“There Shall Be A Record Kept Among You:”

Professionalization of the Church Historian’s Office

What is a Profession?

Characteristics of a Profession

Possession and use of a specialized knowledge base

Service orientation

Community sanction

Institutional altruism

Image building

Church Historian’s Office

Mormon abridging the records

Translating the Book of Mormon

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith’s Red Brick Store

Early Church Historians

Willard Richards Franklin D. RichardsGeorge A. Smith

Andrew Jenson

Earl E. Olson

Church Historian’s Office and SAA

Began attending meetings in 1957

Local Arrangements Committee for the 1958 annual meeting in Salt Lake City

Active participation in the Workshop on Church Archives

S. Lyman Tyler

Historical Department, 1972

Managing Director

Church Librarian

Church Archivist

Church Historian

Church Historian's Office development

1900 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 19750

10

20

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40

50

60

70

80

AdministrationHistory DivisionLibrary-Archives DivisionCurator's DivisionMeetinghouse Libraries Division

Documenting Church History

J. Gordon Daines III

Brigham Young University

gordon_daines@byu.edu

801-422-5821