> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.information-architecture.world/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.information-architecture.world/content-collection/collections/world-ia-day-2022/museum-archives-and-ia-jon-kendle-wiad22-akron.md). # Museum Archives and IA - Jon Kendle - WIAD22 Akron Jon Kendle discusses digitization and archival projects at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. {% embed url="" %} [Watch on YouTube](https://youtu.be/kEfDwxTDadU) ## Museum Archives and IA * **Presenter**: Jon Kendle * **Event:** World IA Day 2022, Akron * **Published:** March 5, 2022, 9:15 a.m. * **Duration:** 35 minutes * **Format:** Interview * **Language:** English * **Original audio:** English * **Topic:** Information architecture *** ### Summary In this video, Carrianne Tuckley interviews **John Kendall**, Vice President of Archives, Education and Football Information at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He discusses his role managing the archives, the Hall's digitization efforts, and a major project to build a searchable digital archive tied to the Centennial Plaza player pylons. The interview explores how this work relates to information architecture, the practice of organizing information so people can find and use it. **Key topics covered:** * **His role and the organization**: The Hall is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (not owned by the NFL) with about 50 full-time staff, and it's an accredited museum through the American Alliance of Museums — a distinction held by only a small percentage of U.S. museums. * **The collection**: Over 40 million pages of documents and 6 million photographic images covering players, coaches, and contributors since 1920. Only under 1% is on display due to space and preservation limits. * **The demographic database**: For the NFL's 100th season, Kendall's team built a database of every player who played one regular-season snap since 1920 — roughly 26,474 names — because the NFL itself lacked robust records before the 1970s. It has \~30 fields per player (name variants, height/weight, birth/death places, teams, colleges, high schools) plus unique IDs, and grows by 400–450 players annually. * **Centennial Plaza**: A \~$12 million downtown Canton plaza featuring 11 illuminated pylons listing those player names. Former players reaching out to say how much that recognition meant to them inspired Kendall to expand the concept. * **Digitization strategy**: Started with microfilm/microfiche, then born-digital files, then photos, then media guide player bios (e.g., a 1937 Green Bay Packers guide). His stated priority: metadata tagging and a digital asset management system matter more than scanning — otherwise assets are "as useless as a piece of paper in a folder in a box... locked behind two doors." * **The vision**: Through the Hall's app and AR at Centennial Plaza, you'd look up any player and see their personal archive page — photos, bio scans, clippings, letters, interviews, and eventually 3D-scanned artifacts like helmets and jerseys. They're working with Digisoft, a cultural-institution tech firm based in Cork, Ireland. * **Challenges**: Funding (centennial budget reallocated during the pandemic), scanner limitations including no 3D scanner yet, and staffing — offset by about 10 long-term volunteers handling data entry and scanning. * **Career advocacy**: Kendall emphasizes the field's breadth and crossover into IT (about half his time), noting archivists are needed well beyond museums — he cites a country club executive and insurance companies as examples. His 14-year-old son chose "what is an archivist" as a speech topic. He also shares practical advice for people entering the field: start small with what works well rather than dumping everything into a search system, since frustrated users don't come back. ### Transcript No transcript is available. ### Part of collections * World IA Day 2022 * Information architecture {% hint style="info" %} **Help us improve** Help us improve the website by reporting errors, missing information, or technical problems. Report an issue {% endhint %}