C R E A T I N G U S E R - C E N T E R E D S E R V I C E S F O R Y O U R S P E C I A L C O L L E C T I O N S

RE-IMAGINING THE ATTIC

A M A N D A J . C A RT E R , M O D E R N P O L I T I C A L A R C H I V E AT B A K E R C E N T E RC H A P E L D . C O W D E N , U T C H AT TA N O O G A S P E C I A L C O L L E C T I O N S

Use is the main rationale for archival work in the user-oriented archive.

DEFINING USER-CENTERED SERVICES

• Oxford English Dictionary definitions:• User: • “a person who has or makes use of a thing, esp. regularly; a

person who employs or practices something” (def. 1a)

• Centered:• “placed at the centre [sic] or in a central position” (def. 1)

• Service: • “friendly or professional assistance” (def. 19c)

• Therefore, user-centered services can be defined as:• friendly, professional assistance that focuses on the

needs and interests of the people who have or may access your collections.

HOW DOES YOUR ARCHIVE IDENTIFY?

User Oriented• Research Services • Use is the main rationale for

archival work.• User information-essential for

program planning.• Systematic gathering and

analysis of user information.• Marketing is a priority.• Promoting use, researcher

services are regarded as program priorities.

• Subject indexing fosters retrieval.• Finding aids and services are

geared to users’ needs.

Bruce W. Dearstyne, Managing Historical Records Programs: A Guide for Historical Agencies (Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press, 2000), 105.

Custodial Oriented• Reference • Use is one of several rationales.• User information-interesting but of

secondary importance. • Researchers are simply counted.• Marketing is secondary.• Promoting use, researcher

services are secondary to appraisal and other functions.

• Reliance on provenance as a means of retrieval.

• Reference is mainly educating users to appreciate records, contexts, how the repository works.

HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR ARCHIVE TO IDENTIFY?

Archives 2.0• Open• Transparent• User-centered• Technology-savvy• Archivist as facilitator• Open to iterating

products• Innovative and flexible• Looking for ways to

attract new users

Kate Theimer, A Different Kind of Web: New Connections Between Archives and Our Users (Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2011), 335.

Archives 1.0• Closed• Opaque• Archivist- and record-

centered• Technology-phobic• Archivist as

gatekeeper/authority figure• Focused on “perfect”

products• Adhering to tradition• Relying on interested

users coming to the repository on their own

SERVICES COVERED

• Web 2.0 applications• Facebook• Twitter• YouTube• Flickr• Blogs

• Digitization• Creating shareable finding aids• Exhibits• …and potential challenges to implementing these

services.

KEEP IN MIND:HAVE A PLAN

No matter which option or how you choose to implement or increase your user-centered services, it is important to understand how you want to benefit your institution.• Define your goals• Who is your audience?• What do you want to achieve?• What is your purpose?

• Tend your garden• Don’t create & ignore. Practice good upkeep on the

services that you decide to implement. (e.g. post often, check links, etc.)

MEETING YOUR USERS WHERE THEY ARE, WEB 2.0-STYLE:

THE MAJOR PLAYERS

THE “F” WORD(FACEBOOK)

• How To Use It:• Establish a profile (location, hours, contact info, etc.)• Post frequently• Engage your audience through events,

contests, news, and shared content (videos, photos, etc.)• Push info from your other digital offerings into FB

(blog posts, tweets, YouTube videos, Flickr streams, etc.

FACEBOOK EXAMPLE:HOUSTON CO. ARCHIVES

Recently celebrated their one year

anniversary (Nov.)as an established

archive. FB presence since March 2011.

Post Types:Images

Exhibits & Events“Found in the Archive”

Shared articleshttp://www.facebook.com/groups/190560887647081

/

Open Group

FACEBOOK EXAMPLE:EAST TENNESSEE HISTORY CENTER

Organization Page

Post Types:ImagesPolicies

Cross-posts from other

organizationsEphemera

http://www.facebook.com/pages/East-Tennessee-History-Center/117404638280061

FACEBOOK EXAMPLE:UTC SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

http://www.facebook.com/UTCLibrary?ref=ts

Organization Page

TWEET WHAT? TWITTER WHO?

• How to Use It:• Cousin to text messaging, but more public and you can

“tag” (link to) people or institutions, which allows for more interactive communication• 140 character limit

• Easy sign-up• Make announcements about events or new acquisitions• Post links to news, blogs, Facebook, or new digitization

efforts• Follow a few other people or institutions to keep up with

what is new in the industry

• Some Lingo:• @[username]: replies to other tweeters• #[keywords]: helps to categorize your tweets• bit.ly: shortened (tiny) URL can be a blog, image, webpage

TWITTER EXAMPLE:JEWISH WOMEN’S ARCHIVE

https://twitter.com/#!/jwaonline

Blurb can include mission

or overview

TWITTER EXAMPLE:CALVIN MCCLUNG HISTORICAL COLLECTION

https://twitter.com/#!/similar_to/McClungHistColl

Notice the personaliz

ed backgroun

d

BLOGGING? YOU MEAN I HAVE TO KEEP A JOURNAL TOO??

Implementation Options

• special events• new collections• processing highlights• varia• how-to’s• news• ???

Blog Software

BLOGGING? YOU MEAN I HAVE TO KEEP A JOURNAL TOO??

• How to Use It:• Define goals• Post often to keep audience interest• Include images when possible• Prominently display subscription options (RSS feed

and/or email)• Encourage commenting & be responsive when

comments are made• Tag posts• Title posts thoughtfully for SEO• Promote the blog• Be patient!

Implementation:Processing Blog

Implementation:Varia with strong interactive component

Implementation:Audiovisual components

Implementation:Blog as website

FLICKR

• Why Flickr?• Crowdsourcing materials (especially photos)• Inexpensive way to display digital exhibits or collections• Sharing event/other photos• Enormous potential audience

LOC FLICKR REPORT

“The Flickr project increases awareness of the Library and its collections; sparks creative interaction with collections; provides LC staff with experience with social tagging and Web 2.0 community input; and provides leadership to cultural heritage and government communities.”

FLICKR

• How To Use It:• Define goals• Select content• Upload content & create metadata• Tag images• Interact with users• Can begin with free account, then upgrade

when necessary.

LOC ON FLICKR

NC STATE ON FLICKR

FLICKR COMMONS

YOUTUBE & VIDEO SHARING

How To Use It:• Define goals• Record video• Upload content & create

metadata• Tag video• Interact in the comments

section

What To Film:• Tutorials• Webinars• Advocacy• Basic information• Tours

LOC ON YOUTUBE

Personalized banner includes

navigation

http://www.youtube.com/user/LibraryOfCongress

UTC SPECIAL COLLECTIONS ON YOUTUBE

http://www.youtube.com/user/utclib/

DIGITIZING FOR YOUR USERS

DIGITIZATION

• Why?• Your users want it!• Promote access• Demonstrate

holdings• For remote users• Preservation

• What?• Just about anything• Determined by plan

• How?• Create a plan. See

Handbook for Digital Projects

www.nedcc.org/resources/digitalhandbook/dman.pdf

CSCC DIGITAL COLLECTIONS

• Materials contributed from several sources.

• Also serves as a service learning project for CSCC students

TSLA’S TENNESSEE VIRTUAL ARCHIVE

VOLUNTEER VOICES

Statewide digitization program

Goals:• Improve access to digital

collections• Facilitate use• Offer training

opportunities for staff to learn digitization standards/best practices

Digital Collections from:

• KCPL-McClung• MTSU• NPL• TN Encyclopedia

of History & Culture

• TeVA• Volunteer Voices

CREATING SHAREABLE FINDING AIDS

CREATE SHAREABLE FINDING AIDS

WAYS TO SHARE FINDING AIDS

1. Put them online (users are expecting this more than ever)

2. Place the URL in the catalog record3. Link to FA’s through website collection

overviews4. Create a Google Search for FA’s (or have IT build

you a search)5. Place FA’s in a national database (e.g.

ArchiveGrid)

EXAMPLE: BAKER CENTER MPA

http://bakercenter.utk.edu/modern-political-archive/archival-collections/

Can view in sections or as one document

EXAMPLEUTC SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

CREATING PHYSICAL EXHIBITS

WHY PHYSICAL EXHIBITS

1. Educational and aesthetic purposes2. Showcase types of materials found in the

archive3. Highlight new collections or hidden gems4. Draw attention or interest to the special

collections or archives department5. In collaboration with other departmental

events6. To celebrate holidays7. Pique interest to bring in new users

HOW TO DISPLAY EXHIBITS

1. Decide on a theme.• Such as a local event or an upcoming holiday.

2. Display options:• Covered display cases• Hang framed objects• Digital displays or screens • Offer interactive components if possible.

• Even a simple guestbook for comments is a great way to engage the user.

3. Try to include a small note or card summarizing what the materials are and how they relate to the theme.

• Display cases and digital displays may not be within the budget so get creative in deciding how you would like to show off items from you collection. • Creating posters using images of items from the collection or digitizing

the images to display on your website could work.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN PHYSICAL EXHIBITS

• Pamphlets, flyers, posters• Demonstrates types of ephemera held

• Medallions, pens, awards• Shiny objects usually catch the eye of passerbys

• Art• Cartoons, doodles, art gifts to the creators of the collections

• Handwritten letters or postcards• Am I the only one that loves this kind of stuff?

• Anything that seems unusual or unique, but still falls in line with the theme• Consider this a way to demonstrate the types of materials found

within archives of which the general public may not be aware

• Removing items from the collection can be tricky. Be sure you have a good tracking and replacement plan.

EXAMPLE: POLITICAL CARTOONSMODERN POLITICAL ARCHIVE AT THE BAKER CENTER

EXAMPLE: COLLABORATION MPA AND BAKER CENTER

CHALLENGES

• Maintaining context• Online efforts will not reach everyone.• Blurring of lines between personal & professional

in Web 2.0 endeavors• Maintaining quality and trust.• Avoiding the bandwagon.• Measuring success

WRAPPING IT UP

• Don’t like these tools? Get creative.• Google+• Pinterest• Blurbs in department newsletters on new finds

• Things to Remember:• Have a goal• Make a plan• Tutorials are helpful

• Have fun with it!