Users’ perceptions of services at the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA)

Abstract

The National Archives and Records Service of South Africa is the central archival repository in the Republic of South Africa. Currently, the services offered by the Archives are underutilised and this is evident from the dwindling number of users that come to do research at the Archives. For the purpose of this article, the researchers investigated the reasons behind the decrease in users and, in order to ensure that the archival services remain relevant, proposed possible interventions aimed at improving the use of the Archives. A qualitative research method and case study research design were applied. Six experienced users were chosen using purposive sampling. The investigation revealed a list of factors that could be deterrents to visitors to the Archives and suggested possible solutions that could assist in improving the services offered. Overall, the study recommends a need to review strategies on the recruitment and selection of staff, staff retention, conservation and marketing in order to remain relevant in the Information Age.