National Archives and Records Administration

https://www.archives.gov

National Archives and Records Administration. (2024). National Archives [Screenshot]. https://www.archives.gov/ Digital Access and Collections

This is my virtual library visit. This website serves all the citizens of the United States of America. “The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper” (“What is the National Archives?,” n.d.). The website has a great look despite being a monolith of information. As you can see each collection is represented by a different color on the homepage. This streamlined look is a great example of effective user-design. According to the about page, “all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever” (“What is the National Archives?,” n.d.). Members of the public can access the Archive’s catalog under the “Research Our Records” page.

National Archives. (2024). Research Our Records [Screenshot]. https://www.archives.gov/research

According to Rubin and Rubin (2020), “archives and special collections deal with records of local or historical importance or with materials that are considered rare or especially fragile” (p. 73). On the NARA’s website you can access digital versions of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. I think this is very cool and you can even access a transcript of each item since the text is extremely faded.

National Archives. (2024). America’s Founding Documents [Screenshot]. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs

Other collections that are accessible are veteran’s service records. I am excited to explore this page. I am the first woman to serve in the military on both sides of my family.

At the bottom of the page located in the footer is a page labeled “Accessibility.” This page is very detailed and provides a plethora of information regarding how these archives can be accessed by disabled citizens. There is also an option to have the website translated in Spanish. This can be done by clicking on the “En Español” blue button. 

Physical Space and Accessibility

There are numerous National Archives locations throughout the country. I decided to highlight the National Archives' description of the Washington D.C location:

With its massive Corinthian columns, allegorical sculptures, and the largest sliding bronze doors in the world, the National Archives Building is the most ornate structure in Washington, DC’s Federal Triangle. Sitting imposingly on Pennsylvania Avenue, halfway between the White House and the U.S. Capitol, it’s the work of master architect John Russell Pope. Completed in 1935, the building holds the records of our country’s history and symbolizes our faith in the permanency of the nation. In December 2023, the National Archives Building was designated a National Historic Landmark (National Archives Building, 2024).

[National Archives Building]. (n.d.). https://www.archives.gov/dc

I decided to explore outside the building through Google Street View. I measured the distance from the building to the closest Metro train stop and it was exactly 200 feet. While I didn’t see any bike racks, the Google Street view displayed three electronic scooters out front. The building has massive steps leading up to the main entrance. I noticed there were two handicap accessible ramps on each side of the building.

Services and Intellectual Access

In the footer of each page, there is a page titled “Attend an Event.” This will lead users the event landing page. On the right-hand side of the page is a filter tilted, “Find a Future Event.” If you click the drop-down menu under “Find a Location” there is an option to choose events that are online. After selecting this option, click search and all online events will be filtered through the event calendar. Along with online events, there is an option to view events in 29 different NARA locations.  

The catalog is accessible to the public. As you can see the example below, I searched “Fort Sam Houston,” which is military installation in San Antonio, Texas. On the left you can see that there are various types of materials on this subject such as textual records, maps and charts, moving images, data files, and sound recordings.

National Archives Catalog. (2024). Fort Sam Houston [Screenshot]. https://www.archives.gov/https://catalog.archives.gov/search?page=1&q=fort%20sam%20houston

People (Patrons and Staff Members)

This library is for everyone. NARA drives “openness, cultivates public participation, and strengthens our nation’s democracy through equitable public access to high-value government records” (Mission, Vision, and Values, 2022).

Located in the footer of the website, there is a staff directory page. This page leads to you the NARA Organization chain of command flow chart. It shows which employee is over what department. If you scroll down under “Quick Find” you will an organization telephone list that will give you phone numbers and who oversees that specific department. There is also a leadership page under the “About Us” tab. As a veteran, I found this page extremely interesting and surprising. I didn’t know there is a dedicated “Archivist of the United States.” I didn’t realize this position even existed to be honest. The leadership page also reflected diversity.

Final Thoughts The following is NARA’s mission statement:

Our mission is to provide equitable public access to federal government records in our custody and control. Equitable access to government records strengthens democracy by allowing all Americans of all backgrounds to claim their rights of citizenship, hold their government accountable, and understand their history so they can participate more effectively in their government (Mission, Vision, and Values, 2022).

This is very apparent throughout the website. It’s beyond empowering to know that American citizens have access to these records. Regarding how NARA made me feel, this archival and library system made me feel very tiny. I want to visit various locations and just spend a day roaming these historic treasure chests.

References Mission, Vision and Values. (2022, December 14). About the National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/about/info/mission

National Archives. (2024). America’s Founding Documents [Screenshot]. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs

National Archives. (2024). Research Our Records [Screenshot]. https://www.archives.gov/research

National Archives Catalog. (2024). Fort Sam Houston [Screenshot]. https://www.archives.gov/https://catalog.archives.gov/search?page=1&q=fort%20sam%20houston

National Archives and Records Administration. (2024). National Archives [Screenshot]. https://www.archives.gov/

[National Archives Building]. (n.d.). https://www.archives.gov/dc Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman. The National Archives Building. (2024, April 26). National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/news/topics/national-archives-building

What is the National Archives and Records Administration? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/about