National Archives of Australia - Annual reports

Digital preservationEarly in 2011, the Archives commenced a projectto review the last 10 years of digital preservationactivity and to determine the strategic directionfor the medium and long term. The digitalrecords priorities project conducted an extensivesurvey of digital preservation activities aroundAustralia and the world, and will be used as akey document to inform business planning withinthe Archives.Program 2.2Providing an accessible,visible and interpretednational archival collectionProgram 2.2 objectiveThe objective of Program 2.2 is to ensurethat Australians have a greater understandingof their heritage and democracy as a resultof access to, and interpretation of, theArchives’ holdings.Program 2.2 deliverablesThe Archives provides timely and appropriateaccess to its records. Australians, regardlessof where they live, can access the Archives’records through:• a network of reading rooms operatingin each state and territory capital, whichprovides the public with access tooriginal records• the National Reference Service, whichresponds to enquiries with information,guidance and copies of records• the National Digitisation Service, whichresponds to requests for digital copiesof records• the Archives’ websites.The Archives makes its holdings more accessibleby increasing the number of records describedand the number of records that can be viewedonline (Table 10).Members of the public are able to learn abouttheir heritage and democracy by participating inthe Archives’ education and information programs.These include:• displays, events and seminars, whichhighlight the diversity and richness of theArchives’ records, and their role in andimpact on Australian democracy, cultureand way of life• a national touring exhibition program,which takes the records to urban andregional centres• school tours and online learning through a‘virtual reading room’ (Vrroom website)• historical, informative and interpretivewebsites, which allow the public to find andengage with the Archives’ records• marketing and information programs, such associal media, newsletters and media events• guides, finding aids and historicalpublications, which help the public researchthe records and enhance their understandingof the Archives.Program 2.2 key performance indicatorsTo determine the effectiveness of Program 2.2,the Archives measures the number of recordsaccessed, visits to its websites, public participationTable 10: Program 2.2 deliverables, 2010–11Program deliverableRecord pages added to the Archives’ website(RecordSearch) (number)Target in 2010–11 PortfolioBudget StatementsAchievement in2010–111 100 000 1 127 490Archives website availability (%) 95 95Reference enquiries responded to within 30 days (%) 90 94Records examined and cleared within 90 days (%)* 100 91* Includes simple and complex access examinations (see page 28).24 Annual Reports 2010–11