If you asked archivists at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) what they would seal in a time capsule for people in the future to open, their answer would be unanimous.
It wouldn’t be the academic transcripts of modern Chinese writer Eileen Chang, nor would it be the trowel used to lay the foundation of HKU’s oldest building in 1910.
Garfield Lam Kin-shun, head of the university archives, explained that archives have a plan: if a disaster breaks out, there is one thing staff must grab.
For his team, that object is the university coat of arms, granted in parts to HKU in 1913 and 1984 to designate its status as a reputable institution.
HKU is the city’s only university that possesses the full traditional design, which symbolises the school’s heritage as a mix of East and West. Think of it like a badge that tells you what HKU is and what it cares about.
“It represents a pinnacle of achievement for the university,” said Lam, who is in his forties.
“Being the only university [in Hong Kong] to possess this coat of arms makes it special, and materially speaking, it is a portable object.”
What is an archive?
The main function of an archive is not just about “keeping old stuff”, Lam said.
“The common misconception is that as soon as people hear the word ‘archives’, they think … we are a museum. In reality, we are talking about records management for our own institution,” he noted, adding that archives would not collect material from other institutions.
Lam noted that institutional records provide a verifiable account of past transactions and decisions.
“This systematic management ensures the organisation is … curating its institutional memory,” he said.
Archives are also different from libraries.
“We aren’t like a library where everything is accessible via open stacks. Our records are irreplaceable,” he said.
“The difference between us and a library is that you can find the same book in many different libraries, but a specific file in our archive exists only here.”
Every day, HKU’s archivists appraise and preserve records sent from various departments, migrating documents into acid-free folders to halt the slow degradation that threatens their survival. To keep pace with the evolving media landscape, archivists now also use various forms of digital preservation.
Accompanying the meticulously filed documents and items are stories that connect them with the real world.
For Lam, one of his most memorable records involved a Swedish family who came to see their late son’s thesis. They travelled to Hong Kong after their son – who had just finished his PhD at HKU – died in a car accident.
“It was a very emotional moment for them because they saw his original signature on the final submission … I’m sure they have many of his things at home, but finding his dissertation and his signature here, in a professional archive abroad, meant a lot to them,” Lam said.
“We aren’t just providing access to data; we are providing a bridge to the past, to their own history and to their emotions.”
Another example of the archive’s impact is Eileen Chang’s student record.
“At the time we archived it, we had no idea she would become famous; we kept it simply for the sake of maintaining the record,” he said.
“Now that she is world-renowned, it has become an invaluable resource for researchers.”
What does it take to enter this field?
The job of an archivist is uncommon in Hong Kong.
Lam explained that the city lacks dedicated postgraduate programmes in archival management, so those wishing to join the profession must look to schools abroad.
Lam said that an archivist must have a genuine interest in history and a passion for “searching for the needle”.
Beyond that, a sense of social responsibility is key.
“You have to believe that these records can help people,” Lam noted. “We don’t keep records just for the sake of keeping them; we keep them because we want to use that information to serve a purpose and help others.”
Colin Loong Ho-lam, an assistant at the HKU Archives, graduated with a history degree from HKU last year. His interest was sparked by a summer seminar hosted by Lam.
“We don’t preserve things just for the sake of hoarding; we do it because we have a functional duty to provide a record of truth,” said Loong, who is in his twenties.
He compared the pace of this profession with that of many other fields that are quickly being upended by artificial intelligence (AI).
“When it comes to AI, I feel the pace of change is incredibly fast. Archival work, however, is exactly the opposite. Here, we work slowly – but there is a profound benefit to that slowness. It preserves authenticity and veracity,” he said.
“In a world that feels increasingly unstable, I find this place to be a pillar of stability.”
Neil Lam and Sandy Sin, who also graduated from HKU’s history programme, are part of the team that manages incoming materials and digitises photos and documents, including student records or files from different faculties.
The team’s advice for graduates interested in the job is to “never stop learning”.
A degree is not enough for this profession; you must be prepared to study a vast range of subjects.
“This work can be tedious. It involves long hours of repetitive tasks,” Loong said.
“However, the meaning behind those tasks – the act of preserving history – carries a significance that you won’t easily find in other jobs. It isn’t about the money; it’s about the legacy.”
