I was doing more research for my paper when one source directed me to this website:
The National Archives Website
To sum it up, Over 2,500 archives in England and Wales joined a single database and put of 32 million records descriptions, 9 million of which can be downloaded (either free or for a fee). This reminds me of OhioLINK, WorldCat, and other large databases, except for one thing: the website is wonderful.
The National Archives database stands out to me because it looks great, it's very easy to use, and they offer all sorts of extra conveniences (articles, podcasts, locations and hours of operations of each archive in the database, etc.). If you take a second to look at the homepage, they have 6 sections immediately available without scrolling down the page:
1. A section to guide researchers, including video guides and links to their most popular collections (including what preparations you should make). For example, this section about old Irish maps.
2. A link to the catalogue search (linked above), including an option to search for specific archives.
3. A link to the digitized collections for those who just want to view from home instead of plan a trip.
4. A section providing free education resources for teachers and students. Here's a game based on transcribing words from old documents: The Ducking Stool Game. And here's one of the WWII sections, which features Rosie the Riveter slapping Hitler.
5. A source for archivists to find guidance in archival theory and practice, among other professional resources.
6. A section providing help, including info. on training courses, about info. and records management.
While I'm sure other major institutions have quality websites as well, the National Archives site just blew my expectations out of the water. It's very intuitive to use, and it seems very oriented towards the needs of researchers, teachers, students, public history professionals, and the casual browser all at once. And that kind of accessibility is exactly what archives should strive for if they go online.
The National Archives Website
To sum it up, Over 2,500 archives in England and Wales joined a single database and put of 32 million records descriptions, 9 million of which can be downloaded (either free or for a fee). This reminds me of OhioLINK, WorldCat, and other large databases, except for one thing: the website is wonderful.
The National Archives database stands out to me because it looks great, it's very easy to use, and they offer all sorts of extra conveniences (articles, podcasts, locations and hours of operations of each archive in the database, etc.). If you take a second to look at the homepage, they have 6 sections immediately available without scrolling down the page:
1. A section to guide researchers, including video guides and links to their most popular collections (including what preparations you should make). For example, this section about old Irish maps.
2. A link to the catalogue search (linked above), including an option to search for specific archives.
3. A link to the digitized collections for those who just want to view from home instead of plan a trip.
4. A section providing free education resources for teachers and students. Here's a game based on transcribing words from old documents: The Ducking Stool Game. And here's one of the WWII sections, which features Rosie the Riveter slapping Hitler.
5. A source for archivists to find guidance in archival theory and practice, among other professional resources.
6. A section providing help, including info. on training courses, about info. and records management.
While I'm sure other major institutions have quality websites as well, the National Archives site just blew my expectations out of the water. It's very intuitive to use, and it seems very oriented towards the needs of researchers, teachers, students, public history professionals, and the casual browser all at once. And that kind of accessibility is exactly what archives should strive for if they go online.
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