Social Networks & Archival Context (SNAC) for Improved Archival Research

Abstract

Despite our best efforts to make our collections accessible to the public through online finding aids, they’re still relatively invisible to researchers who don’t know where to look. SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context) was developed as a discovery service for archival collections from institutions around the world, using data that has been already created (i.e. finding aids, MARC records, and EAC-CPF) as a starting point. Using SNAC as a search tool allows researchers to quickly access specific information about the subjects they are researching, including links to collections (archival collections, related resources, related external links) and related names (people, families, organizations). Data visualizations help users to understand connections among these entities and suggest new avenues for research. This presentation focuses on how researchers can use SNAC to find archival collections. It also includes information on the SNAC Cooperative’s plans for training editors, efforts toward bulk importing data, and developing cross-functionality with ArchivesSpace to improve quality and access.