Archives*Open

UPDATE: Announcement: Call to Papers Deadline Extended

2009-09-03T19:45:00.008-04:00

Back in May, I posted an announcement concerning a Call for Papers for the 8th European Conference on Digital Archiving, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland between April 28-30, 2010. The conference is being organized by the Swiss Federal Archives in collaboration with the International Council on Archives' (ICA) European Regional Branch (EURBICA) and the Section on Professional Associations (SPA).

Fast forward to September--just a few days ago--I received an email from the Swiss Federal Archives notifying me that the paper submission deadline has been extended to September 13, 2009.

You can find more information on the extension of deadline on the Swiss Federal Archives website.

Spread the word among your colleagues.

Announcement: Call for Papers, 8th European Conference on Digital Archiving

2009-05-17T20:39:00.005-04:00

Announcement and call for papers.

8th European Conference on Digital Archiving, Geneva, Switzerland, April 28-30, 2010.

The Swiss Federal Archives organise together with the International Council on Archives' (ICA) European Regional Branch (EURBICA) and the Section on Professional Associations (SPA) the 8th European Conference on Digital Archiving that takes place in Geneva, 28 - 30 April 2010.

As of now it is possible to submit abstracts online at Abstract Submission...You find more information on the conference and details on the Call for Papers on our website www.bar.admin.ch/eca2010

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thank you very much for your help to promote the ECA 2010!

Best regards,
Mercedes Matas
Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin

Digital Preservation: An Animated Primer

2009-05-07T22:33:00.003-04:00

When Archivists Twitter...Amazing Things Happen!

2009-03-05T08:51:00.000-05:00

Found on the A&A listserv, posted by Lisa Grimm, a slideshare presentation called "When Archivists Twitter."

Ah, my heart's a twitter!

Twitter for Archivists

View more presentations from superfectablog. (tags: twitter archivists)

Message to Readers

2009-01-19T08:45:00.002-05:00

The following excerpt was taken from a blog post I published on The DIGITAL Archive, my other blog. It discusses the future of Archives*Open in light of recent changes in my professional life.

When I launched Archives*Open back in early December, I was inspired and energized and greatly encouraged by the positive feedback and comments.

Today, I still feel inspired and energized. But now, with a new job starting imminently, I wonder if I can honestly maintain energy levels.

I hate to see a bright idea dim.

So in an effort to keep things moving I am making Archives*Open more, well, open, leveraging tools, technologies and services that are freely available on the Web to push content to the blog - with some editorial assistance on my part.

For example, I have started using a Twitter service called Twitterfeed, which takes RSS feeds (title and description fields only) and tweets them to a Twitter account. Regarding the Archives*Open twitter feed (@archivesopen), I am creating search parameters that encompass archives, access and Web 2.0 and saving them as RSS feeds and then running them through Twitterfeed to the @archivesopen Twitter account.

I have done something similar with Delicious, the social bookmarking service. Every time I find a website that fits 'the Web 2.0/innovative access to archival materials' classification, I tag it with "archivesopen" (no quotation marks, natch) and in time the bookmark (short blurb and URL) will be tweeted.

You can join in as well.

If you have a Delicious account, you can tag websites with "archivesopen." Fingers crossed, the bookmark will be tweeted via the Archives*Open Twitter feed.

As I reaffirm here, I am still invigorated by both the concept and mission behind the blog as well as by the positive feedback and contributions received from readers. Giving Access to the Masses is still the goal.

By using current and emerging Web technologies to raise public awareness, educate, and provide improved and enhanced public access to archives and archival materials, I firmly believe we can inspire people, giving them the means to fully appreciate archives and even partake in the profession as "citizen archivists," as Rory Litwin writes in his book review of Richard J. Cox's latest book. And, perhaps, in so doing, even uplift our own spirits. Archives are not about old dusty long-forgotten things; they are stories that recount the past, frame our present, and possess our futures.

This is not the end of Archives*Open, but rather a re-structuring of forthcoming plans, including the amount of time I will dedicate to the blog. Thank you all for reading, following, and contributing to Archives*Open. Stay tuned. There's more to come.

Call for Student Papers: ACA Conference 2009

2009-01-12T13:03:00.005-05:00

From Arcan-L, posted on January 12, 2009, by Duncan Grant. A call for student papers for the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) Conference 2009 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. "Submissions relating to the conference theme, 'Rights, Responsibilities, Trust: Archives and Public Affairs,' are encouraged, though proposals on other archival topics will also be considered."

Although the ACA Conference 2009 has a theme, other proposals will still be considered. Perhaps a good time to talk about Archives, Access and Web 2.0!

Complete call for student papers below:

Attention Archival Students,
Call for Student Proposals – ACA Conference 2009
New Ideas, New Voices: The Student Session
Calgary, Alberta - May 17-19, 2009

Are you an archival studies student with an idea that you want to share with the archival community? Are you researching a paper and would like to take it to the next stage? Are you honing your public speaking skills, and looking for ways to enhance your CV? The ACA 2009 Program Committee wants to hear from you!!

Proposals are now being accepted for the ACA Conference’s annual student session. Submissions relating to the conference theme, “Rights, Responsibilities, Trust: Archives and Public Affairs,” are encouraged, though proposals on other archival topics will also be considered. For more information about the conference theme, see the ACA conference website. All individuals who are presently enrolled in or will graduate from a Canadian archival studies program in the 2008-09 academic year are eligible to apply.

The student session, “New Ideas, New Voices,” will be held on Friday, May 15th, 2009 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. Three student papers (15 to 20 minutes each) will be selected by the Program Committee, each by a student from a different institution.

Thanks to the Association of Canadian Archivists Foundation (ACAF), the selected participants will receive a bursary which covers the cost of the registration fees as well as some assistance for the travel and accommodation expenses, through their schools. Students who meet the eligibility criteria (e.g. ACA member, Canadian, travel originating in Canada), may also apply for a travel subsidy through the ACA’s SSHRC travel fund, while the completed SSHRC travel form must be submitted directly to the ACA office.

Please include the following in your submission:
- Your name, telephone number, postal address, and email address
- Name and address of the school/program that you attend
- Title and abstract of your paper (max. 250 words)
- A one-sentence statement indicating your commitment to attend the 2009 ACA Conference and to deliver your paper in person if selected by the Committee

The deadline for submissions is January 25, 2009.

Questions and submissions should be sent to Crista Bradley, ACA 2009 Conference Program Committee, at crista.bradley@uregina.ca.

"Old Stuff, New Tricks.." A Web 2.0 Presentation You Need to See

2009-01-08T10:45:00.001-05:00

Slides from a presentation at the 2009 American Association for History and Computing (AAHC) an affiliate at the American Historical Association (AHA) meeting by Jean Root Green, Jessica Lacher-Feldman, Mark Matienzo, and Amy Schindler.

Old Stuff, New Tricks: How Archivists Are Making Special Collections Even More Special Using Web 2.0 Technologies

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: networking social)

Around the Web - January 8, 2009

2009-01-08T08:45:00.004-05:00

This week on Around the Web, I am highlighting several Web 2.0 archival projects that I found or were forwarded to me over the holidays.

Wiki

Russell James, who blogs over at Records Junkie, submitted his wiki, History of Archives, Recordkeeping, and Records. A wiki (the word, by the way, is Hawaiian for fast) is an online collaborative work space where registered (or unregistered) members contribute content and build an evolving resource on one or several topics. In most cases, the wiki's interface is similar to a Microsoft Word document or a WYSIWYG ("what-you-see-is-what-you-get) HTML editor, so the learning curve for most users is minimal. The goal of a wiki is to foster collaboration among individuals and/or experts in a field. Very useful.

Waco

A reader sent an email to the SAA listserv, which he also directed to my attention, about a project called Ashes of Waco. It is a blog about the standoff between the US Government and the Branch Davidians, an end time cult, and its tragic ending. The blog effectively provides incredible detail and insight into what took place on that event. In the project's own words:

A blog about the digitization and online presentation of archival materials in Dick J. Reavis Papers that are related to his book, The Ashes of Wace: An Investigation, about the 1993 raid, siege, and burning of the Mt. Carmel Center near Waco, Texas.

Archief 2.0 / Archives 2.0 Dutch-Style

Dutch Archivist Christian van der Ven, who has been feeding Archives*Open a steady and healthy diet of Web 2.0 ideas, projects and initiatives occurring in his native Netherlands, forwarded me information on a social networking, content aggregating, and collaborative work space called Archief 2.0 (Archives 2.0), which he and his fellow colleagues have been using to start discussions, share comments, information and thoughts on Archives 2.0.

They use a free service called Ning. One caveat, though: While the service is English, the Archief 2.0 site is in Dutch. However, even a simple scan of the site by non-Dutch readers clearly indicates that Christian and his colleagues have been building a large volume of content on a very relevant topic to readers of this blog.

Another Dutch reader, Thijs van Exel, alerted me to a preservation, digitization and access project called Images for the Future (IFTF), which is a joint venture of six participating consortium parties, among which the National Archive and Kennisland | Knowledgeland are members. The website is in Dutch and English. According to the website:

The aim of this project is to open up the wealth of 20th century audio and visual material that has been stored in the archives of the parties concerned. If nothing is done about it, this material will be lost forever. In this project the material will be restored, preserved, digitalised and made available. A total of 137.200 hours of video, 22.501 hours of film, 123.900 hours of audio and 2,9 million photos is involved.

This project is reminiscent of another on-going project by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), which is endeavouring to digitize and make accessible to the public via the Web the Board's large vault of animation, documentaries and feature films. More information on this project is available at The DIGITAL Archive, where I wrote a review of the website.

Around the Web is a community-driven series of blog posts. It serves as a platform where archivists and others in related fields submit information about archival projects that are using Web technologies, such as Web 2.0, in innovative ways. It also servces as a platform where archivists and others express opinions and comments on Web 2.0 in the archives field. Let's generate some useful discussion. Leave a comment or send Archives*Open an email (archives.open@gmail.com)

New Year's Greetings from Archives*Open

2009-01-05T10:10:00.002-05:00

The year 2009 starts and so resumes Archives*Open.

Over the holidays (which I hope you all enjoyed), I must admit I had very few opportunities to write or even draft any new blog posts. But, thankfully, I received a handful of interesting ideas from readers, ranging from content suggestions to community-building initiatives.

One suggestion was to create an online community on LinkedIn, which is a professional social networking website similar to the hugely popular Facebook but more focused on professionals connecting with other professionals. Registration is free, fast and simple; but, best of all, there are real opportunities to connect with others in your field.

For example, I opened a LinkedIn account a few months ago and have been adding new content, such as profile information, previous work experience and recommendations, and connecting with former colleagues as well as people who I have met online.

So, after some thought and preparation, I decided to start a LinkedIn Group called the Archives*Open Network. It is open to anyone interested in what Archives*Open is doing: Using Web technologies, current and emerging, to further improve and enhance public access to archival materials.

But more than attaining that supreme goal, I believe that in joining the Archives*Open Network, there will be many opportunities for members to share ideas on the discussion board and for members to connect with other members. Sounds like a good deal. Readers connecting with other readers.

Ready to join? Want to learn more? Visit LinkedIn and also visit the Archives*Open Network.

Upwards and onwards!

Holiday Break! Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T17:38:00.004-05:00

Before Archives*Open closes its access doors for the next few days (I'm giving the elves a break to help a certain someone just north of here), I want to take this opportunity to thank the archivists, records managers, content analysts, librarians, and other information professionals who visited Archives*Open, from those arriving from Arcan-L and the SAA listserv to those arriving from Twitter and Google searchers and blogosphere world of mouth.

I feel encouraged with the positive response, feedback and comments, and the amount of traffic the blog has received in only two weeks since launching (430+ visitors) is astonishing.

Let 2009 be a year of growth for professionals interested in Web 2.0, Archives 2.0 and access to archival materials.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Call for Content

2008-12-18T13:00:00.001-05:00

There is an urgent need for content!

Archives*Open is looking for content, and you can help!

Here's what we are looking for:

Your archives projects that are using Web 2.0 technology. What technologically innovative project will you be working on in the New Year? What are you launching in the New Year? Let us know. Leave a comment or send an email to archives.open@gmail.com with the following information: Your name or the name of your institution, name of your project, and a URL. Archives*Open will share it with its readers.
Your opinions, positive or negative, about technology and archives, particularly the Web 2.0 technologies and social media technologies that are transforming other sectors and industries. What do think about starting a blog? Could a wiki be in your future? Do you have ideas how archivists could use podcasting and videocasting (audio and video) in their outreach activities. Or, do you think all this Web 2.0 is a bunch of techno-babble nonsense?Just leave a comment or send an email to archives.open@gmail.com

The technologies and tools associated with Web 2.0 are vast; but applied properly, we feel, they can transform and provide a new level of interaction and access to archival materials, which is what Archives*Open hopes to chronicle in collaboration with its readers.

Kate over at ArchivesNext has dedicated several thoughtful blog posts to Web 2.0 (or more specifically and more accurately to Archives 2.0).

In one post, for example, she lists several archival Web 2.0 projects. A very good read and an excellent primer.

Finally, Kate wrote a profound remark on Archives 2.0, which I hope, if you have not already read it, will hopefully stir your thoughts and inspire you further.

If the archival profession is to successfully make the transition out of the 20th century, it will need to recognize that what gives an archives value is how it is used. In the last century, an archives may have derived status from the materials it preserved; in this century, it will derive value from the materials it provides access to–and that access will have to be online.

Thank you for visiting Archives*Open and/or subscribing to Archives*Open's feed and for making Archives*Open part of your daily or weekly reading--and become part of the community by submitting your stories, your projects, and your opinions.

Around the Web - December 17, 2008

2008-12-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

This week on Around the Web, Elizabeth Lomas, a researcher from the School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom, emailed Archives*Open some interesting information about a UK based records management project that is seeking international participants, who will eventually be connected virtually, "to look at RM and wider information issues to maximise information potential for computer mediated communications, which includes email but also lots of other technologies such as Web 2.0 ones."

This is Ms. Lomas' full description of the project:

Call for virtual co-researchers

I am putting out a call for international co-researchers to take part in a co-operative action research inquiry aimed at critically evaluating how to maximise organisation's information potential for communications created through computer mediated technologies (email, Facebook, wikis - any system with dialogue potential), taking into account the impact of the individual.

The research will commence in February 2009 and will be undertaken through virtual discussions and online collaboration using a closed site set up on the web. Each participant has the power to influence the direction of the research.

The research is a UK Northumbria University records management project, although the work is looking at wider information issues in order to evaluate the research aim. There are currently 50 UK participants engaged in the research, consisting of archivists, designers, knowledge managers, psychologists, records managers and communication enthusiasts. The groups will ultimately join up virtually.

If you would like further information then please contact me. elizabeth.lomas@northumbria.ac.uk

What is of particular interest to Archives*Open is the fact that this project is seeking to build on the expertise of those in different fields of study and to have them collaborate, ultimately, in a virtual environment. Essentially, a community of researchers with different backgrounds collaborating virtually towards a common goal. I am interested in learning more about Ms. Lomas' plans to implement a virtual collaborative environment, such as the kinds of web-based tools or services.

Since so much of what we do on the Web ultimately finds an international audience, there is merit and much wisdom is seeking collaboration internationally. We certainly have so much to share amongst ourselves.

Around the Web is a community-driven series of blog posts. It endeavours to serve as a platform where archivists and other information professionals submit information about archival projects that are using Web 2.0, or, alternatively, where archivists and other information professionals submit opinions, comments on Web 2.0 in an archives environment. Let's generate some useful discussion threads. Please send Archives*Open your stories and opinions.

Collaborative Effort Revives The British Colonist

2008-12-12T14:13:00.007-05:00

From Arcan-L, posted on December 12, 2008, by Lara J. Wilson of the University of Victoria Libraries (British Columbia, Canada), a press release announcing the launch of The British Colonist, a new digitized resource:

Old News Pages Offer New Insights

UVic and the Times Colonist make it easier to search BC’s past online

There are no more trips to the library, squinting at years of microfiche, for those who are interested in BC’s history. Thanks to a partnership between the University of Victoria and the Victoria Times Colonist, the world can now search through historic editions of the newspaper online.

The website, www.britishcolonist.ca, is officially launched today. It contains issues of the British Colonist, which is one of the oldest daily newspapers in Western Canada, and one of the best records of colonial BC. Every page of every issue between the first one, on December 11, 1858, and the end of June 1910 is now online—a total of 100,544 pages.

Wilson explains that this resource "will be a boon to many researchers (genealogists, students, educators, historians) seeking information and insight into this period of European settlement and establishment of the province."

With over 100 000 pages to search, I certainly agree.

However, nothing of this magnitude is done successfully without partnerships: Several institutions collaborated to make this resource a reality, including the UVic Libraries & Special Collections, the Victoria Times-Colonist, and the Irving K. Barber Centre of the University of British Columbia.

More on Flickr...From the Library of Congress

2008-12-11T17:37:00.006-05:00

The Library of Congress has been busy with Flickr, uploading digitized photographs and allowing users to participate in commenting, tagging, and even in some cases identifying photographs. A report was released evaluating the project and making future recommendations.

From the Library of Congress' Blog:

Only nine months into the Library of Congress’ pilot project placing Library photos on the Web site Flickr, the photos have drawn more than 10 million views, 7,166 comments and more than 67,000 tags, according to a new report from the project team overseeing the lively project.

“The popularity and impact of the pilot have been remarkable,” said Michelle Springer, project manager for digital initiatives in the Office of Strategic Initiatives, who said total views reached 10 million in October. The site is averaging 500,000 views a month, she said, adding that Flickr members have marked 79 percent of the photos as “favorites.”

The report recommends that the Library of Congress continue to participate in The Commons and explore other Web 2.0 communities.

The pilot launched early this year.

You can read the full story on the Library of Congress' Blog.

Archives*Open is on Twitter

2008-12-11T14:31:00.007-05:00

If you use Twitter, there is a new 'person' to follow: twitter.com/archivesopen

Follow Archives*Open and receive tweets (updates) whenever a new blog post is published. Also, once you follow Archives*Open, feel free to send tweets about your current archival projects, archives-related news and tips, or your feedback.

Happy Twittering!

Around the Web - December 11, 2008

2008-12-11T12:05:00.016-05:00

This is the inaugural Around the Web weekly blog post, where I highlight Web 2.0 archival projects that the community of Archives*Open readers have submitted. Feel free to do the same by adding a comment (with your name or the name of your institution, project name, and URL) or sending the same information via email to archives.open@gmail.com.

Overall, the response to Archives*Open has been very positive.

Thank you all for your feedback.

Around the Web - December 11, 2008

Amanda sent in the Deseronto Archives' blog and Flickr photostream
Dani Vaughn-Tucker, Misericordia University, sent in the Sister Mary Carmel McGarigle Archives' Flickr photostream

Flickr, one of the most popular photo management and photo sharing websites, which was bought by Yahoo! a few years ago, is a great place to showcase your photos without the headache of building the technical infrastructure yourself.

Besides being a really easy to use service (there is a free and a paid version), Flickr enables users to add notes to pictures (identify people in pictures), tag pictures with metadata (folksonomy), and comment. Build communities and connect with others who share in your photographic interests.

University of Manitoba Demystifies the Archives

2008-12-09T12:04:00.006-05:00

From Arcan-L, the Canadian archival listserv, Shelly Sweeney of the University of Manitoba Archives and Special Collections writes:

We are thrilled to announce (okay, we are always thrilled to announce) that we have produced a 4+ minute video on how to use University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections. For viewing, please see:

http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/archives/tutorial.shtml

Reaction from student focus groups has been very positive. I should point out two things: the first is that there is an error in the video. No need to tell us, we’re aware of it and are trying to decide whether it’s worth it to try and correct it. (See if you can spot it.) The second is that no archives were harmed in the making of this video.

Shelley

The explosion of online video, as evidenced by the popularity of such websites as YouTube and Viddler, clearly shows the power and impact of video on society. As per the Archives, in order to reach (and teach) a generation that is highly visual in its communication habits, the use of video to demystify the archives is a brilliant idea. Kudos to the University of Manitoba.

UPDATE 22/12/2008: In case you are wondering what was the error in the video, Shelley Sweeney recently revealed the gaffe:

So while the lack of gloves might be considered an error, the one we were thinking of is that one of the researchers places three photographs on the photocopier just as the voiceover is saying you may use a camera without a flash!

Welcome to Archives*Open

2008-12-03T15:01:00.014-05:00

The paint is still drying and the chrome still needs a bit more polishing, but I am nonetheless ready to launch Archives*Open, a blog about archives, access, community, and the web, where we serve as a platform for archivists and other professionals in the field to announce their Web 2.0 archival projects.

This makes this blog not only a promotional platform, but also a source of inspiration for others thinking about embarking on technologically innovative, educational and fun projects that promote community access to archival material and effectively bring the community closer to archival material in a digital environment.

If your archives is launching:

An interactive website
An online gallery
A blog
A micro-blogging account such as those found on Twitter
A wiki
A podcast
A mashup
A virtual place in Second Life
An online community on a social networking website such as Facebook
...or any other cool, innovative use of technology...

Leave a comment with your name (personal or corporate), project title, and a URL.

Or, contact me: archives.open@gmail.com

Spread the word: Archives*Open is open.

Community

2008-11-23T18:11:00.009-05:00

I want Archives*Open to serve as a platform for archivists and other professionals to announce their Web 2.0 archival projects. I believe this will not only help promote their projects, but also serve the greater purpose of inspiring others contemplating such projects.

If you are working on an archival project or recently completed an archival project that uses Web 2.0 technologies and embraces Web 2.0 values, let Archives*Open know.

If your archives is launching:

An interactive website
An online gallery
A blog
A micro-blogging account such as those found on Twitter
A wiki
A podcast
A mashup
A virtual place in Second Life
An online community on a social networking website such as Facebook
...or any other cool, innovative use of technology...

Leave a comment with your name (personal or corporate), project title, and a URL.

Or, contact me: archives.open@gmail.com

A reader also suggested that Archives*Open create an online community using LinkedIn, a professional social networking website. After some thought, I took the reader's advice and created a LinkedIn Group called the Archives*Open Network. Click on the link and join the Group. If you do not have a LinkedIn account, this is a great time to create one!

Contact

2008-11-10T15:22:00.012-05:00

I encourage readers to contact me, not only to comment on blog posts, but to contribute to Achives*Open as well.

If you are working on an archival project or recently completed an archival project that uses Web 2.0 technologies and embraces Web 2.0 values, let Archives*Open know.

If your archives is launching:

An interactive website
An online gallery
A blog
A micro-blogging account such as a Twitter account
A wiki
A podcast
A video on Youtube
A mashup
A virtual place in Second Life
An online community on a social networking website such as Facebook or LinkedIn
...or any other cool, innovative use of technology...

Leave a comment with your name (personal or corporate), project title, and a URL.

Or, contact me: archives.open@gmail.com

Alternatively, if Retaggr (above) should end its service, contact me:

Primary email: archives.open@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter/archivesopen
DISQUS (commenting management system I'm using for Archives*Open): DISQUS Community

My online profiles can be found here:

Blogger Profile (taken from The DIGITAL Archive blog)
LinkedIn (a professional online profile)

The Archives*Open Network on LinkedIn:

Archives*Open Network

About Archives*Open

2008-11-05T21:55:00.067-05:00

Archives*Open is a blog about archives, access, community, and the Web. It's about giving access to the masses!

Okay, now that the formal blurb is out of the way, let's get down to business.

This blog aims to report on the ways archivists and other professionals in the archival field are using technology, specifically Web 2.0 and other emerging technologies, to give the community (archival users of all levels) improved access to archival collections.

In chronicling these efforts, and in focusing on Web 2.0 (or Archives 2.0, if you like), I want to reveal another side of archives that is evolving: community outreach, specifically, community outreach in a Web 2.0 world.

I also want to inspire archives professionals and institutions to re-examine their collections and envision new and unique ways to share with the community the many stories hidden in their respositories.

About Me

I find it difficult to write about oneself. I wear many hats. I am an archivist, having worked in archives for a number of years. But I have interests in other areas as well; for example, I am interested in the web and digital access, and I like writing and blogging.

I know. I wear many hats.

But in a strange twist, these different hats have all become very valuable to me while working in archives, kind of like those Swiss Army knives with every thing except a spoon and fork (although, I hear, there are some one out there). The various skills have served their purpose in a changing archives environment, particularly concerning technology.

Throughout my years in the archives profession, I have focused and worked on making archival materials, resources and services more accessible to the public using the Web and other tools and technologies.

I love history and the many stories that have shaped history (I have a BA in History, so that probably explains why); I also love technology and the amazing communication tool that it has become. Merging these separate realms is exciting, and seeing how technology can provide a better view of the past makes it even more so.

Demystify the Archives

In short, the purpose of this blog is to highlight the ways archivists and other professionals in the field are giving access to archival material and, as a result, demystifying the archives using the tools, technologies, ethics and values of Web 2.0.

Besides social technology, Web 2.0 encourages communication, conversation, community-building, collaboration, co-creation and participation. What if Archives 2.0 adopted these values?

In our connected world, where our potential audience is mostly online Googling the Web or reading blogs or investing time in highly interactive communities such as Twitter, FriendFeed, and Facebook, the adoption of Archives 2.0 sounds like a very wise idea.

By giving 'access to the masses,' the archives will take a positive step in the digital world toward demystify the role of archives, archivists, and archival materials in society.

I believe once one demystifies something, others can more fully understand, appreciate and grow to support its inherent value.