The post custodial paradigm and its representation in information design at the UK's National Archives sítio

Abstract

The use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) introduces innovations to the contemporary infocommunicative process, which while stress the importance of Information Science studies, present major challenges to the area, as they allow for the collaborative construction of content and knowledge on the net. In this scenario, the reorganization of structures and new informational behaviors, Post-custodial paradigm emerges proposing to the institutions of Archives an original way to create, store and disseminate information, facilitating access to their documents. Thus, through a bibliographic research, this study brings theoretical concepts on the new paradigm and follows with a case study of the "The National Archives" from the UK. From the exploration of the website, we identify and portray characteristics that present, in accordance with the assumptions of post-custodial, especially with regard to the provision of online access to digitized documents to users. It is noticed that the consequent opening of Archives and documents to the digital environment brings a significant gain of visibility to archival institutions, expands its sphere of action, approaches to the public and invigorates on its post-custodial form.