Book excerpt: 'Archives have the potential to change people's lives. They are 'a fundamental bulwark of our democracy, our culture, our community and personal identity' - National Council of Archives. Archives and Archivists in 20th Century England innovatively focuses on the multifunctional reasons behind the creations of archives - they enable the conduct of business and support accountability whilst also meeting the demands of a democratic society's expectations for transparency and the protection of rights. They are the raw material of our history and memory while archivists and records managers are the professionals responsible for ensuring that these qualities are protected and exploited for the public good. This volume will be of key interest to anyone working with archives.