Crowdsourcing in history projects in local archives of Portugal and England: a comparative analysis

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze citizen participation in the construction of local memories, mediated by memory institutions, in particular, local or municipal archives, comparing participatory levels of online crowdsourcing projects in Portugal and England. It also intends to identify and understand how these local archives are developing and integrating in their services, collaborative forms of information organization. The purpose is to establish a comparative framework between the two countries so that positive or negative aspects are highlighted, and allow good practices to be replicated. The research begins with the concepts of web 2.0, citizen participation, crowdsourcing and crowdfunding. Starting with the analysis of official statistics of internet usage and technology trends in both countries, the methodology is based on an online survey of the presence of local/municipal archives on the web (sites of the institutions) and on social networks, followed by a comparative analysis of its presence and levels of interactivity and collaborative mechanisms placed at the citizen's disposal, as well as the adhesion level to these projects. The most outstanding result is the enormous difference in the performance of local memory institutions: whereas in England the online presence is dominant and encompasses all reality, in Portugal only 37% of the local archives have an online presence. The same is true regarding their adherence to social networks, which in England has significant levels in different platforms, while in Portugal it represents only 5%, and is practically linked to a single platform: Facebook. The strategy of providing information online, and linking it to local history and genealogy projects, is a critical success factor in England, where the growth archive audience for online services is increasing, though fewer people are visiting archives in person, as recognized in surveys conducted by the National Archives. Recognizing the key role that local archives play in preserving and disseminating the history of cities and the role that this information can play in making strategic decisions, we highlight good practices and what still needs to be done. We also conclude that information of local interest is one of the main subjects for online municipal archives users/followers.