Archives have long been known for their reliance on meticulous, manual work. From processing paper collections to creating detailed finding aids, the work has historically required significant labor and time. While accuracy remains critical, the sheer volume of collections and the rising expectations of users have made traditional methods increasingly unsustainable. This opportunity is where automation becomes transformative.
By reducing repetitive tasks, automation frees archivists to focus on higher-value activities such as appraisal, outreach, and interpretation that require professional expertise. Automated archival processes can handle everything from routine metadata entry to large-scale digital file migrations.
Instead of spending hours rehousing folders or transcribing basic data, archivists can devote their energy to curating collections, connecting with communities, and developing programs that highlight the value of archives. Automation does not replace archivists; it empowers them to work smarter, faster, and better.
Choose the Right Tools
Not every piece of technology suits every archives. Selecting tools that align with institutional needs is essential to realizing the benefits of automation. For many archives, a reliable collections management system (CMS) is the cornerstone of their operations. Choose an archival CMS platform that offer features such as batch editing, automated metadata imports, and integration with digital preservation systems. These capabilities reduce manual input and streamline workflows across the entire lifecycle of collections.
Beyond CMS platforms, artificial intelligence (AI) tools are opening new possibilities. AI-powered handwriting recognition, for example, accelerates the transcription of historical documents, while machine learning algorithms can automatically generate descriptive tags for photographs. Cloud-based solutions, meanwhile, provide scalable storage and collaborative access, ensuring that archives remain agile as digital collections expand.
The key is to match technology to mission. An archives focused on community engagement may prioritize tools that enhance discovery and access, while a research institution might invest in digital preservation systems that guarantee long-term reliability. Thoughtful evaluation, pilot testing, and user feedback all help ensure that technology adoption aligns with organizational priorities rather than chasing the latest trend.
An Example of Archives Automation in Action
For example, when a mid-sized university archives faced a backlog of thousands of student organization records, staff implemented a new collections management system with batch editing and automated metadata imports. Instead of entering folder titles manually, they used OCR and AI-powered tagging to generate descriptive fields, reducing months of data entry to just a few weeks. High-speed scanners digitized boxes of newsletters and yearbooks, while quality-control features flagged missing pages before files were finalized.
To support adoption, the archives provided staff workshops and created a peer-mentoring system, which helped build confidence in the new tools. Within a year, the archives had cut processing time in half and made thousands of items accessible online, demonstrating measurable efficiency gains and significantly expanding researcher access.
Leverage Digitization at Scale
Archival digitization has become one of the most visible applications of automation in archives. Traditional approaches to scanning and metadata creation can be time-intensive, requiring hours of careful handling and data entry. Automation addresses these challenges by improving both efficiency and accuracy.
High-speed scanners with automated feeders process large volumes of material quickly, while image recognition software identifies text, detects duplicates, and flags errors. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology converts scanned text into searchable formats, drastically reducing the need for manual transcription. Emerging AI tools even suggest metadata fields, reducing repetitive data entry.
At scale, these tools enable archives to digitize collections that once seemed too vast to tackle. Automation also enhances quality control, as scanning systems can detect skewed images or missing pages in real-time, reducing the risk of costly rework. By leveraging automation, archives can expand access to their collections more quickly, supporting researchers, educators, and communities eager to explore the past.
Train Archives Staff to Encourage Adoption
Even the most advanced tools are only as effective as the people who use them. For archives to benefit from automation, staff must integrate these technologies into their workflows. Resistance often stems from fear, such as concerns about obsolescence, unfamiliarity with tools, or disruptions to established practices.
Training addresses these barriers by building confidence and competence. Workshops, peer mentoring, and phased rollouts allow staff to learn incrementally while applying new skills to real projects. Clear communication about how automation supports rather than replaces staff roles also reinforces trust.
Leadership plays a crucial role in fostering a culture of openness. Encouraging experimentation, rewarding innovation, and acknowledging learning curves help staff embrace change. By investing in training, archives ensure that technology enhances human expertise rather than undermines it.
Measure the Impact of Automation for Your Archives
To justify investments and refine strategies, archives must measure the impact of new technologies. Performance metrics provide concrete evidence of how automation enhances operational efficiency.
These metrics can include cost savings, measured by comparing staff hours or resource expenditures before and after implementation, as well as efficiency gains, such as increases in the number of items processed, digitized, or described within specific periods. They may also capture error reduction by monitoring improvements in the accuracy of metadata entry or digitization. User satisfaction provides valuable insight, gathered through feedback from researchers and communities on the accessibility and usability of digital collections. Dashboards and reports make these results visible to stakeholders, strengthening the case for ongoing support.
Just as importantly, archival metrics reveal where adjustments are needed. If a tool delivers efficiency but introduces quality concerns, archives can recalibrate workflows. If staff adoption lags, additional training may be required. By treating technology implementation as a process of continuous improvement, archives maximize return on investment.
Automation is Your Ally
Harnessing technology enables archives to meet the challenges of the present and capitalize on future opportunities. With automation as an ally, archivists can preserve more, share more, and achieve more: smarter, faster, and better.
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