Archives of Macedonia

The established functional links between individual classes are:

1. Authorized user access to a building 9. Access to memorized archive
materials through equipment
2. Authorized user access to premises 10. Removing archive materials
from the premises
3. Exit of a user from the building 11. Removing archive materials
from the building
4. Picking up archive materials
5. Returning archive materials 12. Evacuation of archive materials
6. Entry into the information system 13. Protection from burglary
7. Authorized copying 14. Protection from flood
8. Authorized removal of equipment
from the premises and building

- Class of users - System users are all persons who use the archive materials.
Notwithstanding good wishes, the system must be organized to protect against ille­
gal user activities. Illegal user activities here means all activities in the system which

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

fall outside the approved level of physical access to the premises or in the informati­
on access to the databases.
- Class of archive materials - This class includes all original documents that
are kept permanently in the repositories, photocopies, microfilms, microfiches, doc­
uments that are appropriately memorized in the computer system, and all other
forms of preserving data of interest to archive work. The proper categorization of the
level of access to the archive materials is of essential importance for efficient opera­
tion of the system, and its abuse may have unforeseen consequences.
The user gets information about the existence of a document if and only if his
access category is higher than the one of the document.
- Class of equipment - This class includes all valuable equipment in the premi­
ses of the Archives. The accent is upon computer equipment, printers, scanners, etc.
Since this concerns equipment that works within a network, the problem of protecti­
on is reduced to holding equipment within specific premises. Just like with the archi­
ve materials, a tagging system will be used (C.J. Revell - 95), enabling that equip­
ment can be used in one room while its unauthorized removal will automatically ac­
tivate the alarm.
- Class ofpremises - This class includes all premises of the Archives of Mace­
donia which are of interest for the system. The protection of these premises
supposes:
- protection against fire;
- protection against flooding;
- protection against burglary;
- movement detection.

3.1. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

In selecting the hardware platform of the information system of the Archives of

Macedonia, the approach was adopted of creating a distributed database in accor­
dance with the client-server methodology, by means of a network of personal com­
puters. In support to the choice of this methodology is the fact that all renown PC
manufacturers are offering specially designed PC network servers who with their
power are already close to the mini-computers, offering an incomparably larger
structural flexibility. At present, a computer network is installed at the Archives of
Macedonia, which consists of one server and 10 clients with the following perfor­
mances: Server: I B M PC Server 310, with 32 M b R A M and 2.0 Gb H D D ; Clients:
I B M PC 100, with 16 M b R A M and 1.3 Gb HDD.
Because of the need for a multi-user and multitasking operating system, the M i ­
crosoft Windows N T operating system was chosen for the following reasons:

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 S. Nikolovska, B . Asprovska, S. Dragićević, O. Iliev, The integrated information system of the
Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

- The operating system includes support to a large number of different clients, start­
ing with its Windows N T Client, through Windows 3.x, Windows for Workgro­
ups 3.11, Windows 95, U N I X OS/s, Apple Mackintosh, and all up to MS-DOS
clients.
- Windows N T comes with support for almost ail modern networks: AppleTalk,
Novell NetWare, SunNFS-PCNFS, D E C P A T H W O R K S , I B M L A N Server, M i ­
crosoft L A N Manager, Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, R A S (Remote
Access Service), through ISDN, X.25 and standard telephone lines, etc.
- In compliance with the above, Windows N T has support for the following proto­
cols: NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, TCP/IP, AFP, D L C .
- Windows NT contains drivers for all kinds of Ethernet, for FDDI, and it also has a
whole range of drivers for all possible kinds of peripheral devices: printers, mo­
dems, C D R O M , etc.
- Windows NT is produced also for platforms that are not based on Intel processors,
i.e. for platforms based on Alpha and MIPS processors, and it is also designed for
operation with multiprocessor platforms.
- Windows NT contains the following built-in protection: RAID 5, C2, disk mirror­
ing, support to uninterrupted power supplies (UPS), and support for recording va­
rious tape formats(streamer, D A T , etc.).

It is natural that the Microsoft SQL Server becomes the database for the Win­
dows N T operating system. The SQL server is a relatively new database developed
by Microsoft in cooperation with Sybase. It is specially designed for working with
Windows N T and it uses all its characteristics, which gives it an advantage over ot­
her databases which have their own versions of Windows NT. The development of
client applications in a graphics environment may be implemented with any Micro­
soft development tool: Access, Visual Basic, Visual C++ or Visual FoxPro.
Visual FoxPro was used for developing applications.

3.2. SUBSYSTEM: PROTECTION OF ARCHIVE MA TERIALS A T

HOLDER 'S SITE AND INSPECTION SUPER VISION
The basic characteristic of this subsystem is that it fully respects the protection
of archive materials at the site of the holder, through all processes of working with it,
as well as the legal obligations of the holders towards the Archives of Macedonia.
The subsystem consists of 9 applications:
Documentation on holders (registration) - By entering data for each holder,
its code is appointed automatically, i.e. the serial number in the basic documentati­
on. Besides the basic data on the holder, short descriptions of the holder's activity
and history are entered, and then its priority is determined.

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

Decisions on working with holders - For every employee in the Sector for in­
spection supervision and protection of archive material at the holder's site, two deci­
sions are prepared: 1. Decision on appointing a holder, and 2. Decision on annual vi­
sits to the holders. Based upon these decisions, the employee attains an absolute
access to the holders who are allocated to him with the decision (No. 1).
Submitted by-laws from holders - For every holder, normative by-laws of
the holder and submitted decisions on the establishing of committees at the holder
are entered, forming an integral part of the holder's file.
Visits - The visits are divided into 3 categories: regular, control and advisory.
Regardless of the category of the visit, the responsible officer makes a protocol abo­
ut the visit in all cases. After entering the notification for the visit to the specific hol­
der, the responsible officer prepares a protocol from the visit with the determined si­
tuation and the deadlines that were given. These inspections enable a monitoring of
the given deadlines for correction of the determined defects.
Destruction - By entering received requests for destruction of documentary
materials with expired storage deadlines from the specific holder, the responsible
officer has an overview of all received requests for approval for the destruction of
documentary material, and after the documentary material is reviewed, an approval
is prepared for its destruction. The reviews make it possible to prepare a summary of
destroyed documentary material per holder for every year. Furthermore, the review
of the specific holder provides data about how much and when worthless documen­
tary material was destroyed, according to the issued approvals.
Plans for archival marks and lists - The received plans and lists are entered
automatically for each holder in the general part. Changes and supplements to the
plans and lists (especially in the separate part) are entered depending upon the orga­
nization. By issuing an approval for their implementation, reviews can be made of
received plans and lists for the specific year, and a review of received plans and lists
for a specific holder.
Descriptions and inventories of archive materials - The descriptions and in­
ventories of archive materials for every holder must be entered by the direct opera­
tors. This facilitates to a large extent the admittance of archive materials and compa­
rison of descriptions and inventories per specific holder, year and admitted archive
materials. The reviews make it possible to get insight into the received inventories
for every year, while the review per holder enables insight into all received invento­
ries.
Admittance of archive materials to the Archives - Committee admittance of
archive materials from a specific holder, after the final protocol is made, means au­
tomatic transfer of all entered data into a specific fond at the repository or its docu­
mentation as a new fond. Thus, this system is connected to the DEPO subsystem.

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

Inspection control - Two types of inspection control are defined: regular and
control inspection. The application is intended exclusively for inspectors, where
after the notification and the visit to the specific holder, a protocol is prepared by the
inspection control with the determined situation and the deadlines that were given,
with precisely defined date of execution. Inspection control visits and the written an­
nouncements after the inspection report refer to the already entered data at the hol­
der. These reviews enable monitoring of given deadlines.
The subsystem contains a log file for access control to the application, in order
to avoid abuse. Within the log file for each user, a unique set of applications is allo­
cated to which he has access.
Based upon the specific decision for work with the holder, the officer receives
all previously entered data about the holder. From the moment he receives the deci­
sion, the officer has absolute access priority for that holder. The holder is closed for
access for the other officers, except for the head of the Department and the deputy
director of the Sector.
After the operation of the holder terminates, in order to cancel him and to take
over the archive materials, and after the admittance committee finishes its review
and makes a decision on the admittance, the admittance protocol is activated, the­
reby transferring all entered data to the repository. After the fond is admitted to the
repository, the officer can no longer make corrections to the entered data.

3.3. SUBSYSTEM: COMPILING AND PROCESSING ARCHIVE MATERI­

ALS AND PREPARING SCIENTIFIC-INFORMA TION MEANS
The subsystem for compiling and processing archive materials is configured
according to the natural sequence of work in compiling and processing the archive
materials, with a consistent reflection of the whole work process. Thus, a decision is
first prepared for each officer for compiling or processing a fond, with a description
of work operations, planned time for working on the fond, and the planned informa­
tion aids which need to be prepared.
From the moment of receiving the decision, the officer has absolute access pri­
ority to the fond. The officer receives all previously entered data about the fond,
which he changes and supplements during his work.
The fond is closed for access by the other officers until the moment the comple­
ted fond is entered into the repository.
The subsystem consists of seven applications:

Fond compilation - B y receiving the decision for compiling a fond/ collecti­

on, the direct operator attains all privileges for working with the specific fond. He
receives all previously entered data, which he changes and supplements. A descrip-

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

tion is prepared of the archive books, a summary inventory, i.e. technical processing
of microfilmed materials. Within the framework of the fond, numbers are generated
for the archive books and boxes. Thereby a short description is prepared of the con­
tents of the fond and of the creator of the fond.
Fond processing - For processing the fond/collection, the decision also speci­
fies the information means which needs to be prepared: an analytic inventory or e re­
gest. The serial number of the archive unit from the archive box is generated auto­
matically.
Compilation and processing reports - The application is intended for the he­
ads of the Compilation and Processing Sector, for facilitating the monitoring of de­
cisions for compiling, respectively processing, of the fond, of the deadlines for com­
pleting work based on the norms and standards for working with a fond, and the di­
rect performing of the appointed tasks.
Receipts - In compliance with present practice, two types of receipts are defi­
ned: for taking over and returning archive materials. After receiving the decision,
the officer fills in a receipt for taking over archive materials, with an inventory of
work operations, quantity and border years. The receipt is transferred to the manager
for confirmation, and after this to the repository for execution.
Worthless documentary materials - The selected documentary material is
inventoried and destruction is suggested. Upon the proposal from the committee for
issuing approvals for destruction, the data is transferred to the repository to be taken
over and destroyed.
Protocol on admitting a compiled/processed fond - After the planned work
on the material is finished, it is admitted to the repository by a committee. As part of
this application there is a men with an inventory (with signatures) of damaged archi­
ve materials which are proposed for treatment.
When the fond is admitted to the repository, the archive officer loses all his pri­
vileges, and all entered data are taken over automatically. After the fond is admitted
to the repository, the officer can no longer make any corrections to the entered data
until the moment a new decision is made for higher stages of work or for supplemen­
ting with newly arrived materials.
Fond and inter-fond searches in archive materials - Within the application
a set of key words (sentences) is defined, with logical A N D and OR search functi­
ons. The possibility exists to search per specific fond and within the framework of
the complete database.

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

Printing is done as an individual summary inventory for each archive box, and
collectively for the whole fond, if the fonds ends with stage V , i.e. the printing of the
covers of the analytical inventories and regests separately (covers) for each descri­
bed unit, and collectively for the whole box, if the fond is being processed. Also after
the compilation stage and the processing stage, when a short contents at the level of
the whole fond and a short history of the creator of the fond are prepared, collective
data are generated automatically (number of books, number of archive boxes, archi­
ve units and pages).

3.4. SUBSYSTEM DEPO

Register of fonds: Besides the registration of fonds, transfer protocols are pre­
pared on all grounds for admittance of the archive materials: regular admittance,
purchase, gift or research. Within this composition is also the admittance of archive
materials from compilation and processing. The fonds are classified according acti­
vity (applied in the Guide for Archive Fonds and Collections). Then follows locati-

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

on of the archive materials. A l l previously entered data about the fond are taken over
(border years of the creator of the fond, border years of the materials, and quantity
expressed in the form of archive books and boxes, respectively microfilms).
Deposit - This concerns the admittance, documentation and location of the de­
posited archive materials. It covers the time of deposit and the depositor. The re­
views are prepared in this sense.

Fond review - Available are reviews according to register of fonds, entrance

inventory and work card of the fond/collection (where all work on a fond is listed:
admittance, compilation, processing, selection of worthless documentary material,
conservation and microfilming).
Receipts for issuing archive materials from the repository - This covers all
receipts for issuing and returning archive materials from/to the repository: for com­
pilation and processing, use, conservation and restoration and book-binding. The re­
views follow the situation with the issued archive materials.

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Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

Laboratories - After the archive materials are admitted to the laboratories for
conservation and restoration and for microfilming, the applied methodology and
procedure is described, as well as the deadlines that are planned for revision of the
performed activities.
Requests for documentation (certificates) - Citizens that apply to the Archi­
ves with a request to receive a certificate for various needs (regulation of prop­
erty-legal relations, of years of work experience, etc.) are documented, as well as the
responses to the submitted requests. The reviews enable a search according to name
and family name of the person submitting the request, and the date when this was
submitted.
Visits to the repository-Registration of daily entry to and exit from the repos­
itory by visitors from the Archives or by external persons, with a description of the
performed work, the approval for this and the time of entry and exit.
Bilateral cooperation - Signed agreements, protocols and programmes for bi­
lateral cooperation are documented according to the time of signature and the durati­
on of the signed agreement, as well as the obligations which arise from them.
Research in foreign institutions - Sending researchers to foreign institutions
is based on signed agreements, and it covers notification and approval for the rese­
arch, announced topic and approved time of stay. After the research is completed, el­
ements from the report are entered: stay at the institution, research fonds and orders
for copying archive materials. The reviews are aimed at getting insight in which co­
untries, cities and institutions research was made, and in which fonds, as well as for
which fonds orders for copying were made.
Registration and announcements of visits by foreign users to the Archives
- Announced and approved user visits to the Archive and announced research topics
are covered based upon the agreements for bilateral cooperation. The reviews offer
insight into the announced visits according to the submitted applications, date of su­
bmittal and name and family name of the user.
Using the materials - Covers the documentation on users and archive materi­
als: application for use, source data about the user, requested and approved archive
materials for use, and copying and daily registration of users.
Publications file - This is divided into the basic kind of publications: editions,
monographs and journals that are published by the Archives of Macedonia. A publi­
cation is documented from when it is planned, a contract for preparing it is signed,
advance payments, providing funding, translations, reviews, printing, promotion,
and all up to the documentation about responses in the daily and other press.

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S. Nikolovska, B. Asprovska, S. Dragićević, O. Iliev, The integrated information system of the
Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

3.5. OTHER SUBSYSTEMS

Technical documentation - This represents a complete registration of the ad­
mittance of the technical documentation of special importance, microfilming in mi­
crofiche technology, up to the processing of the contents of the microfiches and their
transfer for lasting storage in the repository. The reviews enable insight according to
objects, sub-objects, with a total number of microfiches and photos.
Potential holders of archive materials - Considering that significant archive
materials are located at private holders, it is foreseen to provide for them basic regis­
tration, documentation of the contents of this archive materials, the quantity, time of
performed visits to the holders and protocols from the visits.

4. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RESEARCH

This paper presents the current results from the development of the integrated
information system for the Archives of Macedonia. The implementation and the
preliminary results are a promising base for further development of this system.
Future development of the system will be in two directions:
1. In the theoretical field:
- Research in the application of various search algorithms by using fuzzy logic and
neuron based networks. It is expected that this approach should enable a faster
and more flexible data search, as well as a possibility for case-sensitive searches;
- Research in the field of multimedia systems, enabling mass processing, storage
and searching of archive materials;
- Theoretical preconditions for developing an application for genealogical trees,
based upon the oldest censuses of the population and source registers (of newly
born, married and deceased).
2. In the application field:
- Upgrading the system with a microfilm computer port;
- Development of a computer system for scanning and searching through the espe­
cially important archive fonds and collections;
- Completion of the application of office and archive, testing, distribution to users
and connection with the subsystem for external service.
- Development of an application for chronology of contemporary events.
- Preparation of a study for connection of the existing computer network with Inter­
net and possibilities for searching and receiving documents through Internet.
- Preparation of a study on C D - R O M for the Archives of Macedonia.

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 S. Nikolovska, B. Asprovska, S. Dragićević, O. Iliev, The integrated information system of the
Archives of Macedonia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

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Sažetak

INTEGRIRANI INFORMACIJSKI SUSTAV ARHIVA MAKEDONIJE

U članku je opisan razvoj i arhitektura integriranog informacijskog sustava Ar­

hiva Makedonije. Sustav je oblikovan prema Yourdonovu Object Oriented Appro­
ach - O O A i client-server metodologij, tako da omogući obuhvat i integraciju po­
slovnih procesa arhiva, racionalizaciju radnih postupaka i osigura računalno podrža­
nu primjenu standardiziranih postupaka na području zaštite, prikupljanja, obrade i
korištenja arhivskog gradiva.
Objektno orijentirani model arhiva čine četiri klase objekata: korisnici, arhiv­
sko gradivo, oprema i prostor. Struktura i funkcionalne značajke informacijskog su­
stava određeni su svojstvima, pravilima interakcije i ponašanja objekata četiriju kla­
sa u sustavu. Svojstvima objekata klase korisnika određena su prava korištenja i pri­
stupa informacijskim resursima te provedena zaštita od neovlaštenog pristupa. Kla­
sa arhivskog gradiva obuhvaća sav izvorni i reproducirani materijal kroz njegovu re­
prezentaciju u sustavu i nadzor nad rukovanjem fizičkim entitetima. Klase opreme i
prostora određuju sredstva i okolinu zaštite i obrade gradiva.
Sustav je oblikovan u nekoliko funkcionalno povezanih podsustava. Podsustav
"Zaštita arhivskog gradiva imatelja i inspekcijski nadzor" obuhvaća sve aktivnosti
koje se odnose na zaštitu gradiva kod imatelja izvan arhiva. Sastoji se od devet apli­
kacija: 1. dokumentacija o imateljima; 2. rješenja za rad s imateljem (rješenje o do­
djeli odgovornosti i rješenje o godišnjim nadzornim obilascima); 3. normativni do­
kumenti imatelja; 4. obilasci (redovni, kontrolni, savjetodavni), s planovima i izvje­
šćima o obilasku; 5. izlučivanje gradiva kod imatelja; 6. planovi i liste; 7. popisi ar­
hivskog gradiva kod imatelja; 8. preuzimanje gradiva u arhiv; 9. inspekcijski nad­
zor. Podsistem sadrži log datoteku radi nadzora pristupa aplikacijama. Po završetku
procesa u okviru ovog podsustava, svi se relevantni podaci unose u podsustav
spremišta.
Podsustav "Spremište" obuhvaća: registar fondova (gradivo preuzeto po slu­
žbenoj dužnosti, otkupom ili kao poklon), evidenciju depozita; pregled podataka o
fondovima prema registru, ulaznom inventaru i radnim kartonima; izdavanje gradi-

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Archives of Macedónia, Arh. vjesn., god. 41 (1998), str. 67-86

va i povrat u spremište; restauriranje i mikrofilmiranje; zahtjevi za izdavanje doku­

mentacije; evidencija ulazaka u spremište; bilateralna suradnja; istraživanje u ino­
zemstvu; registracija stranih korisnika; korištenje gradiva (dokumentacija o korisni­
cima, zahtjevima za korištenje, korištenom i kopiranom gradivu); evidencija publi­
kacija.
Podsustav "Sređivanje i obrada arhivskog gradiva i izrada obavijesnih poma­
gala" oblikovanje prema tijeku radnog procesa na obradi gradiva, uključujući plani­
ranje i nadzor rada na obradi. Podsustav preuzima relevantne podatke nastale u rani­
jim fazama rada. Sastoji se od sedam aplikacija: 1. sređivanje (izrada sumarnog opi­
sa i označavanje jedinica); 2. obrada fonda (izrada analitičkog inventara ili regesta);
3. izvješća o sređivanju i obradi; 4. izdavanje i povrat gradiva u spremište; 5. bezvri­
jedan dokumentacijski materijal (prijedlog za izlučivanje); 6. zapisnik o predaji
obrađenog gradiva (s prijedlogom gradiva za restauriranje); 7. pretraživanje. Po
završetku rađana sređivanju i obradi podaci se prenose u evidenciju spremišta i nisu
podložni mijenjanju. Podsustav omogućuje ispis različitih oblika inventara, oznaka
tehničkih jedinica i izvješća.
Pored ova tri osnovna podsustava postoji i podsustav za obradu tehničke doku­
mentacije u kojem se obrađuje tehnička dokumentacija o svim važnijim objektima,
uključujući i obradu mikrofilmova i mikrofiševa tog gradiva, te podsustav "Potenci­
jalni imatelji arhivskog gradiva" u kojem se evidentiraju podaci o mogućim imate -
ljima koji nisu u sustavu nadzora nad imateljima za koje je arhiv trenutno nadležan,
te podaci o gradivu kod tih imatelja.
Uz ovdje opisan sustav postoje i podsustavi za automatsku regulaciju mikrokli-
me u spremištima, zaštitu od požara, provale i video-nadzor. U skladu s objektno
orijentiranim modelom arhiva, ova četiri podsustava upravljaju objektima klase pro­
stora te će biti integrirani u jedinstveni sustav.

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