Principles for Independent Archives

Goals for an independent archive

Reduce the cost of using and acting on the evidence in the archive. Engage new people in the records. Preserve access to the evidence for as long as possible in as many ways as possible.

1. Use open standards

2. Think long term

3. Stay small, let others create meta-collections

4. Strive for universal accessibility, be accessible by default

5. Store the original record, present its essense over its resolution

6. Work together

7. Be wary of other people’s ideas

Google

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Ten things we know to be true

1. Focus on the user and all else will follow.

2. It’s best to do one thing really, really well.

3. Fast is better than slow.

4. Democracy on the web works.

5. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.

6. You can make money without doing evil.