Access To Archives Research Articles

Looking for the direction of thought and practice in Polish archival studies: futurology or forecasting?

ABSTRACT Futurology raises many questions and divides opinion. In this article, I attempt to answer two questions in relation to futurology and Polish archival science: what were the subjects of futurology’s predictions and did it make sense to go beyond the horizon of the present? So far scientists have not given an unequivocal answer as to whether futurology has any real legitimacy, which does not change the fact that we predict and we will predict, sometimes providing our proceedings through research and sometimes not. My intention was to look at the predictions made in relation to archives over the century. Subjects that have been particularly susceptible to the construction of visions of the future have been analyzed and these are: the archival workforce; the accessibility of archives; the archival information system (informativeness); computerization; informatization; and the functions of archives. The argument is based on a chronological discussion of each of these themes, which made it possible to observe when each given theme was particularly popular and whether perceptions of them were changing among successive generations of archivists. Finally, I have attempted to answer the question: have Polish archivists’ predictions come true?

Research Among People Living With Dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment in Physiotherapy Journals: A Scoping Review.

Global estimates forecast an increase in the number of people living with dementia (PLWD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Physiotherapists play an important role in the delivery of care to PLWD or MCI; however, physiotherapists report less confidence when working with PLWD or MCI, citing limited educational opportunities. Our scoping review sought to quantify and assess the type of research published in physiotherapy journals related to these groups of people. Fifteen journals were selected based on global physiotherapy representation, indexing, and online accessibility of archives. Extraction of all articles published within a decade (2011-2021) for the selected journals was completed. Inclusion criteria: (1) research reports, reviews, case studies, or expert opinion pieces related to PLWD or MCI and (2) published in English. Each article was categorized by type of article, clinical setting, type of dementia, physiotherapy focus, and Sackett's system of hierarchy of evidence. An analysis of trends over time and a bibliometric assessment of research impact were performed. Of 11091 articles identified, 67 were included. The most common country of origin was the United States (38.8%). Articles were mainly research reports (70.1%), from a community-dwelling setting (50.8%), with a combined physiotherapy focus (28.4%), and a level IV (37.3%) of hierarchy of evidence. Close to half of studies did not identify the underlying dementia type (43.3%, n =29), followed by people living with Alzheimer's dementia (28.4%, n =19), combined groups of PLWD or MCI (20.9%, n =14), and individuals with only MCI (7.5%, n =5). Six articles on average related to PLWD or MCI were published annually (32.7 citation per article), and no growing trend was observed. Few articles published in prominent physiotherapy journals over the last decade were related to PLWD or MCI. Publication trends remained unchanged, and publication origins were from the Americas which impacts generalizability. Physiotherapists should attain complementary information on care for PLWD or MCI through more general rehabilitation journals. Physiotherapy journals should seek to promote research related to PLWD or MCI through different avenues (eg, special issues) as increased information is needed for clinicians to feel confident in providing informed care.

International Conference on Screw Machines 2024

Dear members of the screw machine community, It is a pleasure to look back on the International Conference on Screw Machines 2024, which turned out to be a huge success. Held at TU Dortmund University, this year’s event was particularly special as we celebrated forty years since the conference was founded by the late Professor Knut Kauder. His pioneering work at the Chair of Fluidics laid the foundation for what has become a key forum for advancing screw machine technology. My team and I were excited to introduce several new elements to enhance the conference experience, including the shortened two-year cycle, which allowed us to spotlight the latest developments in the field. The option to present technical work without submitting a full paper opened the door for more people to share their insights. The continuation of the ICSM Science Update sparked lively conversations around ongoing projects and fresh ideas. Our lab tour and evening social event further added to the friendly, welcoming atmosphere, offering everyone a chance to connect in a more informal setting. A key highlight of the conference, as always, is the collection of research papers presented here in the proceedings. These papers reflect the outstanding work being done across our field, from fundamental research to real-world applications. The diversity of topics covered showcases the continued evolution of screw machine technology and demonstrates the importance of collaboration within our community. Additionally, all papers from past conferences are available as open access via the conference homepage (www.icsm.tu-dortmund.de), providing an accessible archive of knowledge on all types of screw machines. List of Conference committee are available in this pdf.

Digitalization of Design and Machining Processes of Wood Carving Products Using CAD/CAM/CNC Technologies for Preservation of Minangkabau Culture

The preservation and development of Minangkabau wood carvings are facing significant challenges due to a decline in skilled carvers and the deterioration of existing artworks caused by natural factors and aging. If these trends continue, the unique motifs of Minangkabau carving risk becoming extinct. A digital preservation initiative is essential to document and store these motifs for future generations. This study proposes the application of CAD/CAM/CNC technologies to facilitate this preservation effort. By digitizing original carvings into 2D and 3D formats, this research aims to create accessible digital archives of Minangkabau motifs. Given the vast array of available designs and motifs, this research will focus on four selected motifs based on their complexity and philosophical significance. These motifs will be produced using traditional manual carving and modern CNC methods, specifically the V-Carving technique. The processing time required for each method will be documented throughout the manufacturing process to evaluate their respective advantages and drawbacks. The research findings show that although the CNC method can significantly improve efficiency, requiring an average processing time three times faster than the manual method, it may not fully replicate the skill and precision of traditional carving, especially in achieving intricate relief details and unique motif shapes. This approach seeks to preserve cultural heritage while enhancing the understanding of integrating traditional artistry with contemporary technology.

Developing smart archives in society 5.0: Leveraging artificial intelligence for managing audiovisual archives in Africa

In the age of Society 5.0, marked by the profound integration of digital technologies and human society, the preservation and management of audiovisual archives in Africa face substantial challenges. The application of artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role in the establishment of digital archives in the society 5.0. The exponential growth of digital content, combined with the continent's diverse cultural landscape, presents complex obstacles to conventional archival practices. Without the effective implementation of artificial intelligence technologies, crucial aspects such as curation, accessibility and sustainable management of audiovisual archives in Africa remain hindered. Thus, the overarching problem under scrutiny pertains to how the establishment of intelligent archives, facilitated by AI, can offer innovative solutions for preserving and managing audiovisual archives in Africa, within the overarching framework of Society 5.0. This approach has the potential to significantly contribute to safeguarding Africa's rich cultural heritage and advancing research, education and cultural exchange. The purpose of this paper will be to focus on the challenges encountered by selected African countries, such as the ESARBICA countries and those that undertake environmental conservation projects, in managing their audiovisual collections and what can be done to facilitate AI. It resulted in the formulation of a framework for implementing smart archives using AI in African contexts, emphasizing practical strategies and best practices. A qualitative approach enabled a nuanced understanding of complex dynamics at play. Through the observation of AI integration processes, by means of desktop analyses of websites of African national archives and online interest groups showcasing nature conservation projects and initiatives, this article aims to capture a comprehensive picture of the current landscape and future possibilities.

The establishment and potential spread of Osmia cornuta (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in North America.

Mason bees, subgenus Osmia Panzer (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), are economically and ecologically significant pollinators. In eastern North America, the rapid spread of 2 non-native species from Asia, Osmia cornifrons Radoszkowski and Osmia taurus Smith, has coincided with declines in native Osmia populations, raising concern about the effects of further exotic arrivals. Here we investigate the recent establishment in British Columbia, Canada of the European orchard bee, Osmia cornuta Latreille, previously thought to be limited to Europe and its periphery. We document O. cornuta records ranging more than 170 km, including sightings of live adults and the discovery of a multigenerational nest with hundreds of cocoons. We tested whether these cocoons could be discriminated from other Osmia species by training a machine learning classifier on features extracted from images. The best performing model could not reliably discriminate cocoons by species, raising the possibility O. cornuta could be inadvertently intermingled in future commercial shipments. Recent occurrence records of O. cornifrons and O. taurus were spatially isolated, suggesting ongoing anthropogenic dispersal of these species. We predicted the suitability of North American habitats for O. cornuta by estimating its native climate niche. This analysis indicated broad regions of the Pacific Northwest and eastern North America contain potentially suitable habitat. Our findings document the establishment of O. cornuta in North America and the potential for its expansion. Our study demonstrates the utility of accessible biodiversity data archives and public observation programs in tracking non-native species spread and highlights the need for future monitoring of exotic Osmia.

From Arab-Israeli Conflict to Arab-Israeli Integration: A New Curriculum for Understanding the Contemporary Middle East

ABSTRACT This proposition paper introduces a novel curriculum designed to explore the trends of normalization and integration transforming the Middle East. The curriculum includes a comprehensive textbook and an accessible digital archive for scholars, students, and individuals seeking to deepen their understanding of this subject. The study investigates how academic politicization, biased content, and limited accessibility have contributed to a significant gap in comprehending Israel’s integration in the Middle East, particularly within US Middle East Studies. Our methodology involves a comparative analysis of the academic approaches of the Edward Said and Bernard Lewis “camps,” representing contrasting perspectives within US academia. Additionally, we assess the divergence between academic and state-led approaches to Middle Eastern integration in the United States. By identifying and analyzing six critical factors – impact on the field of Middle East Studies, impact on academic freedom, impact on religious tolerance, impact on regional stability, fresh research on the US Peace to Prosperity Plan and Arab Peace Initiative, and Israeli-Palestinian peace – this research underscores the necessity for the proposed curriculum and its resources. This curriculum aims to bridge the existing knowledge gap and provide a more balanced and comprehensive understanding of Middle Eastern dynamics.

Advancing digital archival practices in Oman: challenges, opportunities, and prospects for the future

ABSTRACT Digital preservation is widely recognized as a critical necessity for organizations worldwide. Archival professionals consider it a pressing issue, recognizing its central role in contemporary information management practices. This study aims to illuminate the challenges and opportunities in this field, specifically focusing on the accessibility and preservation of institutional archives in the Sultanate of Oman. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, it includes an extensive review of relevant literature and semi-structured interviews with administrative personnel from various public organizations in Oman. A purposive sampling strategy was employed to select 10 individuals, each possessing the required expertise and experience in this field, from different government agencies to participate in these interviews. The findings indicate that professionals in Omani institutions highly value digital preservation, citing reasons such as enhanced document accessibility, improved organizational efficiency and security, and compliance with national archival regulations. Despite this, the methods used for digital preservation vary across institutions. The study identifies several obstacles, including threats to digital security, the complexity of managing vast amounts of data, the rapid outdatedness of technology, and challenges related to human resource management.

Has VAT Become Complex because of Its Methods of Interpretation?

The guiding framework and the methods of interpretation of the VAT provisions at national and European levels are different depending on who is applying them and on the type of rule. The ECJ should apply a strict methodology when interpreting EU VAT rules based on their wording, context, purpose and origin, with the objective to not encroach upon the prerogatives of the legislator and to guarantee the coherence of the legal system. In this article the author argues that a fading memory of the European Treaties’ objectives and a limited use of accessible online historical archives contribute to the complexity of the understanding and application of the EU VAT system.

An archive‐based method for efficiently handling small file problems in HDFS

SummaryHadoop distributed file system (HDFS) performs well when storing and managing large files. However, its performance significantly decreases when dealing with massive small files. In response to this problem, a novel archive‐based solution is proposed. The archive refers to merging multiple small files into larger data files, which can effectively reduce the memory usage of the NameNode. The current archive‐based solutions have the disadvantages of long access time, long archive construction time, and no support for storage, updating and deleting small files in the archive system. Our method utilizes a dynamic hash function to distribute the metadata of small files across multiple metadata files. We construct a primary index that combines dynamic and static indexes for these metadata files. Regarding data files, include some read‐only files and one readable–writable file. A small file's contents are written into a readable and writable file. Upon reaching a predetermined threshold, the readable–writable file transitions into read‐only status, with a fresh readable–writable file replacing it. Experimental results show that the scheme improves the efficiency of archive access and archive creation and is more efficient than the original HDFS storage and update efficiency.

Controlled Rummage Approaches for Bummock: Tennyson Research Centre

'Bummock: Tennyson Research Centre' is an artistic research project involving three artistic researchers: Andrew Bracey, Danica Maier and Sarah Bennett. A bummock is the unseen — submerged — part of an iceberg, and comprises the largest volume of ice, compared with the tip — which is visible above the surface of the water. Likewise, archives hold more items than are commonly viewed or accessed. In Bummock, we choose to bypass the catalogue to engage with materials directly, establishing a 'controlled rummage' method as an alternative approach to standard archive access practice. This iteration of the Bummock project explores, examines, and creates new artistic research from five years of working with the Tennyson Research Centre (TRC), Lincoln, UK. This exposition has been collaboratively authored by the three artistic researchers and is structured into two sections. The first, labelled the 'controlled section', serves to introduce the project and its core concerns. The second, referred to as the 'rummage section', provides visitors with the opportunity to navigate their own path through the archival objects from the TRC and the artworks created. Within this section, individual reflections and critical discussions on three themes are presented: our past experiences working with archives, the research journey of the project, and potential future directions stemming from our research. The exposition concludes with a collective summary of findings and a film documenting the project. The contribution of this exposition is twofold: first, to unveil and disseminate the artistic research associated with the project, and second, to identify the key benefits that artists can bring to the archive by employing the 'controlled rummage' approach. The intention is to establish a framework that facilitates future use by other archive users. <style> /* rules to make button only show up in META */ .download-accessible { display:none; } .meta-right-col .download-accessible { display: inline-block; padding: 9px; margin-bottom:25px; border: 1px solid black; background-color:white; } </style> <a class="download-accessible" href="/profile/download-media?work=2936353&file=2936358" title="This accessible PDF is a derivative of the original which it is meant to support and not replace.">Download Accessible PDF</a>

Redefining Archival Reference: Relationship-based Reference

ABSTRACT This article argues that archival access systems require a new archival ecosystem (physical infrastructure, access tools, e.g., catalogs, findings aids, indexes, rules policies procedures, and institutional supports) and a broader conceptual framing. Based on the findings from sixteen interviews with archivists, this article proposes a multifaceted, relationship-based access framework. The framework focuses on supporting users studying difficult histories or members of oppressed communities in a physical archives but also highlights elements that all users might appreciate.

Cultural Communication Models and Strategies of Red Archives in Colleges and Universities under the Perspective of Digital Empowerment

This study explores the significant impact of digital technology on the dissemination and accessibility of red archives within colleges and universities, highlighting it as a crucial evolution in these institutions' cultural endeavours. By applying Maletzke's communication model, the research thoroughly investigates the factors influencing red archive culture communication in the digital context within colleges and universities. It develops a specific communication model for these educational institutions. It outlines five strategic approaches to enhance digital empowerment: improving the quality of content, building and enhancing collaborative team structures, upgrading functional features for personalized service offerings, effectively identifying and engaging the target audience, and utilizing policy, culture, and technology as fundamental elements for the sustainable development of red archive resources. This strategic proposal aims to facilitate the effective promotion and use of red archive resources in colleges and universities amidst the ongoing digital transformation.

Platforms for Integration of Open Access Resources of Research and Educational Institutions

In order to study the involvement of Russian academic and educational institutions in joint projects to create open access (OA) archives, we have researched the websites of 106 Russian HEIs participating in the program “Priority 2030” and 453 research institutes (RIs) of the first three categories. As a result of the work carried out, it has been found out that 38% of educational institutions’ websites contain institutional repositories (IRs), but half of them are remotely inaccessible. 20% of repositories of educational organizations participate in joint projects to ensure OA. Only 6% of the research organizations’ websites contain IRs that are presented mainly as part of an electronic library (EL), but not as independent repositories. In addition, 10.5% of the total number of RIs do not maintain their own repositories or ELs, but provide information about research results of their employees, the most important academic achievements of researchers as well as give access to digitized texts of the most significant works published within the framework of joint projects. At the same time, information about participation in these projects is missing on the websites of academic institutions. The examination of the websites of Russian educational and research institutions has shown that their participation in projects to develop cooperative OA archives is not uniform: while some institutions are indifferent, others take an active part in several projects at once and provide information about themselves in foreign aggregators. As a result of the research, we have found 7 projects aimed at integrating OA information resources on a single platform. These resources are implemented mainly in ELs. They are different in number of participants, quantity and chronological depth of the content offered. The identified projects can be conditionally divided into multidisciplinary and thematic, national and regional. It has been found out that some ELs provide open access to all content only for project participants, i.e. remote users have the opportunity to familiarize themselves only with public pages or only a small part of the content is available to them.

Perancangan Sistem Informasi Pengumuman dan Broadcasting (NotifyCasting)

Managing announcements and communication within a company often faces challenges in ensuring the effective and timely dissemination of information. This study aims to design and develop a web-based Announcement and Broadcasting Information System (NotifyCasting) to improve efficiency in information distribution within the company environment. The method used is the waterfall software development model, which includes the stages of requirement analysis, design, implementation, testing, and system maintenance. The results of the study show that the system successfully meets the functional and non-functional needs of the company by providing features such as real-time messaging and announcement delivery, audience filtering, and an accessible announcement archive. Testing with black box and white box methods indicates that the system functions according to the specified requirements, and the user interface is intuitive and easy to use. In conclusion, the NotifyCasting system can significantly enhance communication effectiveness within the company and can be adapted by other organizations for similar purposes.

Debunking the Myth of Obsolescence: Strategies for Digital Heritage Conservation

This essay extensively explores the multifaceted challenges and complexities associated with preserving digital cultural heritage, using the BBC Domesday Project as a case study. It underscores the critical importance of meticulous planning, future-proofing, and proactive strategies in digital archival endeavors. Emphasizing the significance of adopting open standards and establishing clear data ownership provisions, the essay aims to mitigate risks of obsolescence and safeguard digital cultural heritage for future generations. Furthermore, it addresses the concept of obsolescence in digital preservation and proposes strategic recommendations to prevent potential catastrophic issues, ensuring sustained access and relevance over time. In addition, the document delves into the criteria for selecting materials for digitization, highlighting the importance of metadata infrastructure in digital archiving. It discusses the challenges associated with constructing digital cultural repositories and emphasizes the necessity of balancing various priorities, including cultural significance, rarity, fragility, research potential, accessibility, user-friendliness, and institutional objectives during the selection process. Moreover, the essay underscores the pivotal role of metadata in ensuring the longevity and accessibility of digital resources and archives. Overall, this essay serves as a comprehensive guide for cultural heritage institutions, offering valuable insights and recommendations for the preservation and interpretation of digital heritage objects.

Beyond access: (re)designing archival guides for changing landscapes

In 2013, the authors of this article and their colleague Gavan McCarthy published Stories in Stone: an annotated history and guide to the collections of Ernest Westlake (1855–1922). The guide provided contextual information and digital access to the entire paper archives relating to the three large stone collections formed by Westlake during his lifetime: French and English geological specimens housed in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History from 1924, and a collection of Tasmanian Aboriginal stone tools stored in the Pitt Rivers Museum since 1923. The Tasmanian collections, formed by Westlake from 1908 to 1910, are highly significant to the Palawa (or Pakana or Tasmanian Aboriginal) community because they include objects made by ancestors, and words spoken by ancestors to Westlake and recorded in his field notebooks. Stories in Stone was created to improve access to Westlake’s Tasmanian collections for the Palawa community with whom author Rebe Taylor had worked closely since 1999. Nonetheless, the structural and technical design of Stories in Stone was not Palawa-led. It was driven by Australian and international archiving standards; by stipulations set out by the collecting institutions; and by the stories of collecting and subsequent scholarship on the collections. In 2023, Stories in Stone is offline, and the authors are planning a relaunch. This time they aim to reach beyond their original aim of providing archival access to the Palawa community, and work with Palawa community to co-design how that access is delivered. This consultative work will be done at the University of Tasmania, where Palawa advisors and other Indigenous scholars have been integral to developing international Indigenous data sovereignty principals. This article precedes those formal discussions and thus offers a timely reflection on the original aims and design of Stories in Stone as well as an extensive analysis of broader changes in the management and dissemination of First Nations collections and culture. Such changes include: international human rights frameworks; movements supporting data and archival sovereignty; co-designed archival technologies; and increased focus on archives as process not merely product. These developments will lay the foundations for the next version of Stories in Stone, which aims to go beyond access, scholarship, and standards by helping to facilitate First Nations’ aspirations for dignity, sovereignty, and self-determination.

"The inalienable right to know"

In the wake of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the government of Canada compelled Library and Archives Canada to better facilitate Indigenous archival access. Yet, Indigenous peoples continue to face a variety of barriers to archival access and document retrieval. This paper argues that there are still many problems of Indigenous access to the archive and that the best remedy to these problems is to fundamentally change long-standing colonial ideas of record keeping. For true access and collaboration to begin, archivists must be enabled to act beyond traditional archival structures and policies. The paper begins by outlining the archival responses to the TRC’s report, addressing Indigenous rights to knowledge and continuing barriers to archival access, and offering suggestions to mitigate issues of access. In addition, this paper advocates that Indigenous considerations be reworked in existing archives and that Indigenous community archives be better supported.

Trials and Tribulations of Accessing Corporate Archives in Japan

A lack of accessible corporate archival material has long been a challenge for researchers of Japanese business history. This note digs deeper into the key issues associated with accessing company archives in Japan and proposes several research strategies. It does so by documenting and analysing attempts to access company archives as part of my own research into the absorption of foreign knowledge and technology in the Japanese rubber industry between 1900 and 1965. The assumption is that the lessons from this research project are applicable to corporate archive access issues in Japan more broadly.

DIY academic archiving: mischievous disruptions of a new counter-movement

Against increasing injunctions in research governance to create open data, and knee-jerk rejections from qualitative researchers in response to such efforts, we explore a radical counter movement of academics engaged in what we term “DIY Academic Archiving,” the creation of open and accessible archives of their research materials. We turn to interviews with three DIY academic archivists, each drawing on an ethos of community archiving, as opposed to emerging open data schemes: Melissa Munn on The Gaucher/Munn Penal Press Collection,1 Eric Gonzaba’s Wearing Gay History,2 and Michael Goodman’s Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive.3 We see these archives as engaged in a “politics of refusal,” which challenges both conventional methods and ethics in qualitative research as well as new moves toward open data. On the one hand, academics are tasked to “protect” their data by destroying it, under the guise of a supposed mode of “care.” On the other hand, open data makes quite contrary demands, to care for data by making it “open” for further extraction through (re)use. DIY Academic Archiving is a practice of refusal that supports a redirection away from this binary. In this article, we explore how DIY academic archivists play with coding as a form of mischievous disruption, and so are contributing to new data imaginaries. We offer insight into how DIY Academic Archiving supports researchers in their theoretical, methodological and political commitments, and at the same time, how it can enable researchers to take the care-full risk of archiving our research data.