Workbook on Digital Private Papers > Glossary
Glossary - A
Access
In the world of traditional archives, the term access refers to the numerous ways in which a user can gain physical and intellectual access to the content of archive material, from identifying items of interest in a finding aid and consulting documents in the reading room, to remote access via digital surrogates. In the world of born-digital archives, access conditions may vary considerably depending on the age of the material and the legislative restrictions which apply. Different levels of access might be required for different records, which might range from viewing documents on a stand-alone PC in the reading room to free access via the Web. A user authentication system may be put in place to control access.
