The basis on which appraisal decisions should be made has been the subject of intense professional debate. Some archival theorists, notably Jenkinson, argue that such decisions should not be made by archivists at all, but only by records creators. In th

The basis on which appraisal decisions should be made has been the subject of intense professional debate. Some archival theorists, notably Jenkinson, argue that such decisions should not be made by archivists at all, but only by records creators. In the United States, Schellenberg believed that appraisal was not only an appropriate archival function but an absolutely necessary one, in the face of increasing masses of documentation in the 20th century. U.S. archival theory and practice has been rooted in Schellenberg's philosophy and teaching.