Portuguese municipal archives are using Facebook to provide global access to regional and local information. A content analysis of 14 municipal archive Facebook pages over 20 months found that the number of likes ranged from 1,166 for the large city of Lisbon to 5,508 for a small town. The number of publications in that time ranged from 0 to over 100. Subjects of publications included general issues, availability of documents, digital objects, municipality-specific topics, and local history, culture and education. Comments on posts varied widely between archives. The conclusion is that archives play a vital role as living memories of local communities by sharing information online.

1. Global access to regional and local information
Portuguese municipal archives on Facebook
Ana Margarida Dias da Silva
University of Coimbra, Portugal
margaridadiasdasilva@gmail.com
Luísa Alvim
University of Évora, CIDEHUS, Portugal
mluisa.alvim@gmail.com
4th Annual International Conference on Library and Information
Science
24-27 July 2017, Athens, Greece
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2. Contents
@Municipal Archives
@Methodology
@Results/discussion
@Conclusions
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3. In Portugal the municipal archives are services of the municipal councils whose
functions are the management of information produced and received in the scope of
activities, the conservation and the preservation of information, and the incorporation
and safeguarding of extinct archives of diverse origin, promoting their communication
and diffusion.
@Municipal Archives
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4. Portuguese municipal archives with Facebook pages (September 2016)
Arquivo Municipal Arcos de Valdevez Arquivo Municipal Mogadouro
Arquivo Municipal Guimarães Arquivo Municipal Monção
Arquivo Municipal Lisboa Arquivo Municipal Oliveira de Azeméis
Arquivo Municipal Loulé Arquivo Municipal Ponte de Lima
Arquivo Municipal Loures Arquivo Municipal Torres Novas
Arquivo Municipal Mangualde Arquivo Histórico Municipal Valongo
Arquivo Municipal Melgaço Arquivo Municipal Vila Real
@ Methodology
14 municipal archives 4

5. Content Analysis Model / Facebook
Categories Indicators
1 Likes on the Facebook
page / September 2016
Nº
2 Publications / 20 months Nº
3 Identification of subjects
of publications
AG - Generalist issues (do not address local history issues).
ALDA - the availability of documents for the study of local history.
ALOD - providing links to digital objects in the archive.
ALA - subjects related to the file of each municipality. It includes cultural
activities and themes and conferences linked to archival professionals.
ALH - subjects are those of historical, cultural, gastronomic, artistic and
local personalities.
ALSE - educational services.
4 Comments in the
publications
Nº 5

6. @Results/discussion
Number of likes on the Facebook pages / Sep. 2016
14 municipal archives
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7. 1.166 Likes
Municipal Archive of Lisboa
(the capital and largest city of Portugal)
5.508 Likes
Municipal Archive of Valongo
(small town)
7

8. Number of publications on Facebook (20 months)
14 municipal archives 8

9. AG - Generalist issues (do
not address local history
issues).
ALDA - the availability of
documents for the study of
local history.
ALOD - providing links to
digital objects in the archive.
ALA - subjects related to the
file of each municipality. It
includes cultural activities
and themes and conferences
linked to archival
professionals.
ALH - subjects are those of
historical, cultural,
gastronomic, artistic and
local personalities.
ALSE - educational services.
Number of subject mentions in publications on Facebook (20 months)
14 municipal archives 9

10. Number of comments of the publications (20 months)
14 municipal archives 10

11. @Conclusions
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12. @Conclusions
The Archives are living
memories of the
community
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13. Thank you
Luísa Alvim
mluisa.alvim@gmail.com
facebook.com/luisa.alvim
twitter.com/Luisa_Alvim
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UID / HIS project / 00057 - POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007702