The records on presidents have had a crucial meaning as legal and administrative evidences and historical data to our country that has adopted the presidential system since its establishment. The use of such records has been meaningful in terms of sec...
The records on presidents have had a crucial meaning as legal and administrative evidences and historical data to our country that has adopted the presidential system since its establishment. The use of such records has been meaningful in terms of securing the transparency and justice of policies and protecting people's rights to know.
The purpose of this study was to suggest the components of website contents in Presidential Archives that could be an effective method to cope appropriately with the demand of use for the records on presidents, to activate their use, to let people know its original function and to establish its status.
The analysis on laws and ordinances, literary studies and case studies were used as research methods. First, with regards to the analysis on laws and ordinances, this study analyzed the domestic and foreign laws related to presidents, looked closely into the concept, type and characteristics of the records on presidents and Presidential Archives and investigated the opening and public reading regulations for the records on presidents. Second, this study checked the importance of the records on presidents through literary studies and examined the methods of information services regarding the records on presidents, which have been considered public records. In addition, the study deduced the essential components of website that could be an effective method in the use of the records on presidents. Third, in terms of case studies, this study checked the summary of operation by examining the website of national archives and presidential collection services of portal services for national archives in our country. The case studies were also done focusing on the essential components of websites Presidential Archives deduced from 11 American presidential libraries and 1 project of presidential records abroad; furthermore, the study found out role models that could be sound references during the establishment of website models for Presidential Archives. In addition, the study summarized as additional components the service elements that have been commonly provided for the actual websites.
Through the said researches, it has been noted that the Internet services for the records on presidents in Korea and in the USA had the following characteristics. First, there were differences in the quantity and scope that could be used through the Internet between Korean and American records on presidents and American presidential libraries possessed the various and vast amount of records by theme, medium and form so that there were a wealth of records that the public could make access through the website. However, the quantity and type of records on presidents possessed by the national archives were not so many in Korea so that there were limitations in making access to data through the website and the public got informed that the records for presidents were possessed simply through the website.
Second, there were many differences in providing information regarding the presidents, the main subject of the records. In case of American presidential libraries, the documents, photos, letters, speeches, memoirs, news articles, spoken records, books and collection of museum-related objects with regards to the presidents from the birth to the death were appropriately utilized so that the public could find out the presidents through diverse menus and contents. However, our country has simply provided the profiles and brief chronology of presidents.
Third, American presidential libraries have been composed of various educational programs for children, students and teachers and have provided information through on- and off-line, while there have been no educational programs using the records on presidents in our country.
Fourth, both Korea and the USA have operated the exhibition programs through the online, but there were differences in terms of content. In American presidential libraries, the public could have detailed explanations and the links to the relevant materials while having diverse exhibitions by theme in permanent & planned exhibition and online-specific exhibition halls; on the contrary, our country has provided photos and brief explanation.
Fifth, our country had higher standards for user supporting services. In American presidential libraries, the user could acquire e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, pieces of advice and questions of the user via FAQ and information on inconvenience and they were given guide, help and sitemap for the menu. However, our country had Q&A board as well as the said menus so that they have accepted the opinions of users in an active manner. They received questions and answered them through the board and the evaluation on the satisfaction for the content of answers was also made.
By referring to these characteristics, the study classified the components of website contents for Presidential Archives into essential and supplementary elements as in the following.
As essential components of website for Presidential Archives, the following elements should be kept in mind. First, the operation and use of website for Presidential Archives have to be made thoroughly within judicial boundary by means of introducing the laws and ordinances related to the Internet services of the records on presidents and public records. Second, the access policy should be enacted with written principles or guideline and it should be posted on the website that enables the public to use the records on presidents systematically and effectively. Third, it is necessary to enhance the accessibility of the user, by providing the brief introduction on the records possessed and services provided at the Presidential Archives together with practical information such as the addresses, telephone numbers and locations of Presidential Archives. Fourth, it is needed to provide the public with the site of records possessed by providing the list, inventory, guide and index in the website, and to let the public have the service immediately through the Internet by digitalizing the original documents. Fifth, it is necessary to help the public use the records possessed and website of Presidential Archives with the aid of various search tools. Sixth, it is necessary to improve the interest and use for the records by formulating education and exhibition programs. Seventh, it is needed to form the content so as for the public to use not the content itself, but the content containing the records possessed and it is also needed to guide the public how to use it. Eighth, it is necessary to help the user understand information on presidents and their relevant figures. Ninth, it is necessary to enable the users to make comprehensive access to the themes of their interest, by providing the guide for records or information that the Presidential Archives did not possess. Lastly, it is necessary to enhance the qualitative level of Internet services by organizing the opinion collection system and to refer to it in developing new services.
The supplemental components should be as in the following. First, it is necessary to let the public use the website conveniently by providing the user with the guide for website menu and sitemap. Second, it is necessary to attract the attention of various types of people by establishing the record collection of specific themes and figures even if they may not be directly related to the presidents in question. Third, when considering the characteristics of website as 'beyond time and space', it is necessary to consider the foreign language versions in preparation for the access from abroad. Fourth, it is necessary to enhance the user class of the website through children-specific webpage and to expand the educational functions. Fifth, it is necessary to strengthen the tourism function of Presidential Archives by consisting of online souvenir shops.