Barriers to Knowledge
Challenges of Archival Accessibility in Scholarly Research
Keywords:
Accessibility, archives, requisition, research scholarsAbstract
Archives serve as custodians of history, safeguarding invaluable records that shape academic discourse, legal frameworks, and public memory. For scholars, access to these archives is essential for conducting rigorous research and constructing narratives that are grounded in primary sources. However, the very institutions tasked with preserving and facilitating knowledge often impose significant barriers that hinder scholarly enquiry. This paper critically examines the challenges scholars encounter when navigating archival institutions, with a particular focus on accessibility. Drawing from my own experience as a researcher at the National Archives, I explore the obstacles that complicate archival research and reflect on the resilience and adaptability required to overcome them.
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