n. (also dim archive)a repository that stores digital archival and published resources but provides only limited access, or the records stored in such a repositoryCRL 2004“Dim” archives are materials that similarly are preserved under ideal climate control and security conditions, but are available for limited use under specified circumstances.Kenney et al. 2006, 56In a world of dim archives, the three key questions are who can have access to preserved content, how they can have access, and when they can have access.Hoorens et al. 2007, 14In such cases, limited user-based or role-based administrative access may be granted; in other cases, selected users may be granted access to selected materials in an archive under restricted conditions (for example, on library premises). In such cases a repository may be referred to as a ‘dim’ archive. Conversely, repositories that provide full access are referred to as ‘light’ or ‘open’ archives.Skinner and Schultz 2010, 53A DDP network may be an open archive, or it may reside somewhere on the spectrum from dim to dark archive. That is, it may be open to only the contributors’ servers for ingesting (dark archive); it may be open to specified users, such as the contributing institutions’ communities (dim archive); or it may provide unrestricted access (open archive).CDL 2020bDim Archive ¶ An archive that is inaccessible to the public, but that can easily be made accessible if required. It’s typically used for the preservation of content that is accessible elsewhere. See also dark archive, light archive.
Notes
This term appears in two forms, one with archive at its end and one with archives. From the evidence in the literature, archive appears to be used in cases where the repository is the subject of discussion, and archives appears when the focus is the records themselves.
