User-Generated Content in Archival Practice: A Case Study of Participatory Approaches at the National Archives of Hungary

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of User-Generated Content (UGC) practices at the National Archives of Hungary, focusing on participatory approaches that actively involve citizens in archival processes.

Methodology: The study identifies and analyses three main domains of user contribution. First, it examines the role of volunteers in database construction, highlighting how civic participants contribute to the processing, transcription, and structuring of archival data. Second, it explores community-based acquisition practices, including thematic collection days and outreach initiatives through which individuals donate private documents - such as diaries and correspondence - for long-term preservation. Third, the paper investigates user contributions in the form of comments associated with digitized archival materials, through which users provide additional contextual information and assist in the identification of persons, places, and events.

Results: The paper demonstrates how these forms of engagement extend traditional archival functions by integrating lay knowledge into institutional workflows. Particular attention is paid to the impact of user contributions on metadata enrichment, accessibility, and the interpretative potential of archival records.

Conclusions/findings: The findings suggest that UGC-based practices significantly enhance the scope and depth of archival collections while fostering a more participatory and inclusive archival culture. At the same time, they raise important challenges related to data reliability, quality control, and the incorporation of user-generated inputs into professional archival standards. By outlining these three domains, the paper contributes to broader discussions on participatory archives and the evolving role of users as co-creators of cultural heritage.