Historical Records Repositories Online: Presence and Quality of One Hundred Web Sites.

by Glenn, Emily J.

This paper examines the presence and quality of web sites of one hundred randomly selected local history repositories in the United States. Emphasizing elements of remote reference services, this survey reveals that of the seventy-three repositories with an Internet presence, only thirty sites did present substantial content pertinent to an archival space. Institutional constraints like funding, staff resources, and training, may put local historical societies at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts in established resource-rich institutions. Staffing profiles of all repositories were examined to determine if repositories with few staff could demonstrate repository staff knowledge of user behavior, familiarity with other archival resources, command of digital projects, application of professional resources, and technical skills necessary to provide a high-quality Internet presence.