Archives and the Right to Know: A Framework for Archivists’ Professional Action under the Transparency Law

Abstract

Law 1712 of 2014, known as the Transparency and Access to Public Information Law in Colombia, requires professional archivists to ensure that public information is organized, accessible, and understandable, in accordance with the right to information, thereby promoting transparency and good governance. In this context, the following question arises: how are the professional responsibilities of archivists defined under this national law? This question highlights the need to clearly establish the guidelines that govern such responsibilities. Accordingly, this article aims to develop guidelines that specify the responsibilities of archivists within the framework of the Transparency Law. To this end, three specific objectives are proposed: first, to determine the main functions that archivists must fulfill under this law; second, to assess the competencies required in this context; and third, to identify the key elements for formulating guidelines that define the responsibilities in accordance with the current legal framework. Therefore, the study is structured into six sections: the first presents the introduction; the second outlines the research context; the third develops the conceptual framework; the fourth describes the methodological approach; the fifth analyzes the results; and the sixth proposes specific guidelines regarding the responsibilities of professional archivists within the legal framework.