OCLC publishes unprecedented research on archival aggregation needs
OCLC led research for Building a National Finding Aid Network (NAFAN), an IMLS-supported research and demonstration project rooted in the goal of providing inclusive, comprehensive, and persistent access to finding aids by laying the foundation for a national finding aid network available to all contributors and researchers.
OCLC has published five reports on its findings on end user and contributor needs for finding aid aggregations and EAD encoded finding aid data quality and consistency from existing regional archival aggregators. These data-gathering and analysis activities represent an unprecedented effort in research serving the archival community.
The project has been coordinated by the California Digital Library (CDL), in collaboration with OCLC, the University of Virginia Library, Shift Collective, and Chain Bridge Group, and in partnership with statewide/regional finding aid aggregators and LYRASIS (ArchivesSpace) as a technical consulting partner.
Find the reports at https://oc.lc/nafan-research
The NAFAN project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, through grant LG-246349-OLS-20. The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov.
OCLC Research reports are a community resource to advance library thinking and promote discussion. They are freely available to all to read, download, and share.