Launching your new university or school digital archive

Preserving and sharing the history of educational institutions has never been more important. Digital archives offer a modern solution to ensure these records (and memories) are accessible to everyone, from current students to alumni spread across the globe.

This article aims to provide archivists, alumni engagement professionals, and development/advancement teams with a comprehensive guide to successfully launching a digital archive, emphasising strategies to promote engagement and community building.

Benefits of a Digital Archive

A digital archive offers numerous benefits that make it an indispensable tool for modern educational institutions:

1. Accessibility

One of the greatest strengths of a digital archive is its accessibility. Unlike physical archives that require people to be on-site, digital archives can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. This global accessibility is particularly valuable for alumni and researchers who may not be able to visit your school or university in person.

2. Engagement

Many digital archiving platforms come equipped with tools that facilitate user engagement. Features like commenting, social media sharing, automated facial recognition, and user contributions can turn a passive browsing experience into an interactive one.

3. Preservation

Physical documents and media are susceptible to deterioration over time. Digital archives ensure that these materials are preserved in high-quality formats that can withstand the test of time. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of historical records.

4. Community Building

Digital archives serve as a living repository of your institution’s history, fostering a sense of continuity and belonging among current students, faculty, and alumni. They provide a platform for sharing stories and experiences, thereby strengthening the community. With platforms (such as SocialArchive) also including features such as in-built communication tools, and database management, your digital archive platform can also be used as a single central platform to track, manage, and communicate with your audience.

Planning Your Digital Archive Launch

A successful digital archive launch starts with meticulous planning. Key steps include:

1. Setting Clear Goals

Define the objectives of your digital archive. Are you primarily focused on preserving historical documents, enhancing alumni engagement, providing research resources, or a combination of these goals? Clear goals will guide your decisions throughout the process.

2. Identifying Your Target Audience

Understand who your archive will serve. This might include alumni, current students, faculty, researchers, and even the local community. Tailoring your archive to meet the needs and interests of these groups will enhance its relevance and usability.

3. Choosing the Right Platform

Selecting a digital archive platform is a critical decision. Look for platforms that offer user-friendly interfaces, robust search functionalities, scalability, and integrated engagement tools. (We discuss this in more depth here). Consider platforms that support multimedia formats to ensure you can archive documents, photographs, videos, audio and more.

Pre-Launch Preparations

Firstly, ensure you have tested the content and implemented security measures. This could include 2-factor authentication and redaction features to protect sensitive information.

Before the official launch. conduct a soft launch to refine your approach: A soft launch involves releasing the digital archive to a limited audience, such as faculty members, a select group of alumni, or a focus group. This phase allows you to test the functionality of the archive, gather initial user feedback, and make necessary adjustments before the full launch.

Collect feedback on user experience, ease of navigation, and any technical issues. Use this information to make improvements and ensure that the archive is user-friendly and fully functional.

Effective Launch Strategies

Utilise a variety of channels and methods to ensure a successful launch:

1. Webinars

Host live or pre-recorded webinars to showcase the digital archive’s features, demonstrate how to use it, and answer questions from participants. Webinars can help generate excitement and provide a platform for direct engagement with potential users.

2.  Newsletters/Email

Utilise your existing databases to communicate information about the digital archive, its launch, and how your community can get involved.

3. Events

Organise launch events to celebrate the unveiling of the digital archive. These events can be held at your school or university, or even virtually. You could include:

• Speeches from notable alumni and historians

• Live demonstrations of the archive

• Alumni discussing their own personal memories from school,

• Interactive sessions where attendees can explore the archive.

• Scavenger hunts

• Interactive timeline exploration activities

• Screening of significant moments from within the archive

• A showcase of student projects

• A showcase of contributions to the archive from alumni

Alternatively. elements of this could instead be incorporated into an event you already have scheduled, this can be fantastic if you already have alumni on-site with you.

4. Social Media

Create a social media campaign to generate buzz around the launch. Use platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram to share teasers, behind-the-scenes content, and countdowns. Encourage followers to share their own stories and memories related to the institution.

5. Flyers

Design and distribute visually appealing flyers to your community. These could be distributed on notice boards across your school or university, sent via the post (perhaps alongside your annual alumni magazine), at alumni gatherings, or even in local libraries or community centers (if your goal is to promote the archive to your local community).

6.  Press Releases

Consider sending a press release to local media and educational publications

Post-Launch Activities

1. Content Updates

Regularly add new materials to the archive. Remembering that the material of today becomes the archive of tomorrow! Continue to encourage contributions from students, staff, and alumni.

2. Continuous Promotion

Regularly update the community about new additions to the archive, upcoming events, and ways to get involved. Use newsletters, social media, and updates on the institution’s website to keep the archive in the public eye.

If you’re a SocialArchive customer, you should use the in-built communication tools to communicate with users when new photos of them are added to the archive, or when there are new comments on archival material they may have previously interacted with.

3. Community Engagement

Foster a sense of ownership and community by encouraging users to contribute their own content, such as photos, documents, and personal stories. Highlight user contributions in newsletters and social media posts to show appreciation and encourage further participation.

4. Feedback Mechanisms

Implement systems for ongoing feedback to continuously improve the archive. Regularly survey users to understand their experiences and gather suggestions for enhancements. Use analytics to track usage patterns and identify areas for improvement.

Launching a digital archive is a significant project that requires careful planning and execution. By leveraging various promotional strategies and maintaining ongoing engagement, you can create a valuable resource that preserves your history and fosters a vibrant community. Start planning your digital archive launch today to unlock its full potential and enrich your institution for years to come.

SocialArchive® is a user-friendly digital platform for the education sector, purpose built for you to turn your history into a powerful way to connect to, manage, and drive engagement with, your alumni. If you would like to discuss your digital archive project with us, please do not hesitate to contact us or book a demo to find out more.