title: Building digital collections at the OAC: current strategies with a view to future uses
abstract: Providing a context for the exploration of user defined virtual collections, the article describes the history and recent development of the Online Archive of California (OAC). Stating that usability and user needs are primary factors in digital resource development, issues explored include collaborations to build digital collections, reliance upon professional standards for description and encoding, system architecture, interface design, the need for user tools, and the role of archivists as interpreters in the digital environment
keyphrases: digital collections OAC future uses user defined virtual collections history Online Archive of California user needs digital resource professional standards system architecture interface design user tools digital environment Encoded Archival Description archival descriptive standards metadata standards best practices user studies