Opening the Digital Door in Ireland

Long Room Library at Trinity College Dublin - Public Domain

Long Room Library at Trinity College Dublin – Public Domain

As a historian I love archives and libraries and museums. I love the smell of old books; I love the feel of old paper in my hands; I love the thought that I am touching something that others have touched in the past. It is one of the reasons I became a historian…the tactile connection to the past.

Unlike many historians, I also love digital content. On cold winter days in Ireland, when going into the archive or the library seems like such a chore, digital archives become my best friend. There is nothing better than searching an archive in your pajamas in front of a roaring fire.

More importantly, from a researcher’s point of view, when a digital archive is done well it can greatly reduce the time it takes to research. When I was writing my Master’s Thesis I can’t even remember the amount of time I spent searching through books for specific quotes. If I had word searchable copies I would’ve found the quotes in no time. Alas, while other industries have embraced the digital age, the humanities are still far behind.

Ireland, I suspect, is much like other countries of its size in relation to digitized archival content. The larger institutions , like the National Archives and the National Library of Ireland, offer quite a bit of content online. For example, the National Archives have a digitized and searchable database for the 1901 and 1911 Census, with images of the original forms. The National Library of Ireland has an extensive collection of digitized photographs. The Military Archives digitized the Bureau of Military History archives from 1913-1926 which covers the movement toward Independence for Ireland. These are just some of the many digital sources available free to the public.

Many digital archives currently available in Ireland are ‘accessible’, in that the content can be easily viewed and, in many cases, is searchable via computers. But much of this material is not yet ‘open’; many have restrictions for reuse and some even charge a fee to access them. Archives should not only allow their content to be accessed online, but also allow reuse or publication with no restrictions or fees.

Universities in Ireland are also getting on the digital bandwagon. All of the major universities have Digital Humanities courses, both as undergraduate and graduate degrees. Archives and collections held by universities are being digitized and made accessible, many without restrictions. Private groups like the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI), which is working to develop national guidelines and policies for preservation and access to digital archive material, and National Digital Learning Resources, which is promoting the distribution and use of digital teaching materials, are collaborating with private and public institutions to help preserve and promote open digital archives.

A survey conducted by the DRI in 2012 highlights some of the issues organizations face when they begin to digitize their content. They interviewed 40 institutions about the procedures and practices they have adopted in relation to digitizing content. Though many institutions are now embracing the idea of digitization, many are facing important issues with providing access and also safeguarding this digital content for future generations. According to the survey many institutions are struggling with lack of IT infrastructure and staff. Many projects were based on short-term funding and the struggle to maintain this funding is evident. On a more positive note, many institutions are beginning to embrace Open Source software for data management. Open Source is not only a less expensive option but also should allow for easier integration with ever changing systems.

In addition, regulations in place in regards to personal information found in archives can cause issues with publishing content and allowing it to be accessed by the public. The 30 year rule for the publication of government papers and 70 year rule for copyrights of published materials are just two of the ways archives are restricted on what they can publish. The most important information to come out of this survey, and something that DRI is dedicated to pursue, is the realization that national guidelines need to be put into place to regulate access and preservation of digital archives.

While Ireland still has a long way to go, there are groups out there that are pushing private and public institutions to digitize their content and the government to pass legislation to ensure it is accessible and open. In a country where secrecy was necessary for survival just two generations ago, many are slow to embrace such openness. National guidelines and regulations would go a long way to easing some of those old fears and create a new generation of digital archivists and researchers. The digital door is only open a crack in Ireland, but the impetus is there to throw open the doors and windows and allow the sun to shine through. The Irish just need a little coaxing…