Embracing Web 2.0: Archives and the Newest Generation of Web Applications

Mary Samouelian
2009 The American Archivist  
Recently archival professionals have undertaken projects to convert their physical collections to digital format and display the surrogates of these primary sources on their websites. Simultaneously, the Web is moving toward a shared environment that embraces collective intelligence and participation, which is often called Web 2.0. This paper investigates the extent to which Web 2.0 features have been integrated into archival digitization projects Although the use of Web 2.0 features is not
more » ... ly discussed in the professional archival literature, this exploratory study of college and university repository web sites in the United States suggest that many archival professionals are embracing Web 2.0 to promote their digital content and redefine relationships with their patrons. Of 213 archival repositories examined, 85 hosted a digital collection, and of those, 38 employed at least one of the five types of Web 2.0 applications under consideration. The data suggests that the type of Web 2.0 application being employed is related to the type of content management system a repository is using to manage and display the digital collection. Based on eight interviews with staff responsible for the sites, motivation for implementation varied among respondents, but promoting and sharing content with current and future users stand out as the most common reasons.
doi:10.17723/aarc.72.1.k73112x7n0773111 fatcat:qnhlcetbmjehxb6vva4s7fsa5i