Archiving Websites: Exploring the Usability of Record Scheduling

by Whisler, Ellen S

This study describes a content analysis of four departmental and administrative websites at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The analysis was conducted to determine the feasibility of describing website contents with the categories itemized on the record schedule for the relevant department. The majority of the material on three of the websites did not correspond to records listed on the relevant record schedules, though the fourth had material that corresponded better. While this study provides insight into the structure and content of the websites, it also provides significant evidence of the inapplicability of the record scheduling system as it currently exists for identifying record content on UNC’s websites for long-term preservation.