Despite their high utility, aerial photographic records have received relatively little attention in archival science, even though they function as dynamic records whose meanings are reconstructed by citizens. Accordingly, this study aims to examine t...
Despite their high utility, aerial photographic records have received relatively little attention in archival science, even though they function as dynamic records whose meanings are reconstructed by citizens. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the process by which aerial photographic records, produced for administrative and military purposes, are transformed from "spatial records" into "place records" through interaction with users. While the spaces captured in aerial photographs originate as objective information for land management and military operations, they acquire the significance of a "place" —representing the lived environment—when integrated with citizens' memories.
To analyze this transformation of meaning, the study first establishes the archival characteristics of aerial photographic records based on theories of space and place. Second, it analyzes patterns of reconstruction of meaning by examining cases of citizen use in administrative and military contexts. Third, through in-depth interviews with planners and researchers, it derives specific utilization values. Finally, the study proposes directions for incorporating the unique characteristics of aerial photographic records into future archival reference services. Ultimately, this research seeks to expand institutional and academic interest in visual archival records that reproduce the lives and memories of diverse subjects.