Moving Archives Through Change
by Ruth Edele
Archivist, New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Events in life have shaped and continue to shape the archival profession. Change is a constant factor across history. Whether it has been a change of president, the world wars, or evolving technology, each has impacted and shifted the profession. Most recently, Covid significantly drove forward the use of technology in archives. I was recently asked about the technological transition from external storage devices to the internet in the workplace. The idea of having archival information available in an instant via the internet is an alluring thought.
In a world with a constant need for information, truthful and informative content is often expected within the press of a button, a Google search, or a ChatBot inquiry. Metadata is information that is placed around content to identify and access it when using a search engine. I believe that metadata provides a key to prompt and reliable access to historical material held in an archival repository. The question, thus, becomes how one transforms metadata into a model that will permit flexibility and adaptability as technology evolves in the future. It may mean combining technical knowledge with tools from several similar professions.
However, before the use of tools and learning, one must set up processes, procedures, and systems. In this stage, there is the possibility to configure checks and balances for validity. One key is to ensure quality control through accurate input of metadata, attachments, and descriptions. There can be built-in grammar and content checks in addition to checks on whether or not the message being conveyed is accurate. Without these types of checkpoints, it is easy to open the door to misuse and misunderstanding of information by the public.
The necessity for accurate and reliable information led us to experiment with new methods such as using a blend of library and archival practices to create a platform for sharing history. One example of this is my work on transforming Lucidea, an archival and library software platform, into a vehicle for sharing New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) archival materials with the public. This allows The NYSPCC to provide information immediately to a wider community.
A question for me is the malleability of the Lucidea software. This could mean that the catalog combines both the traditional catalog entry in libraries with an archival tool called a finding aid. It becomes essential for the data entry (metadata formation) to be done efficiently and accurately. Professional jargon within the catalog entry for the public should be fashioned in a way that opens the door for legibility by a broader audience. It may take a revamp of terms used in the catalog entry. In the future, the catalog entry may coordinate with the finding aid (or what I have come to call a “collection guide” after visiting the New York City Archives).
For me, Lucidea facilitates the presentation of archival material in the form of a timeline that can serve as a digital exhibit. The ability for the archivist to provide context for the material as well as accuracy through an exhibit is another form of easily accessible history. To implement such exhibits will mean telling the story without biases and judgments. Digital exhibits provide an engaging way for archivists to present material accurately and in historical context. Because these exhibits are facilitated by Lucidea rather than a curator, the story can be told without the biases or judgment inherent in human intervention.
As I continue to work in the profession, I have become aware of the need for constant learning. This includes reading, visiting sites, and attending webinars. It means being curious and asking questions. For information to be conveyed in an accurate and reliable manner to the public means knowing the history of the period when The NYSPCC was formed, what came before, and what impact the Agency has had and will continue to have on the world. To move the archives into the future means gathering the artifacts and documents as they are being created, so remaining relevant in the face of a constantly changing landscape both within the archival profession and the world in general, but also respecting, documenting and utilizing institutional knowledge.
Finally, the following questions are ever on my mind:
- What do The NYSPCC materials convey to the public about the Agency’s history?
- Is the story truthful and honest?
- Are there perspectives that I have not heard or understood?
As I develop the Lucidea public portal, my goal is to make NYSPCC history accessible to all.
