Archival collections for the people? Using survey experiments to understand public opinions regarding archival services

Purpose The purpose of this study is to inform special collections and archives professionals about the perceptions and needs of a previously understudied group – members of the general public who are not already actively using archives and special collections. Survey methods are used to capture societal values and public expectations about archival outreach, processing metrics and care for culturally sensitive materials. Design/methodology/approach A survey was utilized to quantify public senti