How can archivists and librarians better assist researchers
in a digital era? As we read in some of the articles for class this past week,
researches still have a hard time navigating through archives despite the
creation of finding aides and databases. In the article, The Metadata is the Interface:
Better Description for Better Discovery of Archives and Special Collection,
Synthesized for User Studies, Jennifer Schaffner uncovers that these
disconnects between database (and finding aides) and researchers is due to the
difference in how scholars and archivists sift through collections. As Schaffner outlines, users of archival
databases look at content by subjects and keywords, instead of what the
collection is made up of like archivists. The key to creating a better system
for archives to reach users is by providing as much descriptive metadata as
possible.
Although we understand that providing a database or
finding aide with fantastic descriptions is beneficial to gain relevancy with
users, how does minimal processing hinder or help this discovery? As we talked
about in class, minimal process has and is the way that many archives are
leaning towards when it comes to dealing with their backlog of collections. By
quickly processing collections through the minimal processing outline,
collections will be accessible to users faster. However, in detailed
descriptions of these collections may be missing because the amount of time
that is needed to acquire that level of detail. This many be an issue for providing extremely detailed
finding aides for users, as we have seen with Temple’s own online finding
aides, there is still a great deal of information that is provided to users when
minimal processing is utilized. The
problem then becomes whether a users truly understands that basics of
researching. As we discussed and read this week, there may be a fantastic
finding aid or database available, but lack of understanding how tow research can
greatly hinder a user from navigating an archive.
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