A study of the on-site users of the National Archives of Malta

Abstract

This study aimed to gather evidence about on-site users of the National Archives of Malta, and their perceptions and expectations on current facilities and services. To obtain such data, a questionnaire/survey was distributed to all users who were present at the three main repositories of the National Archives, namely; the Head Office in Rabat, the Banca Giuratale in Mdina, and the National Archives Gozo section. The survey/questionnaire was completed by a total of 46 users. Users were asked to give their opinions about on-site facilities and services, on-line resources, staff communication and efficiency, research environment, opening hours, reproduction fees etc. The outcomes from this survey are presented in detail, and are further compared with the findings from foreign surveys, such as the 'Survey of visitors to UK Archives'. From the findings it appears that archives are largely frequented by male users rather than female ones, however, compared to archive users in the UK, the percentage of male users at the National Archives of Malta is much greater. The findings from both surveys also reveal that archives are least frequented by the younger generation of users, that is those having between 16 and 25 years of age, and that the larger proportion of users are between 45 and 64 years of age. Some differences have been identified with regards to the reasons for visiting the archives, as family history research and personal leisure resulted to be the most popular reasons for visiting UK archives, while on the other hand, personal historical research and research for publication have resulted to be the most common among users of the National Archives of Malta.