Digital archives: management, use and access

This CILIP and Facet publication edited by Dr Milena Dobreva, Associate Professor from University College London in Qatar, is not a how-to manual for digital archives. Instead, it provides a depth of knowledge about the complex technical, social, economic, ethical and legal environments that drive the creation and management of digital archives. The impetus for the book is clearly articulated in the preface – to provide a dedicated space for a discussion about archives in relation to the impact digitization and datafication of digitized materials has on data being findable, accessible, interoperable and reuse.

The book is split into two parts with the first containing six chapters. These chapters deliver a rich story about the impact of technologies on archiving as a process, and how people access or expect to access archives. Authors explore the rise of digital humanities as a discipline, the politics, economics, legal and policy issues surrounding digital archives. While some of these chapters are very European-centric, this also highlights the need for archivists working in these areas to be aware of local and global influences on digital archiving work.

Part II contains three chapters of case studies related to research data management, differing world views on access restrictions, and a report on a research project about participatory efforts in oral history projects. These chapters while interesting, are not as robust or as rich as those in the first part. More case studies and a clearer connection to the issues foregrounded in preface and Part I would have really enhanced this section of the book. Nevertheless, these chapters remain an integral part of the book and are a valuable contribution to the reader’s evolving knowledge.

Dobreva encourages readers new to this field to start from chapter 1 and I recommend the same process. The first chapter usefully problematizes the issues inherent to a digitized and increasingly digital cultural heritage. The rest of the chapters follow on very well, deepening the complexity and specificity. Authors are practitioners and academics and their voices blend very well throughout the book. Authors are primarily from Europe but also Australia, the USA, and Israel which does show a useful attempt at a balance. The issues around digital archiving which Dobreva identifies in her preface, are many and varied, and it is an impossible task to cover them all in one book. Indeed, in the final section of the book, Dobreva encourages readers to explore more of the complexity by offering titles of other recent book titles as a compliment.

In conclusion, this book provides a rich jump into the complexities of digital archives and archiving that would be useful for educators, practitioners and scholars who are looking to better understand the intersecting issues that impact on why not everything is available online through a Google search.