From memory to digital record. Personal heritage and archive use in the twenty‐first century
| Published date | 20 February 2009 |
| Date | 20 February 2009 |
| Pages | 8-15 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09565690910937209 |
| Author | Nick Barratt |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
OPINION PIECE
From memory to digital record
Personal heritage and archive use in the
twenty-first century
Nick Barratt
Sticks Research Agency, Surbiton, UK
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to add a personal commentary on the trends of the archiving
industry over the last four years; examine the impact of the internet on archives and archiving activity
amongst user groups; and look at applications that could be shaped to match these trends.
Design/methodology/approach – The information in this paper is based on the author’s own
experiences and from the author’s perspective as a media researcher, trained historian and former
archive employee.
Findings – The paper shows that the internet has introduced new challenges to historians and
archivists, whose roles are changing rapidly. This can be seen as daunting, intimidating and
something to be resisted, but in reality there is a unique opportunity for the historical and archival
community to break with its past, embrace the new user trends and find a new place at the heart of
cultural activity by supporting offsite and online initiatives. The role of the historian will evolve to
encompass an interpretation of contemporary and recent evidence, often user generated, as one moves
from paper record keeping and document creation to a digital and online world.
Originality/value – The paper provides a discussion on the changing roles of professional
historians and archivists in the twenty-first century, as the internet makes archived documentation
and personal heritage more widely available on the worldwide web.
Keywords Information management, Archives management, Genealogy,Internet, Online databases
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
Thanks largely to Who Do You Think You Are?[1], the profile of archives , museums
and libraries has never been higher, or the pursuit of family history more popular. The
series that explores the personal background and historical context of celebrities was
first broadcast in 2004, and at the time of writing is now into its fifth series with at least
one more commissioned. Viewing figures have continued to grow each year, now
peaking at over six million for key episodes – a truly astonishing number in the age of
multi-channel, view on demand and online broadcasting, showing that audiences have
a real appetite for thoughtful, relevant and intelligent history.
The interest has since spawned a thriving online commercial industry, with
companies such as Ancestry, Find My Past, Origins Network and Family Relatives
digitising datasets and charging their subscribers to view both indexed databases and
actual images of key collections – General Register Office (GRO) indexes to registered
births, marriages and deaths; census returns held at The National Archives, Kew;
passenger lists[2]. Archives are also putting their collections andindexes online, led by
The National Archives who charge offsite users for online access to images of specific
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0956-5698.htm
RMJ
19,1
8
Received 21 November 2008
Revised 27 November 2008
Records Management Journal
Vol. 19 No. 1, 2009
pp. 8-15
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/09565690910937209
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