Today I attended the presentation of the GIVE website: Records and Archives of Aragon. The project is great, and best of all that is done and works!. Surely not have been easy to implement this powerful resource, coordinate and take it forward. We must thank the staff determination that DGA has loved and worked hard for this to exist, congratulations. DARA
I liked their access, their ability to query, and above all, which has relied heavily on the final destination of the resource to the users: scholars and laymen in this file. All have a place, and is more than likely leave satisfied with their use, whether they will house or not, what they want.
The search engine offers options to auto, their web addresses are stable (target spiders and boots browsers, you can save, send links ...), is open to all kinds of resources beyond Traditional document institutional (Offers / r audio, video, photos ...), your navigation is clear, and suggests the user to other possible outcomes to the facets or markers that appear after a consultation.
This morning I think most of the attendees have left very satisfied with the exhibition.
Now, when you visit and browse the resource DARA, it is clear that Aragon has taken a giant step forward in this in the archives, and although this is not to compete, or land mark, it may become a reference for other autonomy. DARA is a service of Files in the broadest sense of the word.
I think it will be very successful for several issues:
- DARA is not a project artificial, nor was born in any fashion, is a project of files, made with archivists and users in mind, further supported by the institution that has to do : the Diputación General de Aragón.
- DARA takes into account all the files (public and private) to nurture this resource by working and coordinating centers. Institutions wishing to participate have different forms of collaboration depending on its characteristics and possibilities, making DARA is open and flexible to the contribution of all (the Cattlemen House Foundation ha sido el primer archivo privado que se ha incorporado).
- DARA tiene un marcado carácter de difusión y cercanía: Quien realiza una búsqueda no tiene porqué saber que entra en un oscuro e inhóspito archivo de papeles viejos . El usuario recupera en internet que eso sí que es in. Muchos pensarán que ésto es obra de la varita de un mago informático o es fruto de las nuevas tecnologías , así sin más. El trabajo previo de los archivos quizá no se transmite en recursos de este tipo, pero eso lo podemos dejar para otro momento, por ejemplo para la Jornada de Puertas Abiertas.
- El Gobierno de Aragón de la mano de la Dirección Cultural Heritage and the work of its staff, will provide the accommodation of the resource, facilitating the integration of other institutions, and also has enough competition to make DARA a solid, viable and stable over time.
- It appears that the computer DARA (led by Santiago Navarro Kensoft) are guided by professionals of the files, and not vice versa as is usually tonic.
- In addition, DARA was born in a very turbulent period: political, social, and economic, and certainly all these circumstances make you stronger.
thing I enjoyed was the use of Djvu, Not that I am against this format, we must recognize its powerful compression algorithms, and visualization capabilities of layers and images. But users will not be installed this viewer to work from computers that do not manage. In Linux it has cost me, and I recently served DARA link offering to install, and Djvu, to date, is not widespread. On the other hand is an open format (*) , which fits well with the various programs and free software code which is based DARA (Djvu addition, the database is based on Oracle) .
Well ... could talk for hours on DARA many issues: their orientation to 2.0, usability, navigation, the success of their study SEO, interface, archival standards, free software, "OPAC? ... and other issues critical to better or worse.
What is clear, that DARA will be an indispensable source for any user / researcher anywhere in the world who wants to know more about the history and culture of this region, and will also be an essential tool for any file of Aragon.
Edit and enhance to suit new needs to be easy, since it has a solid foundation fruit of labor and coordination of numerous professionals.
Link to DARA: Records and Archives of Aragon.
(*) Contribution of Luis Torres Freixinet, which corrects the identification of proprietary format Djvu.
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