Abstract
Digital archival collections are invaluable resources for many different types of users. These collections, and the digital objects within them, allow users to remotely access primary and secondary sources that are often too difficult to view in person due to time and cost. These resources, however, are not without their limitations. One of the most significant challenges that users face in using these collections is understanding the original context of the object. Ideally, the metadata that accompanies most digital surrogates should serve as a bridge between the digital object and its physical counterpart. The project discussed in this paper examines this relationship. Drawing on interviews with twenty-one academic historians from Research 1 institutions in the United States, the author found that these users rely on a set of metadata to help them comprehend the original context of the digital object. Other metadata associated with the digital surrogate may facilitate communication with the archives that holds the physical object or lead the researcher down additional paths of investigation. The author concludes the article with recommendations for how archivists can improve the metadata associated with digital surrogates.
Recommended Citation
Force, Donald
(2024)
"“What the Heck Am I Looking At?”: A User-Based Examination of the Metadata Associated with Digital Archival Objects,"
Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies: Vol. 11, Article 8.
Available at:
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/jcas/vol11/iss1/8