The City of Richmond Archives added database access and scanned photographs to our web site during the summer of 1998. In the year since then, there have been some heartening results and comments as well as a few surprises. This article will outline how the site was developed, discuss some of the reactions of the past year and ponder some questions for the future.

When the City of Richmond Archives web site photograph search feature was first launched last summer it created quite a stir within the city administration. We had launched the basic web site a year earlier with little internal notice but once database access was available online, especially with over 4000 scanned photographs linked to it, user interest jumped dramatically. While the photographs got everyone's attention, the scanning of the images was actually one of the last steps in a long process.

First came the database…

Our web site really began without a thought of the Internet about eight years ago when we started to develop our database. Over the first four years we acquired software to build our database and used both federal and provincial grants to add records descriptions to the database. By 1996 most of our RAD conversion of previous descriptive work was completed and our database covered the majority of our records holdings. This included item level descriptions for most of our photographs. At this point we had a really useful tool to help the Archives and its services develop. It was a logical step to use the database to provide content for a web site.

We initially developed our web site as a mock-up on a hard drive at the Archives. The database was used to create pages for our web site by way of report formats written to add HTML coding to database output. This method was used to produce the municipal records file lists and series descriptions that are still on the site. The mock-up site included a dummy example of what a database search with scanned photos could look like. We gave a demonstration of our mock-up site to two managers with the Information Technology department. It was a very positive demonstration and we got the green light to have our material included in planning for the City of Richmond web site, including approval to work toward active database access online.

Technical stuff…

The second phase of development included full database access with IT creating a copy SQL database to which we could export our data. The SQL database is connected to the web. The "parent" DB/TextWorksä (Inmagic) database is not directly connected to the web site so there is no additional security system needed to protect the primary data. Whenever we have made sufficient additions or changes to the parent database all the data is exported to the SQL version.

The City of Richmond Archives uses one DB/TextWorksä database for descriptions of all media and all levels of description as our "parent" database. For the web site version we thought it would be more convenient to offer a separate search for photos only (for which there was an existing scan) in addition to an "all-media" search of the full database. This option is currently active on the site. The "all-media" search will bring up descriptions for all photographs as well as textual and cartographic records of both public (city records) and private (community records) origins. To produce the "photos only" search a bit more fine-tuning was involved.

As photographs are scanned they are given an alphanumeric 8-character filename that is easily convertible into the three-part all numeral item number used on our database. Whenever a new export of data from the Inmagic database to the SQL database is done, a routine looks for a match between the item number and scanned image file names. All records for which a match occurs are placed in a database for the photo search feature. From this subset of the full database, access points are pulled for the drop-down pick-lists that the public use for searching photographs. In this way, the photo search feature only shows access points (subject or name) for which a scanned image exists. The pick-lists are re-generated with every new data import to the SQL database.

The scanning was done in-house using an HP4c Scanjet. The software selected was Photoshop Version 4. Black and white images are reduced to 32 a colour palette to conserve file size. Black and white images use GIF format while colour files are JPEG.

Photoshop allows the user to customize "actions" (which more commonly might be referred to as macros) which allow a multi-step process with a minimum of commands. A master scan was made for each image to a maximum width of 1024 pixels. From these larger files, batch processing is possible to produce 600 pixel wide images (the "full" size images found on our site) as well as 150 pixel wide "thumbnails". The masters were written to CD for offline storage. The hope is that by scanning at the larger file size we will be less likely to have to re-scan the same images again. Currently the 600 pixel image files are a modest enough size for convenient transfer and a large enough image for most monitors. These files average about 100-150 KB each.

Archives Techies and IT People…

In the early days of our database, Archives staff, students and grant employees - archivists all - did all development work. The move to the web involved developing a greater tie to (and dependence upon) the Information Technology department. This is a more complicated step that it might seem. Previously we had been a group of archivists who discussed ideas without needing to translate, justify or explain many concepts to one another. Now the technical work for the web was being handled by people who were very helpful, but who understood very little of what we do in archives. One can assume nothing but must give clear yes/no decisions on every point that comes up. Archivists are not used to seeing the world in yes/no or on/off. We like to consider possibilities and discuss nuances for a few hours first. Culture shock.

For technical wizardry Information Technology staff and consultants did not disappoint, however the archives staff must continually provide direction on every aspect of how the Archives information should be presented on the Internet. A case in point involved the search routines. It was necessary to explain the importance of controlled vocabulary access points. This led to the development of the pick-lists described earlier, as well as sort routines to ensure that records were presented in a logical order reflecting hierarchy of description and chronology. The search options had to be clear and easy to use (without requiring the user to have prior archives experience). The search results should make sense to all users, without compromising the value of the site for more experienced researchers. The "parent" database has 30+ fields and allows Boolean and proximity search strategies. These features are not available on our SQL web version. We made conscious choices to limit the search options available on the web site in the interest of ease of use. For the photo search feature, search options are Subject, Name or (single) Keyword (searching the title and scope note fields). "All-media" search adds drop-down lists for fonds/collection names for community records, and series titles for municipal records.

The results…

These and many other details were sorted out and in the process the enthusiasm of the IT staff for our site contents grew as did the archivists appreciation of and interest in technical options. The resulting search screens and report presentations have been well received by users. In the first 6 months after the launch of the database search features, the Archives portion of the City web site was the most active directory. 3130 users retrieved 22,117 records from the Archives web site.

The web site has attracted positive attention to the Archives. Those who knew very little about the Archives function were astonished that the Archives would be ahead of other departments in an area as up-to-date as the Internet. The opportunity to search for and view scanned photographs, made the Archives portion of the City site interesting and, dare I say it, fun.

A web site is not however an electronic fix-all that suddenly makes everyone into a user and supporter of archives. It can set off a series of reactions the archivist may not have anticipated. One senior manager in our Finance division remarked after our initial web site demonstration, "This is great - which one of you two guys can we do without now?" He insisted it was a joke and that, of course, he would not consider such a thing.

The perceived efficiency of service delivery via the Internet is a real concern. Developing and maintaining an active, interesting, and content-rich web site is no small task and it does involve a long-term commitment in staff time. Web sites offer great convenience for a portion of the public, however the work associated with the web site cannot be seen as serving all users. This work is also certainly an addition to the other demands on archives staff. Rather than diminish workload, the demands on the Archives increase with the greater profile generated by the web site.

Just as the Internet itself is growing and defining itself as it develops, so too do archivists need to consider the type of use we can and should make of this system. Do we want to provide a virtual reference room where online access will be available to certain records (as it currently is for photographs)? Is this feasible or desirable? If we can't include all records, how do we select which ones receive such a high profile? How is the nature of "research" changed when dealing with "virtual" records? Is it better to design a web site that focuses on pre-planning of a research visit, through detailed listings online, but that stops short of online surrogate records? How do we balance increasing demands for online marvels with traditional work that remains the heart of an archives operation in light of ever-threatened resources?

The City of Richmond Archives web site is a source of pride for the Archives and the city administration as well. It is a "success". It has changed perceptions of the Archives and it has had an impact on the way the Archives functions on a daily basis. Our web site has changed the way a great many reference inquiries come to the Archives, and how inquiries are handled by staff. Do I question the decision to venture onto the web? Not at all, however I also realize more clearly than I did at the outset that the end of the path is not reached once the web site is established. I am not sure that archivists have a great deal of choice as to whether or not they venture down the Internet path. The bigger questions involve the direction we take and how far we choose to go.

The City of Richmond Archives web site has just had some significant retooling of its design and internal navigation. The site can be visited at:

www.city.richmond.bc.ca/archives

Comments on the site are always welcome. You can contact Ken Young at archives@city.richmond.bc.ca or by post at City of Richmond Archives
7700 Minoru gate, RICHMOND BC V6Y 1R9

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© 1999 Archives Association of British Columbia