Accessible Archives: Students as Active Users

At a time when archives, both locally and abroad, are feeling theimpact of a range of constraints it has become imperative to make theviability – and usability – of their holdings a matter of prime concern.It has indeed become imperative to not only overcome the persistentimage that relegates archivists to the unknown echelons of disusedspaces where they apparently dote on documents that no longer formpart of an institution’s core functioning, but also to take on thechallenges both within and outside of the archival environment. It willbe argued in this article, that by actively creating an awareness of thearchives within an institution, and inducing practical engagement withits holdings, its existence is ratified and enhanced. Using the Universityof Pretoria Archives (UPA) as a case study, various initiatives thathave been taken over the past decade will be discussed as possibleincentives to reposition archives within the broader infrastructure ofthe domains within which they are situated. Although each environmenthas its own unique features, it is believed that initiatives suitablyapplied can enhance the archives’ particular situation. This article istherefore a practical reflection on what can be achieved throughheightened awareness and use