Implementing ArchivesSpace at Arizona State University

Abstract

Arizona State University Libraries became charter members of ArchivesSpace, an ‘open source archives information management application for managing and providing web access to archives, manuscripts and digital objects’, in early 2013. This case study discusses the Libraries’ migration of its Archives and Special Collections (ASC) from Microsoft Access, Archivists’ Toolkit and FileMaker Pro to ArchivesSpace, between late 2013 and late 2015. It briefly summarises ArchivesSpace’s development and capabilities, describes ASC’s data management systems at the time of the migration, discusses local factors affecting migration and implementation, details ASC’s transition to ArchivesSpace, analyses the positive and negative results of migration, compares ASC’s experience to that of other organisations utilising the software, and reflects on the ‘lessons learned’ during the migration process.