Dix réflexions sur l’étude des utilisateurs et des usages des archives

Simon Côté-Lapointe, candidat au doctorat

École de bibliothéconomie et des sciences de l’information de l’Université de Montréal, EBSI

Avec l'appui financier du Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC) et de la la Fondation de BAnQ grâce à son Programme de soutien à la recherche

Présentation dans le cadre du 10e Symposium EBSI-SIS

Vendredi le 24 février 2017, Université de Montréal

Dix réflexions sur l’étude des utilisateurs et des usages des archives / Ten reflections about the study of users and uses of archives

Presentation plan

2

1. Context and method

2. Five reflections about users

3. Five reflections about uses

4. Conclusion

Introduction

S. Côté-Lapointe – Ten reflections about the study of users and uses of archives – 10e Symposium EBSI-SIS – 2017

3

IntroductionContext and method

Context

• Doctoral project

• Litterature review on uses and users of archives

Corpus analyzed • Theoretical and empirical texts in archival science

• Europe and Northern America

• More than 40 texts summarized (english and french)


About users

5

1. User needs About users


«Need» is a vague and little studied aspect in archival

science

• Synonyms : expectations, intention, reasons, intended

use, requests, etc.

• Different analysis levels of the phenomenon

• No shared theoretical basis in user studies

• Archival users and use have received considerably less

attention than in LIS

S. Côté-Lapointe – Ten reflections about the study of users and uses of archives – 10e Symposium EBSI-SIS – 2017 6

2. The digital user About users

The digital environment modify the mediation between archives, users and institutions

« Archives are becoming more aware that the demographics of users, especially in online environment, is changing, no longer consisting primarily or exclusively of researchers, but increasingly containing non-researchers [...] who search, browse, or simply look around according to their personal or everyday-life information needs (Pugh, 2005; Huvila, 2008; Adams, 2007). […] researchers also are beginning to have non-traditional expectations of the archives, probably due to their overall experiences with online databases, digital libraries, etc. » (Vilar et Šauperl, 2015, p.553)

Impact on theorical and empirical perspectives on users.

7

3. User studies

We study more the user’s expectations in relation to a specific system or interface than the actual needs

Problematic because :

• Different practices whitin the archival community

• Different contents, kinds and types of archives

• Different interfaces

• Fast and constant evolution of digital dissemination means

• Contextual and technological bias

About users


8

4. Actual users / Potential users

We study more the needs of those who already use archives (traditionnal users) than the needs of potential users

About users


9

5. User typologies

User typologies reflect a vision centered around the archives rather than the characteristics of users and their practical uses of archives

Typologies• Traditionnal / non traditionnal users• Intern / extern users • Primary / secondary / passive users• Records / archives users• Direct / indirect users• Vocational / avocational (or lay users) • Experts / novice users

About users


About uses

• Global dissemination• Facilitate handling et

reuse• Expansion of uses

11

6. Digital chain of use About uses

The chain of use have change in the digital environment

• More access

• More visibility

• More dissemination means

• More digitized documents

• More types of documents (audio,

video, etc.)

• Less mediation with institutions and

archivists

• Web 2.0 & 3.0


12

7. Theoretical basis of useThere is a lack of theorical basis of archives uses

«Use» is vague concept. Synonyms : purpose, function, utilization, usage, action, activity, task, etc.

About uses

THEORIES & MODELS CHARACTERISTICS

Théorie des trois âges(Schellenberg, 1956)

Uses based on life cycle of documents and values of archives

Market segmentation (Yeo, 2005)

2 axis : purpose of use / values sought

Activity theory (Wilson, 2006)

3 levels for analysing usage : Activity, action, operations

Exploitation of archives(Lemay & Klein, 2014)

Fifth dimension of the records continuum.

Highlight on conditions of use.

4 axis : activity, finality, materiality, temporality.


13

8. Typologies of usesTypologies of uses reflect a vision centered around the archives and the traditionnal types of users rather than the practical uses of archives

About uses

Typologies

• Explicit or implicit uses

• Direct or indirect uses

• Uses based on user type

• Primary or secondary uses / Uses based on archival value,

function or purpose

• Uses by disciplines or sectors

• Uses by dissemination means


14

9. Study of uses

There’s a lack of study on uses of archives.

• « [...] less is known about what users do with records when they consult them. » (Yeo, 2005, p.42)

• « Use is hardly discussed at all, while users have gained some attention since the 1980s. The literature provides a somewhat abstract view of use and users, not explicitly grounded in theoretical reasoning or empirical studies. » (Sundqvist, 2007, p.647)

About uses


15

10. Kinds and types of archives

We must take account of the kinds and types of archival documents in the study of uses

• Multiple kinds and types of documents in archives leads to multiple uses

• Lack of study about uses linked to medium and content types

« More research is needed to determine whether new content is leading to new uses of archives. » (McCausland, 2011, p.316)

About uses


16

What to do next ? Conclusion


Propose a new model to study the uses of archives

Avenues for further research :

• Exploitation of archives

• Sociologie des usages (sociology of uses)

• Activity theory

• Archival principles, values and functions of archives

• Kinds and types of archives (medium and content)

Questions ?

18

Bibliography• Adams, M. (2007). Analyzing archives and finding facts: use and users of digital data records. Archival Science, 7(1), 21-36.

doi:10.1007/s10502-007-9056-4

• Bertrand, A. (2014). Valeurs, usages et usagers des archives. Dans Y. Lemay et A. Klein (dir.), Archives et création : nouvellesperspectives sur l'archivistique. Cahier 1 (p. 121-150) Montréal, QC : Papyrus. Repéré à https://papyrus.bib.umontreal.ca/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1866/11324/lemay-y-klein-a-collaborateurs-archives-creation-cahier1.pdf.

• Chevallier, P., Rioust, L. et Bouvier-Ajam, L. (2012). Consulting Manuscripts Online: A Qualitative Study of Three Potential User Categories. Digital Medievalist 8. Repéré à http://www.digitalmedievalist.org/journal/8/chevallier/

• Coeuré, S. et Duclert, V. (2011). V / Publics des Archives, usages des archives. Dans Les archives (p.79-91). Paris, France : La Découverte.

• Cook, T. (2013). Evidence, memory, identity, and community: four shifting archival paradigms. Archival Science, 13(2), 95-120. doi: 10.1007/s10502-012-9180-7.

• Costa, M. et Silva, M. J. (2011). Characterizing search behavior in web archives. Communication présentée au Temporal Web Analytics Workshop du 20th International World Wide Web Conference, Hyderabad, Inde. Repéré à http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-707/TWAW2011.pdf

• Duff, W. (2002). Understanding the information-seeking behaviour of archival researchers in a digital age: Paths, processes and preferences. Communication présentée DLM-Forum 2002, Barcelona, Espagne. Repéré à http://www.project-consult.net/files/DLM%20Conference%202002.pdf#page=333

• Duff, W. M. et Johnson, C. A. (2001). A virtual expression of need: An analysis of e-mail reference questions. American Archivist, 64(1), 43-60. Repéré à http://www.jstor.org/stable/40294158

• Dupeyrat, M. et Malherbe, C. (2014). Panorama des nouveaux usages des archives audiovisuelles. Dans E-Dossier de l’audiovisuel : L’Extension des usages de l’archive audiovisuelle (p.183-206). Repéré à http://www.ina-expert.com/e-dossiers-de-l-audiovisuel/panorama-des-nouveaux-usages-des-archives-audiovisuelles.html


19

• Feliciati, P. et Alfier, A. (2013). Archives on the web and users expectations: Towards a convergence with digital libraries.Review of the National Center for Digitization, (22), 81-92. Repéré à http://eudml.org/doc/26131

• Freund, L. et Toms, E. G. (2016). Interacting with archival finding aids. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 67(4), 994-1008. doi:10.1002/asi.23436

• Heo, M. (2013). Assessing user needs of Web portals: A measurement model. Information Research, 18(2). Repéré à http://InformationR.net/ir/18-2/paper578.html

• Huvila, I. (2008). Participatory archive: Towards decentralised curation, radical user orientation, and broader contextualisation of records management. Archival Science, 8(1), 15-36. doi:10.1007/s10502-008-9071-0.

• Johnson, A. (2008). Users, use and context: Supporting interaction between users and digital archives. Dans L. Craven (dir.),What are archives (p.145-166). Burlington, VT: Ashgate.

• Katuu, S. (2015). User studies and user education programmes in archival institutions. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 67(4), 442-457. doi:10.1108/AJIM-01-2015-0005

• Lemay, Y. et Klein, A. (2014). Les archives définitives: un début de parcours. Revisiter le cycle de vie et le Records continuum. Archivaria, 77, 73-102.

• McCausland, S. (2011). A future without mediation? Online access, archivists, and the future of archival research. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 42(4), 309-319. doi:10.1080/00048623.2011.10722243

• Noël, G. (2001). La division des archives de la Ville de Quebec à l'écoute de ses clientèles. Archives, 33(1), 47-82.

• Ongena, G., Van De Wijngaert, L. et Huizer, E. (2013). Acceptance of online audio-visual cultural heritage Archive Services: A Study of the General Public. Information Research, 18(2).

• Proulx, S. (2015). La sociologie des usages, et après? Revue française des sciences de l’information et de la communication(6). Repéré à https://rfsic.revues.org/1230

• Pugh, M. J. (2005). Providing reference services for archives and manuscripts (Archival Fundamentals Series II). Chicago, IL:Society of American Archivists.

• Ranjard, S. (2012). Usages et usagers de l’information : quelles pratiques hier et aujourd’hui? Paris, France : ADBS.


20

• Roy, J. (2006-2007). Les usagers indirects des archives : d’un concept théorique à son application dans les études d’usagers. Archives, 38(2), 119-142.

• Schellenberg, T.R. (1956). Modern archives: Principles and techniques (Édition de 2003). Chicago, IL: The Society of American Archivists. Repéré à http://www.archivists.org/publications/epubs/ModernArchives-Schellenberg.pdf

• Senturk, B. (2011). The concept of user satisfaction in archival institutions. Library Management, 33(1/2), 66-72. doi:10.1108/01435121211203329

• Stirling, P., Chevallier, P. et Illien, G. (2012). Web archives for researchers: Representations, expectations and potential uses. D-Lib Magazine, 18(3-4). Repéré à http://www.dlib.org/dlib/march12/stirling/03stirling.html

• Sundqvist, A. (2007). The use of records – a literature review. Archives & Social Studies, 1(1), 623-653. Repéré à http://archivo.cartagena.es/files/36-184-DOC_FICHERO1/sundqvist_use.pdf

• Turock, B. J. et Friedrich, G. W. (2009). Access in a Digital Age. Dans M. J. Bates & M. N. Maack (dir.), Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, Third Edition (p.23-33). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis. doi:10.1081/E-ELIS3-120043096

• Vilar, P. et Šauperl, A. (2015). Archives, quo vadis et cum quibus?: Archivists’ self-perceptions and perceptions of users of contemporary archives. International Journal of Information Management(35), 551–560. doi: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2015.06.001

• Wilson, T. D. (2006). A re-examination of information seeking behaviour in the context of activity theory. Information Research, 11(4), 1. Repéré à http://www.informationr.net/ir/11-4/paper260.html

• Yakel, E. et Torres, D. (2003). AI: archival intelligence and user expertise. The American Archivist, 66(1), 51-78. doi:10.17723/aarc.66.1.q022h85pn51n5800

• Yeo, G. (2005). Understanding users and use: A market segmentation approach. Journal of the Society of Archivists, 26(1), 25-53. doi:10.1080/00039810500047425
