Week VI & VII:

Access Tools & Reference

March 2, 2011
Access, Reference & Outreach
(Hunter, Chapter 9)
 Archival Records EXIST to be USED…
 Access is defined as the “right, opportunity, or
means of finding, using or approaching
documents and/or information”
 Access is the authority to obtain information
from or perform research using archival
materials
 Granting Access is NOT the same as
granting permission to duplicate
materials…
Access Traditions
 Historical Manuscript Tradition
◦ Library of Congress
◦ The donor or designee approves each application
for access
◦ The donor imposes an absolute restriction on
access (usually for a fixed period of time)
◦ Ultimate Preservation is viewed as MORE
IMPORTANT than quick access…
 Public Archives Tradition
◦ National Archives
◦ Records belong to the people and should have
access to them…
Public Archives Tradition
 Restrictions – “Necessary Evil”
◦ General restriction categories are established
◦ Archivists conduct a page-by-page review of
the records against these categories
(restricting records that fit each category)
◦ Time consuming but allows fast access to
most of the collection
Administering Access
 Equal Access
 Full Access
 Competing Rights
◦ Right to Know (want all information available)
◦ Right to Privacy (live free of unwanted publicity
or intrusion)
 Restrictions
◦ Completely Closed or Sealed
◦ Partially Closed or Restricted Due to Contents
◦ Restricted for Preservation or Security Reasons
Discussion Questions???
 When discussing “Equal Access,” Hunter puts forth
the following example: “An astrologer, considering
sending his son to North Fork, visited the archives to
examine the founding documents of the university. He
wanted to know if the stars were favorable for his
son‟s academic career at NFU” (211). He asks, “Is this
the kind of researcher that the university wishes to
encourage? If the records are open, should they be
open to everyone willing to abide by the rules and
regulations? Is it the archivist‟s responsibility to
determine the worthiness of a research request?”
 What advantages/disadvantages would an archival
facility have for accepting a “completely closed”
collection? For how long, on average, do these types
of collections remain “completely closed”?
Reference
 Providing Information
◦ Info about their holdings (part of the archivists
mission)
◦ Info from their holdings (mail, telephone, email
requests)
 Assisting with Research Visits
◦ Entrance Interview
◦ Reference Room Activities
◦ Exit Interview
Discussion Questions???
 On pages 216-217, Hunter says, "Contrary to popular
opinion, (the researcher of interpretation) no longer
is the major user of archives. Researchers of fact
now predominate (archival use) . . . They are looking
for specific information and they want to find it as
soon as possible." In light of this statement, what is
your opinion of Greene & Meissner's proposition for
changes to processing? Do you think that level of
processing would be efficient to helping a researcher
who is looking for a specific piece of information?
Why or why not?
 Is the increase in “fact” researchers due to the trend
of archives to work towards greater availability of
collections for researchers? Or is the increase in
“fact” researchers due to the Wikipedia society of
today?
Entrance Interview
 Confirm the identity of the researcher
 Determine the researcher‟s needs
 Discuss the exchange of researchers
information
 Explain the institution‟s rules and
regulations
 Explain the use of finding aids
 Explain fees
Reference Room Activities
 Researchers check all personal belongings
 Researchers sign a log book each day they
are in the reference room
 Researchers complete a call slip for each
collection or part of a collection
 Staff members retrieve requested material
 One staff member is always in the reference
room to watch researchers
 Researchers return the records to the
archives staff
 Researchers leave the reference room
Exit Interview
 Often not done or overlooked…
 Takes the form of a conversation…
 How valuable where the collections to you?
Did they contain what you thought they
would?
 How helpful were the finding aids?
 Did you encounter any problems?
 Was anything missing or out of order?
 How helpful were the staff members?
 Do you know of other repositories with
related collections?
Making Duplicates
 Question of Copyright???
 Is it for personal research?
 Published or unpublished?
 Paper or another format?
 Does the archivist make the copy?
 Does the researcher make the copy?
Outreach & Promotion
 Define your public?
 Typical Activities
◦ Exhibits
◦ Public Performances
◦ Newsletters
◦ Presenting at Meetings & Conferences
◦ Tours
◦ Newspaper Articles
◦ Radio or TV Appearances
◦ Website(s)
◦ In-House Receptions
Discuss Questions???
 In Hunter‟s discussion of outreach and
promotion, how easy is it to define one‟s publics?
How many different approaches and elements
should/could one use in implementation of
outreach programs? Can you have too many
options? Are certain outreach programs
better/more efficient than others?
 Hunter neglects to mention the use of the
Internet and the tools it offers in promoting
outreach. Blogs, websites, and social networking
sites like Facebook are all effective tools for
promoting archives. Is neglecting to mention
these effective tools of outreach a flaw in this
week‟s reading?
The Reference Process
(Pugh, Chapter 5)
 The “human dimension” of reference
service
 As more people gain access to online
finding aids, even more human guides will
be needed???
 Reference Service is a Value-added
Process???
 Partner, Facilitator, Guide
Initial Interview
 Intellectual Interchange between archivist
& user

Strategy
Search
Query Query
Abstraction Resolution

Continuing Interaction
Query Refinement
Nonverbal Signs & Symbols
 Making eye contact, nodding, smiling
 People approach someone standing more
readily than sitting
 Physical distance (18 inches cultural
norm)
 Dress, name tag (does this mean I have to
wear a suit???)
 Don‟t make assumptions
 Don‟t favor one researcher over another
Responding to Questions
 Who
 Why
 When
 How
 Where
 What Product
Remote Users
 Telephone
◦ British survey found that over half start
process on phone…
 Mail & Email
◦ Email tends to be more casual questions
◦ Three main elements in written responses:
 Opening paragraph welcoming the patron and
restating the question
 Second, the response states the info found and the
process (or why it could not be found)
 Closing paragraph that encourages follow-up &
contact information
Reference Services on the Web
 Contact Information
 Databases
 Compatible with Most Browsers
 Stability
 Accessibility
 Three Click Rule
 Can make your repository look very
professional or very amateurish…
Outreach
 Developing Personal Networks in the
Parent Organization
 Developing Networks Outside the Parent
Organization
 Public Programs
Providing Physical Access to
Archives (Pugh, Chapter 7)
 Reference Facilities (What is Important?)
 Security
 Preservation (What does this mean to
patrons? …okay to say “no”)
 Public Hours
 Directions
 Policy & Procedure Statements
 Registration & Identification
 Daily Logs
 Personal Belongings of Patrons
Managing Materials in Reading
Room
 Users - Request Forms (Call or Pull Slips)
 Staff – Request Slips/Separation Forms
 Collections may be off-site
 May set limits on how much a researcher
can have at any given time…
 Returning Materials – Staff initials and dates
usually
 Pencil, Paper, Rarely Pens
 Laptops and Digital Cameras becoming
common…
Discussion Questions???
 Pugh argues that a reference archivist must even remove the
dirt and dust off archival boxes before giving them to users
in order to protect the documents and the image of the
archives (pg. 186). How greatly does this differ from Greene
and Meissner‟s approach to preservation and access and
their thoughts on what the user cares more about? What
does the researcher care more about (dust or no dust)? If
one does not give boxes to the user in an attractive manner,
could it affect the image of the archives negatively?
 Mary Jo Pugh states that “reference encounters in libraries
are usually short and voluntary, each devoted to a single
question. In contrast, reference transactions in an archives
are more likely to be substantive, obligatory, and continuing.”
(121) Why is it that an archivist is expected to dedicate so
much time to helping researchers? Why do researchers not
put this kind of pressure on reference librarians?
You‟re a Guide Rather than an
Expert (Duff & Fox)
 Literature Review (Lack of Research)
◦ Archival Interview Process???
◦ Skills Needed to Provide Effective Reference
Service???
◦ Compared to Studies for Libraries
◦ Digital Age is Seen as an INCREASE in
Reference Services for Archivists
New Study
 Methodology
◦ Two Archives
◦ Archives A – Interviewed in Office Space
◦ Archives B – Interviewed in Room Provided
◦ Each Interview – 45 Minutes
◦ Background Questionnaire before Formal
Interview (Satisfied or Dissatisfied Experience)
◦ Sessions Recorded & Transcribed
◦ Software NVIVO used to identify Themes &
Concepts
Participants
 13 Interviewed in Two Countries
 Specialties (several mentioned more than one):
◦ 12 in Manuscripts
◦ 8 in Architectural Records
◦ 7 each in Film, Photographic Records, Cartographic
Materials & Sound
◦ 3 in Electronic Records
◦ One Generalist
 Years of Service (9 – 5 yrs or less, 1 – 30+, 3 – 5
to 10 yrs)
 Degrees (8 – Masters, 4 – Undergrad, 1 High
School)
 Sex (9 Female, 4 Male)
 Age ( 1-26, 1-46+, 11- Between 26 & 35)
Good Quotes
 Your role is as a guide rather than as an expert, if
anything it‟s a question of guiding people to a source
and telling them how to use it, telling them where to
find the answer to any questions they may have,
rather than necessarily answering their questions
(participant 12).
 What I try to do is, rather than bombard researchers
with all the information all at once . . . it sounds like
I‟m manipulating them, but it‟s not. I give them the
information they need to get to the next step. Once
they get to that step I tell them, „Okay come back and
we will figure out how to go from there‟
(participant 9).
Reference Interview
 What Time Period?
 What Geographic Area?
 Do you have a particular aspect you want to
look at?
 Do you have particular documents you
might want to look at?
 We can only control so much of what people tell
us. But sometimes you just have to get in a
certain question and they‟ll say „Well okay, I‟d
better tell her the whole thing‟. And it makes a
big difference…
Searching
 Common Sense
 Gut Feeling
 The Most Obvious Place
 Logically
 Quick & Easy
 Consult Another Archivist (Expert in that
Field)
Other Concerns
 Onsite Reference vs. Remote Reference
 Archivist‟s Training & Knowledge
◦ I got put on the public desk on my very first day, knowing
absolutely nothing about the XXX archives and what kind
of records we had and how to look them up . . .There‟s not
been any formal training like „Sit down, this is how you
would look this up. If somebody asks you this, this is where
you would direct them‟. I‟ve just had to sort of learn it
myself I guess (participant 6).
◦ A lot of the training that you have is on the job, it really is
just a case of being thrown into the deep-end and being
shown the office family history guide and being given
inquiries, and then you‟re thrown into the interview room
after two weeks there and it‟s sink or swim time
(participant 2).
More Good Quotes…
 Another type of knowledge that I‟m learning about is
what people actually want. What do people want to
know? Why do they want to find that out? Why would
anyone want to use this type of record? What sorts of
information does it provide? What sorts of history is it
useful for? (participant 4).
 You really need bits and pieces from all over the
place. I think you need to know about the collections
we have . . .You need to know how you would use
those records.You just have to try and think about
what kind of records are suitable for an inquiry and
then how you‟d use those (participant 10).
Barriers to Effective Reference
Service
 Missing, Outsourced or Restricted File
 Time Constraints (Both Onsite & Remote)
 Poor Finding Aids
◦ Sheer Volume/Falling Behind in Description
 Reference Archivists sometimes not allowed
create finding aids or research guides
 Lack of Respect from Colleagues (not real
archivists or non-professional)
 Problems with Requests over the Phone
Discussion Questions???
 Wendy Duff and Allyson Fox mention the importance
of maintaining a balance between providing
information and letting researchers work
independently. How should an archivist maintain such
a balance? Why is it important to do this? Should an
archivist provide more assistance to certain
researchers than others – for example – helping a
genealogist rather than a student who is working on a
research project?
 On page 149 of Duff & Fox's study, they say that
Archives A & B take very different approaches to
training reference archivists. Where in the hierarchy
does each repository place the position? Why do you
suppose this is? Do you agree with their
placement(s)?
More Discussion Questions???
 Duff and Fox state that remote users sometimes have higher
expectations but they go on to state that the benefit to remote
uses as opposed to face to face encounters do not have to be
immediate. They state that a 3-5 week turn-around is acceptable. I
know American like things a little too immediate but 3-5 weeks? Is
that really an acceptable time frame or is that really poor customer
service?
 Wendy Duff and Allyson Fox point out that archivists are receiving
little, if any, reference training as part of their education. Does this
mean that the education of these archivists is incomplete? And
does the lack of training in reference put further strain on the
limited resources, both financial and staff, of an archive, since as
Duff and Fox point out, “…the most prevalent form of training was
„on the job‟ experience.”
 Duff and Fox‟s study only analyzed large institutions. Do you think
that had a smaller institution such as a county archives been
interviewed that they would have answered anything differently?
Furthermore, considering many county archives only employ one
or two archivists, do you think that they would share the
perception that reference archivists are inferior to other archivists,
considering that the archivists at the county level often deal with
both reference and processing?
Thinking Inside & Outside the
Boxes (Yakel)
 Break Out of Current Mold as Curators
of Data:
◦ Context of Reference Services
◦ Context of Referees (or Users)
◦ Context of the Records or Primary Sources
◦ Context of Reference Personnel
Context of Reference Services
 Three Meanings of Archives
◦ Archives as a place or building
◦ Archives as materials or primary sources
◦ Archives as administrative unit or agency
 In digital (or post-custodial) world, this has
all been altered…
 What has happened???
◦ Centrality of Reference Room is eroding
◦ Timing of Reference Services has changed
◦ Archivists have too long been concerned about
archival information defined by location
Context of Referees
 Users are individuals who refer to our
holdings and are also our judges…
 Three roadblocks in understanding our
audience:
◦ Little Research on Users in Virtual Space
◦ Archival Information Needs have not been fully
Delineated
◦ Little is Known about what Types and how much
Information Users can or will accept (under
different conditions or circumstances)
 Who are our Users???
Context of Information Needs
 Archivists need to become more aware of
how and when records are used.
 Users can have more direct access to
unmediated information.
 The site of mediation shifts from the
interaction between the archivists and
user to interactions among the users
themselves.
 Differing Types of Use???
Context of Primary Sources
 No longer the one-to-one correspondence
between question and answer???
 More Information Available (more also
online)
 No Universal Source One Can Search (no,
Google does not count)
 Are Archives data, information or
knowledge???
 Are data, information and knowledge
interchangeable?
 Do digital records need reference archivists?
Discussion Questions???
 Yakel states that just scanning and putting an
image up on the Web loses this primary source‟s
evidential context (pg. 149). How can a reference
archivist or archive repository keep the evidential
context on a website? What online tools and
techniques should be utilized in order to keep the
meanings, relationships, and contexts of primary
sources? Are some tools and techniques more
effective than others?
 Yakel suggests that digitizing a record "changes
(its) shape and function dramatically." Why do
you think she is so concerned with the "digital
environment"? Does digitizing a document really
alter it in some way? How?