This document discusses how emerging technologies can help make special collections in libraries more broadly accessible. It begins by providing examples of materials often found in special collections, such as manuscripts, photographs, oral histories, and books. It then discusses how libraries have used technologies like online finding aids, digital collections, and instructional tools to provide access to these materials. The document proposes additional ways emerging technologies like mobile apps, geographic information systems, QR codes, and linked data could further help access special collections. It emphasizes building upon past successful methods and engaging researchers of all ages. The conclusion recommends evaluating technology trends, focusing efforts on selected collections, and continuing traditional outreach while incorporating new technologies.

1. Democratization of Archives:
Making Special Collections Broadly
Accessible Through Emerging Technologies
Timothy G. Nutt
timn@uark.edu

2. Walk Through My Talk
•Types of Materials in Special Collections
•Emerged Technologies and How We Can Build Upon Them
•How We Can Take Advantage of Emerging Technologies
•Final Thoughts
•Questions

3. Examples
Examples of Materials in Special Collections:
•Manuscript Collections
•J.W. Fulbright Papers, NAFSA
•Ozark Society Records
•Photograph Collections
•Larry Obsitnik and Geleve Grice Photograph Collections
•Oral and Visual Histories
•Finding Aids
•Book Collections on a Particular Subject or Collected by an
Individual
•Arkansas Collection
•Jerry Russell Collection (Civil War/Circus History)
•James D. Bales Collection (Religion/Conservative
Movement),
•John Gould Fletcher Collection (Literature and Arkansas
History)

4. Still Using Emerged Technologies
and Building On Their Success
•Manuscript and Photograph Collections
•Online Resources

5. Online Encyclopedias

6. UA Photographs Accompany Articles

7. Online Encyclopedias: Next Steps

8. Still Using Emerged Technologies
and Building On Their Success
•Manuscript and Photograph Collections
•Online Resources
•Encoded Archival Description

9. EAD-compliant Finding Aid
<c01 level="file">
<did>
<container type="Box">1</container>
<container type="Folder">1</container>
<unittitle>Emma Elizabeth Wayland Travel
Diary</unittitle>
<unitdate>1910-1911</unitdate>
</did>
</c01>
</dsc>
</archdesc>
</ead>

10. EAD Finding Aids: Next Steps
Adding External Link Tags in Finding Aids

11. Aggregates and Consortia

12. Still Using Emerged Technologies
and Building On Their Success
•Manuscript and Photograph Collections
•Online Resources
•Encoded Archival Description
•Minimal Processing Theory (MPLP, Meissner and Greene)

13. Still Using Emerged Technologies
and Building On Their Success
•Manuscript and Photograph Collections
•Online Resources
•Encoded Archival Description
•Minimal Processing Theory (MPLP, Meissner and Greene)
•Digitization
•Providing access to materials while preserving original
materials
•Specific Collections (Civil Rights, George Fisher, BAD
Times)

14. Digital Collections and Exhibits

15. Curriculum and Instructional Tools

16. Curriculum and Instructional Tools

17. Still Using Emerged Technologies
and Building On Their Success
•Manuscript and Photograph Collections
•Online Resources
•Encoded Archival Description
•Minimal Processing Theory (MPLP, Meissner and Greene)
•Digitization
•Providing access to materials while preserving original
materials
•Specific Collections (Civil Rights, George Fisher, BAD
Times)
•Other Materials, e.g. books/journals, newspapers
(National Digital Newspaper Project)
•Digital Repositories

18. Emerging Technologies
or, There for the Picking
Mobile Devices
(Smart Phones, Tablets)

25. Text Messaging Service
From: 61536
5:30 pm
University of Arkansas Libraries:
Special Collections just opened a new
manuscript collection on Bigelow,
Arkansas. Did you know this small town
has ties to the Federal Pell Grant
Program? Check it out at
http://libinfo.uark.edu/specialcollectio
ns/findingaids/ead/transform.asp?
xml=mc1787&xsl=findingaid

26. Emerging Technologies
or, There for the Picking
Geographic Information Systems

27. GIS Applications

28. Pinning Photographs to Places

29. Emerging Technologies
or, There for the Picking
Matrix Barcodes

30. Quick Response Code

31. Add Emerging
Technologies to
Previous Discovery
Projects to Provide
Additional Access

32. Anyone Can Hear a
Florence Price Composition

33. Apply QR Codes to Publications

34. Apply QR Codes to Exhibits

35. Emerging Technologies
or, There for the Picking
Linked Data, Semantic Web, and EAC-CPF

36. Six Degrees of Separation
U.S.
Dept. of
Mary’s Commerce
Chapel.
Lodge of Census
Edinburgh Records
#1
Wikipedia
University
of
Louisiana Arkansas Albert Virtual Intl.
Masonic Pike Authority
Library File
Library
Of
Congress Encyclopedia
of Arkansas
Worldcat
Masonic
Handbook Poets
of Texas Society Battle of
Honey
History
Springs

37. Don’t Throw Out the Baby…..
From Wikipedia

38. Tried and True Methods: Website

39. Tried and True Methods:
Presentations and Programming

40. In Conclusion
•Evaluate trends and emerging technologies and adapt to your specific needs
•Think of the Viewmaster and how it connects to 3-D television
•Know what you want to do and for which collections you want to
provide access
•You can’t digitize everything, but you can digitize and provide access to
selected materials
•Build upon tried and true methods and technologies
•Exhibits, Presentations, Programming, Websites
•Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and more robust cloud computing, Podcasts
•Crowdsourcing, RSS Feeds
•Incorporate new technologies into print and exhibits
•Personal Interaction is still one of the most effective means
•Engage Your Researcher No Matter What Age
•Gamification
•Involve the Staff, Administration, and Faculty
•Raise Funds (Donor, Grants, etc.)

41. Yes Timmy, the World is Changing
ca. 1985

42. Thank You.