Date of Award
Spring 4-16-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
English
First Advisor
Dr. Katie Owens-Murphy
Second Advisor
Dr. Brenna Wardell
Abstract
Scholars involved in archival studies have increasingly examined how digitization has transformed the accessibility of archive collections. For example, Clifford Lynch, a leader in digital libraries and a computer scientist, argues that the development of institutional repositories emerged as a new strategy that allows universities to apply what he calls “serious, systematic leverage to accelerate changes taking place in scholarship and scholarly communication” (1). He later clarifies that he defines these institutional repositories as places that hold digital materials and are created by the institution. Similarly, archival theorists such as T.R. Schellenberg emphasize the research value of records and the importance of access for scholars, and digitization has greatly enhanced accessibility. While earlier archival traditions often restricted access to limited groups such as administrators or researchers, digitization initiatives beginning in the mid-1990s enabled universities to expand access to archival collections through online databases and digital repositories. As digital archives became more widespread, scholars began examining how these technologies reshape archival access, preservation, and research practices, raising new concerns about authority, authenticity, and the long-term stability of historical knowledge
Recommended Citation
Stadler, Gabriel A. Mr., "The Transformation of Physical Archives in a Digital Age" (2026). Theses. 58.
https://roar.una.edu/theses/58
