Archives and The Internet

There is a common misconception that when content comes to archives, it is immediately digitized and put online; yet, the majority of material is in paper and, most likely, always will be.  Although the internet has open plenty of doors for people to do their own research, materials from archives are still what patrons turn to after a Google search.

Developing research ideas online before going to archives can make for a batter informed and specific process. Researchers often come to the archives more prepared since the internet. Yet, even with help of the internet, the material in the archives maintains its value. The research process is richer when people can look at original items; it is the raw material viewed in your own interpretation.

Rather than replacing traditional archives, technology is supplementing them by giving archivists new ways yo do their work. As time passes, the need for archives is growing, not shrinking; thus, as more content is created, there are more opportunities to preserve history. 

https://archive.org/