The solution isn’t for each institution to try to do more alone. It’s to do the work together.

Because the truth is, many of us are already holding pieces of the same puzzle. One organization has birth records. Another has local newspapers. Another has yearbooks, photographs, city directories, or meeting minutes. Alone, these materials give people fragments of their story. Together, they tell it fully and freely.

When institutions partner, they stop duplicating efforts and start expanding reach. Strategic partnerships can unify how materials are shared and accessed. That means broader visibility, deeper context, and better outcomes for the communities they serve. And it means public access that reflects the full picture—not just what’s available in one building or one collection.

Access Is a Collective Responsibility

This kind of collaboration isn’t just efficient. It’s powerful. It sends a message that historical access isn’t a competition or a branding exercise—it’s a collective responsibility. It creates resilience. When one organization faces cuts or controversy, a partner network can help carry the work forward.

It also opens the door to shared platforms where materials from different organizations can live side by side. Because the public doesn’t care which institution owns which collection. They care whether they can find what they’re looking for. They care whether the system is intuitive, searchable, and actually usable. And they care that the records are available to them.

That’s what partnership makes possible: a holistic, inclusive, accessible version of history that no single institution could build alone.

And they’re especially vital for institutions in under-resourced or rural areas, where solo efforts often hit a wall. When larger or better-funded peers step up to collaborate—sharing platforms, technical expertise, or just advice—they help build a stronger access ecosystem for everyone.

Because this is access work, not ownership work. And that goes beyond institutions—this applies to educators, business leaders, neighbors, surrounding towns, underserved communities, and the providers who help connect it all.

But it starts here. With mission-aligned institutions recognizing that they’re not just preserving history. They’re promoting democracy. And they’re stronger when they do it side by side.