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Re: On-line access to archives/archival collections



I think that archival web sites should strive to have content that provides
something for everyone, even though their main focus may be serving the
needs of their own clientele (researchers).  The focus of the Hudson's Bay
Company Archives web site
(http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/index.html) is to provide
information about our holdings and identify records and microfilm that can
be accessed at a distance through Inter-library loan or on site.  We also
have general information about our holdings.  Perhaps one of the heaviest
hit pages aside from our online research tools is our page which provides
brief information about the Hudson's Bay Company.  I am fairly sure that
most of these hits come from casual surfers, not researchers.  At what point
does a casual surfer become a serious researcher?  This is impossible to
know.  I think that potentially many of our clients could start out as
casual surfers.  I do not know how often I have heard the statement from our
visitors that they had no idea how vast our resources were.  Now that they
know that we exist and have resources that they can access, they will be
sure to take advantage of the opportunity.

Maureen Dolyniuk
Archivist
Hudson's Bay Company Archives
Provincial Archives of Manitoba

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wright, Craig [SMTP:craig.wright@MNHS.ORG]
> Sent: 2000-Jan-04 11:03 AM
> To:   ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
> Subject:      On-line access to archives/archival collections
>
> I have only recently rejoined the list and Cal Lee's recent comments
> are quite stimulating to me as I am very interested in how to present
> information on archival websites. My comments are meant to be general
> observations/questions not specific to whatever post Cal was responding to
> (as I did not read it).
>
> Most of the articles I have read (and the ones Cal mentions) focus on the
> casual user (aka surfer). Is this the real target audience of archival
> websites?
> I think not, at least I maintain that sites geared to casual users are an
> inefficient
> use of resources.
>
> I think eventually internet users will be classified by type (surfers,
> information
> seekers, etc). Has this already been done? I'd be pleased to hear of
> articles/
> resources used by folks interested in this area.
>
> Now I certainly agree that even users with specific information needs
> coming
>
> to a home page want to be able to get to their destination simply and
> quickly.
> Once there however, many folks are willing to read directions and try to
> figure
> out how to get as much information as possible.
>
> What to do with finding aids??? Again, trying to gear finding aids to a
> casual
> surfer is plain silliness IMHO. Frankly I don't care about someone who
> only
> spends
> a minute on my site. Yet many users of archival materials don't understand
> and
> don't care to understand the stucture and access provided by standard
> (if there is even such a thing) finding aids. Finding aids were created
> for
> the
> benefit of archivists and scholarly researchers. Electronic access
> provides
> an opportunity to expand access to information seekers with simpler, more
> basic
> information needs. How to manage this is the big question.
>
> I think one possible avenue of advance is to target a specific user group
> (K-12 classes that focus on state/local history, genealogists, etc) design
> something to increase access to that group, monitor use and solicit
> feedback.
>
>
> Craig G. Wright
> Associate Curator of Manuscript Acquisitions
> Minnesota Historical Society
> 651.296.7989           craig.wright@mnhs.org
>
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

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Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>