CONTRIBUTION OF WEB 2.0 IN THE PROMOTION OF ARCHIVAL SERVICES

ABSTRACT

As the technology continuous to advance, new technologies have emerged with the capability to

Revolutionize knowledge sharing practices and other archival services. Web 2.0, shorthand for Internet applications that rely on users to generate content and information, has the potential to significantly improve promotion of archival services in archives. The goal of this assignment is to explore contribution of web 2.0 in promotion of archival services ,benefits ,Challenges faced encourage greater use of Web 2.0 applications in enhancing archival services (acquisition of records, storage and maintenance, Preservation and conservation ,Retrieval and access ,)

 

Introduction

The Internet is of considerable value to records managers and archivists. An increasing number of records managers are discovering the Internet and are forming an on-line community for information-sharing and communication. Records managers may use the Internet to participate in sharing experiences and insight with other records management professionals.

Web 2.0 technologies have fundamentally changed the way in which people interact and find information online. Archives are attempting to utilize Web 2.0 technologies to reach new users and promote their collections, but many have implemented these technologies without a full understanding of how to use them appropriately. Research has been conducted concerning libraries implementing Web 2.0 technologies, but much of the research involving archives has consisted of anecdotal evidence and is limited in scope.

1. Archival services include: 
2.   Acquisition of records 
3.   Storage and maintenance of records 
4.   Retrieval and promotion Use of records 
5.   Preservation 
6. Conservation

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Some of web 2.0 application which can be embraced by archival institution and libraries may include

a)      Facebook

Founded in February 2004 and is owned by Facebook, Inc. It is a social network that allow people to share and communicate information within a context of social interaction. Facebook mission is to give people power to share and make the world more open and connected.

b)     Flickr

Was founded in 2004 and is now a property of yahoo Inc. Is a photograph (and other image format) and video-hosting site as well as web service suite .It’s also an online community of professional and amateur photographers and users who wish to publish and share their images and videos on the web. Its use is free of charge but there is the option of subscription offering an account with additional functionality.

c)      YouTube

Founded in February 2015, is now owned by Google Inc. Its free video sharing community that offer access to and sharing of video, films, clips, and amateur materials that in turn, can be disseminated through blogs and other web locations.

Role of web 2.0 in promoting archival services

The term Web 2.0 technology, also known as social media, is used to describe the various websites, services, and platforms that archives use to promote their collections and facilitate interaction with their users.

Archives are using web 2.0 applications in a context that allow new type of interaction ,new opportunities regarding archival services promotion ,new ways of providing their services and making their heritage known to the community.

Applications such as Facebook (online social network),Flickr (online image sharing community and YouTube (online video sharing community are used by archival institution that interact in the formal context of web 2.0 .Some of the roles of web 2.0 in promotion of archival services are.

1.      An increasing number of records managers are discovering the role of web 2.0 and are forming an on-line community for information-sharing and communication. For a long time records have been unique and stored in a single place and control was possible on site. But with the Internet these same records can now be made available all over the world and information has to be secured against loss for technical reasons.

David Ferriero became the 10th Archivist of the United States in late 2009, he brought with him an interest in Web 2.0 technologies that had been unheard of among many archivists. By embracing these technologies as the Archivist of the United States, he set a standard for other archivists to participate and interact with their users in social media. As he points out, "using social media channels in our own work, we can work more collaboratively, provide greater transparency for each other and the public, and invite the public to participate in our efforts” (Ferriero, 2012).

2.      Records managers may use the web 2.0 applications to participate in sharing experiences and insight with other records management professionals;

The Internet is of considerable value to records managers and archivists. An increasing number of records managers are discovering the Internet and are forming an on-line community for information-sharing and communication. Records managers may use the Internet to participate in sharing experiences and insight with other records management professionals;

Gabbly and eSnips help the archivists to share thoughts, photos, files, stuff user found on the web and archivist control who user share it with and how.

3.      They can conduct research using online libraries and/or search programs.

Web 2.0 employs chalksite, elgg, engrade, schoolTool, Windows Live, schoopy and wink under the academic platform to enhance classroom into the internet. For instance, wink is a tutorial and presentation creation software, primarily aimed at creating tutorials on how to use archival services.

4.      Advertising of their services

Audio visuals are employed in advertising of the archival services that an archival institution offers. This has been made possible through the use of eyespot and YouTube. Using the eyespot, an archival institution can easily shoot, mix and share the video .It can be used to edit and combine the videos and photos online. Archivists can as well employ YouTube to share original videos of their services worldwide

5.      Download records management software for testing and review.

Archivist can download software’s used for promotion the efficiency of their services. This is whereby biometrics and use of administration passwords are employed to help in restrictive access to confidential records. By doing so, the whole process of controlling access to the archives much efficient.

6.      Create a home page devoted to records management.

 Archivist can use websites and portal to market their services. In reality, they are just as likely to be involved in putting a website on-line, organising an exhibition or dealing with the public.

7.      Search sites for current information impacting records management.

The use of web 2.0 technology by archives and libraries is having several effects on the way their services and products are made available to the public as well as the way they operate.(Archive 2.0 and library 2.0).Such impact vary and depend on the type of application, their characteristics , functionalities and the way they are used and kept.

Apart from the increase in the number of users reached ,there are other less immediate but nonetheless beneficial effects from the user of 2.0 applications .In an article on the use of these applications by Chinese library and information professional Dongmei cao (4) listed eight benefits:

·         Increased importance of archival services to the users

·         Improvement in the archives image

·         Improvement in communication among archivists

·         Potential of new interactive services to raise the level and quality of archival services provided 

·         Improvement in shared knowledge and collaboration

·         Greater ability to find quick solutions to meet the needs of users

·         Increased involvement of users and improved communication of the archives with such users. For example the collection of display in library of congress channel on YouTube had 1044 registered users and 24162 viewers in May 2009.

Other benefits are:

a.       Increased awareness of archival services and collections

b.      Varied access of archival collections

c.       Diversification of users

d.      Improved relationship and link among archival professionals

e.       Additional information about archival collections

f.       Improved information literacy to the users and public in general

g.      Increased competition leading to innovation ,research and creativity and quality services by archivists

However, there nonetheless exist a degree of reluctant to use of web2.0 technology by some archivists and librarians. Some of the challenges that hinder its application and adoption are

ü  Lack of knowledge and relevant skill on use of web 2.0 applications by archivists and librarians.

ü  Reluctance to recognize web 2.0 applications as “official” or valid.

ü  Some Archivists and librarians associate web 2.0 applications with personal leisure

ü  Data protection of social network users may not be always guaranteed, there is danger of losing information to third party without authorization.

ü  Personification for instance registration of Facebook of an archive or library by an individual user without mentioning that it’s not the official page of the institution without its authorization

ü  Many institutions lack recordkeeping policies and procedures for their Web 2.0 records

The success or failure in the use of web 2.0 application in promotion archival and library services is highly dependent on a number of factors; the capacity of archival institutions or library to maintain an active use of this applications. On Facebook, a regular interaction with group of users may enhance contact with visitors, real users or potential users. On Flickr, the regular display of images keep users engaged and encourage users to explore organisational image and database more frequently .The same happen on YouTube.

Recommendation for the implementation stage is to create and post a Terms of Use statement. Such a statement should provide guidelines for acceptable commenting and reuse of materials posted to the site. Further it should explain the site’s purpose and, if a third-party site, refer users to the platform creator’s Terms of Use statement. It may be wise for the business archivist to consult with her company’s legal department when crafting a Terms of Use statement in order to avoid potential liability issues.

Conclusion

Though much research has been done on Web 2.0 technologies in libraries, little has been done concerning Web 2.0 in archives. The few studies found for this research appear to be narrow in scope, either focusing on a specific technology, a specific archive, or a specific country. Nevertheless, these studies suggest that Web 2.0 technologies in archives are an important topic of research and deserve further investigation.

Many librarians and archivists focus their marketing energy and time around promotion activities including advertising, special events, publicity and brand awareness. But in today’s world, marketing managers need to have web 2.0 marketing strategies and techniques as part of their marketing plan.

The future is bright for archives. People must know the past to understand the present and face the future .As Archivists, we are here to make it happen.

                        References

1.      Bearman, D. (1991). Archival Management of Electronic Records (Report no. 13) Pittsburgh: Archives and Museum Informatics.

2.      Duff, W., Craig, B., & Cherry, J. (2004). Finding and using archival resources: A cross- Canada survey of historians studying Canadian history. Archivaria, 58, 51-80.

3.      Jimerson, R. (2011). Archives 101 in a 2.0 world: The continuing need for parallel systems. In Theimer, K. (Ed.), A different kind of Web: New connections between archives and our users (pp. 304-333). Chicago: Society of American Archivists.

4.      O’Reilly, T. (2005, September, 30). What is Web 2.0. Retrieved from: http://oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

5.      Samoulean, M. (2009). Embracing Web 2.0: Archives and the newest generation of web applications. The American Archivist, 72, 42-71.

6.      Theimer, K. (2010). Web 2.0 tools and strategies for archives and local history collections. New York: Neal-Schuman.

Authors Profile

Douglas Mwangi Maina is an undergraduate at Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Kisii University, Kenya. He holds Bachelor degree in Information Science specializing in Archives and Record Management and a Certified Public Accountant II (CPA) Phone: 0717834480 .Email:mainamwangi1989@gmail.com

Gilbert Masinde is an undergraduate at Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Kisii University, Kenya. He holds Bachelor degree in Information Science , Archives and Record Management.