In 2017, the Archives of Ontario conducted a public Customer Service survey to evaluate overall customer satisfaction. Over 500 responses were received. I just came across a summary of the result on the Archives website — it may have been posted for some while.
Overall, customer satisfaction ranked very high with 85% of respondents satisfied with the service. Not reported is how that broke down between those accessing service on site and elsewhere or online.
Increased digital content online was identified as an opportunity for improvement with 45% of respondents aiming to access records online. 80% of respondents rely on the website and online databases when searching for records.
AO accepted that clients want increased digital content online, especially for popular archival records.
AO point out that they have successfully completed another annual release of marriage and death records online through Ancestry.ca. Access to over 50 previously inaccessible sound and moving image records has been made available through YouTube. Also a review of services to determine ways of improving customer access is underway.
AO evidently is proceeding very cautiously toward providing access to popular archival records online.
Long time readers may recall the results of a survey on this blog last November. The results from 384 responses were:
In general are you in favour of greater online availability of Ontario records of genealogical interest?
YES - 99.2 per cent; MAYBE: 0.3 per cent; NO - 0.5 per cent
Do you favour the Ontario Genealogical Society advocating for online availability of Ontario materials of genealogical interest?
YES - 98.2 per cent; MAYBE - 0.8 percent; NO - 1 per cent
Specifically, do you favour Ontario probate indexes presently available on microfilm being made available online?
YES - 98.2 per cent; MAYBE - 1.6 percent; NO - 0 per cent
Specifically do you favour all Ontario probate documents presently available on microfilm being made available online?
YES - 94.5 per cent; MAYBE - 5 percent; NO - 0.2 per cent
Specifically, would you favour the Ontario Genealogical Society advocating for online availability of Ontario probate records now available on microfilm?
YES - 95.5 per cent; MAYBE - 3.4 percent; NO - 1 per cent
Would you accept Ontario probate indexes and documents being exclusively available online for a limited time, after which they would become freely available, through a commercial arrangement, such as with Ancestry, Findmypast or MyHeritage, in order to fund online availability and as long as the existing availability through microfilm was retained?
YES - 70.9 per cent; MAYBE - 21.7 percent; NO - 7.3 per cent
AO does not appear to have taken any action regarding probate records. I'm unaware if OGS did anything — I'd hope so as Advocacy is one of the three core reasons OGS gives for membership. Provided a draft of this post for comment OGS responded "the Society is listening and open to opportunities with partners to further genealogical research in Ontario."
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