Guest Author: Kathy Couturier, Cultural Resource Manager/Archaeologist
tDAR is used by Avon Park Air Force Range (APAFR) as a safe place to store digital documents, images, and other data outside of the cumbersome Department of Defense (DoD) IT system. When we have new contracts at APAFR we have to send them our past survey work (34 years) which is impossible using the DoD system. Giving a contractor access to our records, all in one spot, is convenient, safe and easy for both APAFR and the CRM firm doing the investigation for us parties.
Another advantage of using tDAR is as a back-up system for the DoD system. If my records are wiped out for whatever reason, I can go to tDAR and pull my records for a fresh start with very little effort.
And finally, one of the key advantages of tDAR is other archaeologists can get a glimpse of the research going on at this facility, and request access. We have 34 years of survey work which is not available to the general public, but could be a great asset to other professionals and professional institutions. Without tDAR archives they might not be aware this work was even done.