Abstract:

On 13 March 2020, a state of emergency was declared in Bulgaria for a period of one month, which on 3 April was extended to 13 May 2020. Later, an emergency epidemic situation has been declared since 14 May and is still ongoing as of 30 November 2021. This caused changes in all sectors and put the scientific, educational, and cultural institutions in Bulgaria to an extreme trial.

In a time of global crisis, the decisions that are made regarding the activities of memory institutions are extremely important. Each country imposed certain restrictions in different periods, depending on the level of morbidity.

Human health is a priority, and all restrictions are aimed at this direction. According to the analysis of the practices applied all over the world, the institutions are being closed for a certain period, after which limited on-site access is allowed with emphasis on remote access services. It took time to adapt some of the services in the archives too, to introduce rules on how to disinfect the documents, to find working mechanisms that meet the interests of all parties involved in different processes.

The purpose of the report is to reflect elements of the activities of major archival institutions in the country during the pandemic. It provides examples from the activity of the Archives State Agency (ASA), the Bulgarian Historical Archives (BHA) at the National Library “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” (NLCM) and the Scientific Archives (SA) of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS). The activities of these institutions in such unforeseen situation also reflect their level of development and readiness to adapt to alternative solutions. The measures taken in each of these institutions are reviewed, and their activities in their official websites and social networks are monitored.

This brief study may be of interest to the academic and professional archival community, as well as to students and practitioners in the field. Limitations on the scope of the report include the small size of the sample, as well as focusing on some of the archival institutions in Bulgaria. Further studies could expand the size of the study, diversify the focus, and extend the time frame.

Such research provides insight on the temporary situation and established strategies for dealing with the consequences of the crisis and the imposed changes in the archival institutions in the country. They are part of the international archival sector, and it is important to follow their initial and subsequent actions. As more analyses and discussions on the activities of the institutions of memory take place, this will lead to more solutions, applicable at national and international level.

The initial measures taken are the basis on which we can consolidate, build on, expand, and analyse approaches to the pandemic, which as of the end of 2021 remains an international problem.

The analysis of the situation in Bulgaria again highlights the need for active creation of more digital migration of services, creation of information portals, information systems, etc., which will provide an opportunity to work in an online environment in atypical situations.

Keywords:

Archives, COVID-19 pandemic, Bulgaria, strategies.