Creating a Community Archive

Work together to create a community archive.

File Storage

Where you decide to store your files will dictate how they appear to the end user and will also dictate how the metadata that you create about your files is accessed by the end user. Here is a list of ways to display/store your archive:

• Privately via physical copies or electronic files in a closed system.
• Canvas Discussion Board: this option allows you to create a Y2K-style web-journal of all your files in a password protected environment.
• OneDrive: this option allows you to store your files and share them with others, it isn't a great option for associating metadata with the files.
• MS Sway: this option allows you to display files and metadata side-by side, it's downside is that the technology is designed as presentation software and will be a little clunky to use.
• ePortfolio: this option allows you to create a mini-website that can display your files and metadata.
• Wikipedia: this option allows you to create a wikipedia page for your archive, the downside is that someone else can edit your work after the fact and you may still need to host files on OneDrive.

Making the Right Storage Choice

1. Take a moment to write down what would be important for you in storing your community archive.
2. Share your priorities and work together to come up with a list of preferences.
3. Work to evaluate the platform that makes the most sense for your preferences.

Describe your Archival Collection

Archival description involves the intentional development of metadata, data about data, and then associating that metadata to an object.

1. SAADA has a lovely example
2. Common archival description elements:
   1. Subject Heading(s) to describe the item
   2. Title of the item
   3. Date the item was created
   4. Subject(s) depicted in the item
   5. Type of item
   6. Location where the item was created
   7. Description of the item
   8. Provenance
      1. Name of the originator collection
      2. Donor
      3. Item history (what the archivist did to the item since it joined the archive)

Upload & Display Your Archive

Work together and separately to upload, describe, and display your archive.