The Equitable Representation of Women in Digital Archival Collections: An Analysis of IUPUI’s Digital Archives

Abstract

The field of archiving has changed tremendously since the advent of online technologies, and digitized collections can now be accessed by many more researchers. Because of the volume of artifacts in various collections, not every physical collection has been digitized, and as it is a time-consuming and expensive process, managers must consider what best meets the needs of their users and is physically and financially feasible. While considering these factors, however, it is important to ensure that all groups are not only well-represented, but equally represented as much as possible. Taxpayer dollars fund public institutions, so it is important that institutions funded by these tax dollars make every effort to ensure their digitized collections are as equitable as possible for researchers who rely mostly or solely on digital collections. Digital collections also make information more accessible to everyone who has access to the World Wide Web, so it is important that they information that the public has access to is as complete and as equitable as possible when it is provided by public institutions. This study upon completion will determine whether or not women are equally represented in artifacts in one collection housed in IUPUI's digital archives.