A virtual reading room: researcher access to digital documents

Abstract

The National Archives collection comprises some 300 kilometres of records. The issue that challenges the Archives is how to promote wider accessibility and use of this vast and wonderful archival resource. The challenge is complicated by many factors including: the sheer size of the collection the value and unique nature and in some cases the fragility of the records a widely distributed population which precludes direct access to the collection Over the past year the National Archives has undertaken a project to examine ways of using digital technology to make the most appropriate parts of the collection available to distance researchers. We therefore sought to replicate the reading room experience through the Archives' website by seeking methods to digitise and publish to the web, images of paper material. The methods used and the supporting programs developed for the Archives' digitising program are unique and predicated on a need to make large volumes of records accessible quickly and cheaply. This is not a preservation method and therefore the images can be captured at a relatively low screen resolution that can be read easily and result in legible printouts. Since January 2001 digitised records have been progressively attached to the Archives' database RecordSearch. The Reference Service traditionally provided by the Archives to researchers is developing into an on-line service as researchers increasingly submit their requests electronically. In this environment the response is provided as a digital image, attached to a RecordSearch entry on the National Archives' website (www.naa.gov.au). The Archives is moving inevitably towards the virtual reading room.