I have chosen the broader topic of the Impact of technology on archives, as suggested by the ASA. As a School Archivist, we cover all GLAMR duties to some extent. The GLAMR sector is rich with complex, organisational, cultural and historical data. The digitisation age has seen these cultural organisations evolve from purely physical collecting institutions to custodians of vast digital data repositories. Through judicious and considered application, AI can potentially help unlock the potential of such collections. Collection digitisation and the unstoppable juggernaut of born-digital material have already blurred the lines in collection management and discovery as users look toward a single search interface. AI processes can enhance description, cataloguing, sentencing, discovery, and search to benefit access to collections. AI will necessitate a reevaluation of how we can work more effectively with both physical and digital collections, as well as how we can better organise and harness existing metadata to meet future standards and user single search preferences. In-depth participant interviews revealed that institutional AI engagement could be grouped into four broad categories: preparation, consideration, development, and active engagement. Australian GLAMR organisations recognise the potential for AI in collection management and discovery but share common concerns and restraints to adoption and use of AI however many are actively using, trialing, or considering AI use: Off-the-shelf products are being integrated into existing systems or tailored to meet specific needs, there is interest in customised AI tools. There is a definite appetite for collaboration between institutions and vendors. AI tools that can help extract more value from GLAMR collections will become commonplace, but clean, robust metadata is essential for this to be successful. The research emphasises that keeping humans in the loop will remain central to the process of AI application. This paper provides insight into the current state of key GLAMR institutions in their AI journey.

In 2023, the Australasian Digital Recordkeeping Initiative (ADRI) working group focused on a key project to research the blockers preventing agencies from transferring digital records. The group investigated agency experiences that hinder digital transfer and recommended actions to overcome these barriers. One significant blocker identified was agencies' low confidence in their ability to access and search their records after transfer. This finding aligned with outcomes from external consultations conducted by Queensland State Archives (QSA) during the design and development of its digital archiving service. These consultations aimed to co-design new functionality within ArchivesGateway - QSA's self-service portal enabling agencies to search, view, download their records, and initiate both physical and digital transfers. Instant access to digital records post-transfer emerged as a core user requirement. However, providing immediate access introduces complexities, particularly in balancing ease of access with information security. Ubiquitous access to all records by all users is neither practical nor desirable, especially given the sensitivity and varying security requirements of government information. To address this tension, QSA has implemented a range of system functionalities and business processes - extending beyond traditional restricted access periods - to provide granular access control for agency users. Digital records transferred to QSA are made visible to their controlling public authorities via ArchivesGateway. This includes access to both metadata and the record itself (or a digital surrogate of a physical record). The system empowers agencies to manage their users access directly, ensuring sensitive information accessible only to authorised users. Secure access is underpinned by the Principle of Least Privilege, enabled by Access Classification Labels, which enforce role-based permissions. This work emphasises the importance of user-centred design and robust access frameworks and outlines the critical need for strong security measures to safeguard sensitive data, mitigate risks, and support a secure, well-governed environment.

As a research assistant at Monash University in 2010, helping organise the Archives and Indigenous Human Rights Interdisciplinary Workshop, I was struck by Professor Sue McKemmish’s emphasis on the importance of influencing policymakers. This event sparked my curiosity about public policy—the formal decisions and strategies governments develop to address societal challenges (Althaus, Bridgman, & Davis, 2018)—and marked the beginning of my personal journey from archival theory into government public policy. This presentation reflects on that evolution and why I chose to work in public policy. Through this transition, I observed opportunities to enhance governance by integrating archival principles—accountability, transparency, authenticity, integrity, consent, and cultural sensitivity—into policy-making. My research into Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission records (Ghaddar, 2016) and Australian Royal Commission findings (Binskin, Bennett, & Macintosh, 2020) illustrates how the absence of archival thinking, particularly around consent and societal remembering, can create ethical and functional gaps. My independent research into Australian climate adaptation frameworks further highlights how Records Continuum thinking can strengthen intergenerational knowledge transfer, which is essential for climate resilience. Emerging ideas such as cultural humility, reparative description, and participatory archiving also offer valuable insights for building more robust policy frameworks. This presentation argues for bringing an “archival mind” to policy environments—embedding archival thinking into the creation of public policies, not merely managing the records they generate. Public policy can be made more resilient, ethical, and effective when informed by archival understandings of memory, evidence, rights, and time. References: Althaus, C., Bridgman, P., & Davis, G. (2018). The Australian policy handbook (6th ed.). Allen & Unwin. Binskin, M., Bennett, A., & Macintosh, A. (2020). Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements Report. Commonwealth of Australia. Ghaddar, J. J. (2016). The spectre in the archive: Truth, reconciliation, and Indigenous archival memory. Archivaria, 82, 3–26.

Archives have long been the stewards of history, preserving the stories and moments that shape our collective memory. Over the past 50 years, the archival profession has evolved significantly due to technological advancements, societal shifts, and a growing awareness of ethical responsibilities. This presentation will explore how archives have changed and their continued role in shaping our understanding of the world. It will begin with the digital transformation of archives, discussing how the move to digital has expanded access to archival materials while also presenting challenges related to data preservation, privacy, and the authenticity of records. The session will then address ethical and cultural considerations in archival practice, highlighting the importance of working with marginalized communities, such as Indigenous groups, to repatriate materials and ensure that archives are described from inclusive perspectives. Lastly, the presentation will focus on the social responsibility of archives, examining how archivists are actively amplifying marginalized voices and ensuring that the historical record is more inclusive. This presentation aims to explore the intersection of technology, ethics, and social responsibility in the future of archival practice, offering practical insights into how archivists can continue to navigate these challenges while shaping an accessible and equitable archival landscape for all.