National archives institutions during turbulent times : the case of Covid-19

Abstract

This chapter examines the reaction of national archival institutions during turbulent times. Do such phases inspire institutions to transform themselves into active participants for social change, or do they often end up shying away as passive observers? The examination analysed the literature on the topic and built on it through organisational observation. The chapter focuses on COVID-19 and its impacts on national archival institutions in Denmark and Malta. There are indications that archival institutions reacted differently during the pandemic. In some cases, the institutions took a break from uninterrupted contact with the public and used the time and resources for much-needed, and often overdue, housekeeping and stocktaking. Others took the opportunity to interact more with the public and tap into new audiences. New outreach approaches were dependent on the availability of technology. The research undertaken for the study is at a preliminary stage but has the potential to pave the way in the future for more in-depth analysis of the changes occurring in underlying attitudes and perspectives of archives institutions.