Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society (MIAS) Library Catalogue: Evaluating the Society's Digital Archive Project
Creators: name: Wanis, Ziyad
Publisher: name: unknown
Year: 2018
Subjects: subject: Library science
subject: Information science

description: MIAS based in Oxford, England, took an initiative to collect Ibn 'Arabi's rare works and manuscripts through several digitisation projects to preserve the collections for future generations; and at a later stage the MIAS digital archive was formed to facilitate online access and encourage collaborative research and raise the profile of the Society. Initially, a thorough literature review was conducted so that to understand the discipline of archive science and its digital counterpart and get a comprehensive view of the subject.
The aim of the research is to evaluate the MIAS digital archive in terms of quality of descriptive information, design, and user accessibility. A survey research method was used in the research and hence five London-based archivists have been interviewed from several institutions. In addition to the interviews, the research has been augmented by an online questionnaire and was deployed in particular to target members of the MIAS digital archive, but also the opinion of non-members was welcomed. The collected data was from the user-experience in relation to the effectiveness, ease of accessibility and usability of the digital archive. The questionnaire was distributed on the Society's website and other social media sites.
In conclusion, it was apparent the MIAS Society did not explore the use of social media and online technologies to raise the profile of the Society, and therefore it put in recommendations to them that in order to expand their digital archives, they will need to acquire such technologies. The Society also did not follow the general international archival description which is the framework for archival record guidelines. Some recommendations were put forward in relation to other aspects that affect the usability of online digital archives.
description: MIAS based in Oxford, England, took an initiative to collect Ibn 'Arabi's rare works and manuscripts through several digitisation projects to preserve the collections for future generations; and at a later stage the MIAS digital archive was formed to facilitate online access and encourage collaborative research and raise the profile of the Society. Initially, a thorough literature review was conducted so that to understand the discipline of archive science and its digital counterpart and get a comprehensive view of the subject. The aim of the research is to evaluate the MIAS digital archive in terms of quality of descriptive information, design, and user accessibility. A survey research method was used in the research and hence five London-based archivists have been interviewed from several institutions. In addition to the interviews, the research has been augmented by an online questionnaire and was deployed in particular to target members of the MIAS digital archive, but also the opinion of non-members was welcomed. The collected data was from the user-experience in relation to the effectiveness, ease of accessibility and usability of the digital archive. The questionnaire was distributed on the Society's website and other social media sites. In conclusion, it was apparent the MIAS Society did not explore the use of social media and online technologies to raise the profile of the Society, and therefore it put in recommendations to them that in order to expand their digital archives, they will need to acquire such technologies. The Society also did not follow the general international archival description which is the framework for archival record guidelines. Some recommendations were put forward in relation to other aspects that affect the usability of online digital archives.