I do think that A2A has proved to be immensely useful and valuable in terms of what it has provided, and continues to provide to archivists and users, and in terms of the retro-conversion of huge numbers of catalogues. However, as with all such projects, the issues of sustainability and scalability are clearly of concern.

I think its worth pointing out that the Archives Hub, whilst essentially just covering higher and further education at the moment, has sought to be as sustainable as possible by not only choosing to use EAD, but also by implementing a distributed model whereby institutions can host their own data, have easy access to upload and modify records, have their own Web interface to their data, as well as contributing to the Archives Hub. This is not to blow our own trumpet (well, not too much!) but I do think that we should be thinking in terms of a flexible approach whereby we seek the advantages of providing a cross-searching service whilst understanding the reality that institutions want to retain control over their own finding aids and have their own Web presence. I think that we need to be exposing our finding aids as effectively as possible (i.e. via Web interfaces and also via machine-to-machine interfaces where people can choose to set up searches of different sources that suit their own particular needs). Just like everyone else, we do have concerns about continued funding, but we try to mitigate the risk by using an open source, freely available system, as well as by using EAD, which means that the descriptions are not tied down in a proprietary format.   

My hope is that we at the Archives Hub can continue to work with TNA, AIM25 and others to try to ensure we get the best possible solution, but I'm not sure that one big monolithic system is going to be the answer.

Jane.

===========
Jane Stevenson
Archives Hub
Mimas
University of Manchester
[log in to unmask]
 


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Archivists, conservators and records managers. 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brough Paul
> Sent: 17 June 2008 11:15
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: A2A TNA Search Platform
> 
> I would agree with Jo's and Teresa's comments.
> 
> However, these changes to A2A only confirm to us that we were 
> right to identify our 'direction of travel' as away from A2A. 
> We were always disappointed with the inability to up-load 
> further catalogues and by the always rather 'clunky' search 
> system (though I guess we never thought it would trade useful 
> fields for faster operation as it were). The loss of 
> statistics and the new platform are just further evidence 
> that we were right.
> 
> It's a shame (but not necessarily a criticism of TNA) that a 
> sustainable and expandable single catalogue presence has not 
> proved to be feasible - what A2A did was prove what an 
> appetite there was for online catalogues and the advantage of 
> cross-searching. And let us not forget that the part it 
> played in giving retro-conversion a boost was invaluable. 
> 
> No doubt technologies will render the aspiration to have an 
> integrated site redundant sooner than we expect.
> 
> Paul
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Archivists, conservators and records managers.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Teresa Doherty
> Sent: 17 June 2008 09:59
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: A2A TNA Search Platform
> 
> Joanne
> 
> I had a brief look at the new site when it went up.
> 
> We mainly use A2A for extra publicity as we now have our own 
> online catalogue.  We still get a good number of users who 
> come because of A2A.
> 
>   Also, like most archivists it is good to know there is 
> 'back up' in case our catalogue is down for any length of 
> time (not that it's happened so far!)
> 
> Two other useful things they have removed from the search are:
> * the catalogue reference
> * the name index search (where you could pick names from a list)
> 
> It may be that they can add these back to the search screens 
> without too
> 
> much work -  it depends how their database is set up
> 
> Teresa
> 
> Joanne Robson wrote:
> 
> >
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> --------------------------------------------------------------
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> > 
> > Dear All
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > I was wondering if anyone has looked at the new A2A search platform?
> It 
> > can be found at:  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/ or by 
> > following the link on the old A2A homepage which is still currently 
> > active.
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > As an office we do have some issues with the new searching method 
> > particularly as they appear to have removed the 'Location 
> of Archives'
> 
> > field which we used [as A2A is our only source of electronic
> catalogues] 
> > to perform a quick search on our own holdings.  Through 
> experimenting
> it 
> > appears that if we put our full title in one of the key 
> word fields on
> 
> > the new platform, that does help narrow the results to just our 
> > collections but it is rather frustrating to have to type our full
> title 
> > in each time we perform a search [just Oldham is not 
> specific enough].
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > We are intending to send our comments to TNA and though it might be 
> > useful if other repositories could have a look and perhaps 
> feed back 
> > comments to the TNA.  I do not know if there was any 
> consultation with
> 
> > repositories about the layout of the new platform, I certainly have
> not 
> > received anything.
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > For as long as it is active I will be continuing to use the old
> platform 
> > at http://www.a2a.org.uk/ and keep my fingers crossed CALM 
> gets here 
> > before it is taken down.
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > Cheers
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > Jo Robson
> > 
> > Archive Officer
> > 
> > Oldham Local Studies and Archives
> > 
> > 84 Union Street
> > 
> > Oldham
> > 
> > OL1 1DN
> > 
> > Tel: Direct 0161 770 1887
> > 
> > Tel General: 0161 770 4654
> > 
> >  
> > 
> >
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> 
> --
> ______________________________________________________________
> __________
> ___
> 
> Teresa Doherty
> Archives and Museums Manager
> The Women's Library
> London Metropolitan University
> Old Castle Street
> London E1 7NT
> 
> [log in to unmask]
> www.thewomenslibrary.ac.uk
> 
> t +44 (0)20 7320 3513 (direct)
> f +44 (0)20 7320 2333 (shared)
> 
> For our online catalogue see
> www.thewomenslibrary.ac.uk/archivemuseumcatalogue
> 
> For Genesis, a resource for women's history maintained by The 
> Women's Library, see www.genesis.ac.uk
> 
> 
> 
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