Unlocking the past: increasing discoverability of archive primary sources

The value of primary source archives for research and learning is undeniable. Whole periods of our history are concealed in thousands of pages of manuscripts, images, and publications. The transformative power of digitization has significantly increased the availability of this material worldwide, inspiring a new era for instructors and researchers in the humanities, social sciences, and more who want to incorporate historical collections into their work. However, the interaction with the primary sources' content is still restricted to their host platforms. The challenge is making primary source archives collections more discoverable in the technological landscape of academic libraries, and metadata is the key factor in making this happen. This presentation will discuss how metadata is the crucial element that makes these collections more discoverable. Using the outcomes of the Gale Primary Sources Metadata for Discovery project, this presentation will include an overview of the current metadata standards and community of practices for archives and metadata for discovery, emphasizing the value and impact on learning and research. This presentation will interest metadata experts, librarians, content providers, and system providers interested in the Archive Primary Source's content and playing a role in making it more discoverable. This presentation will be join presentation with a representative of the library community.