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G2S Project Code: 2021-AK-89799
State: Alaska
Fiscal Year: 2021
Grantee
Alaska Library Network

Project Director
Director Name: Arlene Schmuland
Director Phone: (907)786-6046
Director Email: abschmuland@alaska.edu
General Information
Title: ARPA: Primary Resource Guides
State Project Code: ARPA22-005
Start Date: 10/01/2021
End Date: 09/30/2022
Abstract: The grant goals were to create multi-institution online guides to primary sources related to sixteen different commonly researched topics. Because of the unique nature of the primary source material, as well as differences in the degree and method of access to online descriptions of primary source collections, researchers, librarians, and other information professionals are often unaware of related primary source materials at other institutions. Hosting the guides on a publicly accessible, statewide site increases discoverability of primary source collections for librarians and researchers, as well as fostering cooperation between the institutions that hold the collections. The creation of these gudies was particularly important throughout the COVID period in which many archivists were not allowed access to their collections, direct user access was reduced, and in the post-COVID period when users have a higher level of expectation regarding virtual services and access to collections.
State Goal: Goal 2. Various Formats
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$21,671.48
$0.00
$0.00
$21,671.48
Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Civic Affairs
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Create resource guides
Narrative: Project staff compiled collection holdings from a number of institutions and reported the results in fifteen LibGuides. 
Intent: Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Description
Format: Digital


Quantity
Number of items made discoverable to the public: 15
Number of collections made discoverable to the public: 0
Number of metadata plans/frameworks produced/updated: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association
Address: 3211 Providence Dr
City: Anchorage
State: AK
Zip: 99508
Name: Alaska Resources Library and Information Service
Address: 3211 Providence Drive / Library Building, Suite 111
City: Anchorage
State: AK
Zip: 99508
Name: Atwood Alaska Resource Center at Anchorage Museum
Address: 625 C Street
City: Anchorage
State: AK
Zip: 99501
Name: Kodiak History Museum
Address: 101 E Marine Way
City: Kodiak
State: AK
Zip: 99615
Name: National Park Service, Alaska Region
Address: 605 West 4th Avenue Suite 105
City: Anchorage
State: AK
Zip: 99501
Name: Sealaska Heritage Institute
Address: 102 S. Seward Street
City: Juneau
State: AK
Zip: 99801
Name: UAA/APU Consortium Library
Address: 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508
City: Anchorage
State: AK
Zip: 99508
Name: University of Alaska Fairbanks Elmer E. Rasmuson Library
Address: P.O. Box 756800
City: Fairbanks
State: AK
Zip: 99775
Name: University of Alaska Southeast
Address: 11120 Glacier Highway
City: Juneau
State: AK
Zip: 99801-8697
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Dividend, Subsistence, Boundaries/Surveying/Mapping, Highway/road construction, Russian Alaska, WWII, Aerial photos, African Americans, ANILCA, Aviation, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, Geology, Journalism, Alaska Territorial Guard. The guides are all available through this website: https://lam.alaska.gov/sled/history/primarysources Topics chosen were based on a statewide poll of archivists who provide reference services to users. A significant portion of the materials described in the 15 guides produced are in hard copy and only accessible onsite at the institutions that hold them and in some cases, are relatively undiscoverable through standard web searches as description of them is only available through hidden web sources. Increased digital access to information regarding the collections across multiple institutions expedites researcher access to the materials, provides an intermediary search mechanism for popular research topics that eases the workload of reference staff at institutions, and allows researchers, archivists, librarians, and curators to prioritize access requests based on available information about these resources. This is particularly important throughout the COVID period in which many archivists were not allowed access to their collections, direct user access was reduced, and in the post-COVID period when users have a higher level of expectation regarding virtual services and access to collections. We and other information professionals have been incorporating the guides into our reference practices as researchers ask questions related to the topics and plan research trips based on what they can discover related to their topics.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:

Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
Having a limited number of people doing the research through multiple repositories significantly reduced the time it took to produce the guides. Economies of repetitive work were achieved, less training was required, and less editorial work on the finalized guides was needed to make collection description annotations as consistent as possible. This also allowed us to fit the work in with our other duties as we were able to do so, rather than having to wait for the response of a team member to complete an overall guide. The project content collection, searching through so many online catalogs and through requests to institutions without online catalogs, also reinforced how incredibly expensive and time consuming creating a union catalog to archival holdings in Alaska would be, if it would even be possible. Our use of LibGuides also expedites our ability to maintain and update the guides as needed, a commitment we have made for sustainability purposes.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
No
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: