Surveying Archival Collections and Increasing Public Access: A Practical Case Study in Nebraska

Abstract

Advancements in descriptive standards and technology over the last twenty-five years have had a tremendous impact on how institutions manage their archival collections and provide collections holding information to the public. While these advances have given archivists the tools to provide collections access to a worldwide audience, keeping up with the realities and implications of these advances has created a substantial burden on staff and resources. This case study will show how one institution has used these advancements to better understand their own collections, provide better access to these collections, and serve as a gateway to archival collections held at institutions around the state.