Everybody in the TARDIS (Teams of Archival Research Data Information Specialists)

Why bring Doctor Who and the TARDIS into a panel discussion about data in archives? One, because it’s fun, and two, because this is a story about time travel, collaboration, and rescue. For decades, the Doctor has been traveling through time to perform quirky and creative rescue missions. Like historical datasets, each adventure presents unique challenges, but one thing remains constant: the Doctor works best with others, and the same is true of historical data rescue, which requires expertise in archives, data, and the related subject matter. Discovering usable, historical data in an archives can feel as delightful and magical as the best episodes of Doctor Who. It can also be as tedious and frustrating as the worst episodes, but like all good science fiction, even the worst bits pose illuminating questions.