Message to Readers

The following excerpt was taken from a blog post I published on The DIGITAL Archive, my other blog. It discusses the future of Archives*Open in light of recent changes in my professional life.

When I launched Archives*Open back in early December, I was inspired and energized and greatly encouraged by the positive feedback and comments.

Today, I still feel inspired and energized. But now, with a new job starting imminently, I wonder if I can honestly maintain energy levels.

I hate to see a bright idea dim.

So in an effort to keep things moving I am making Archives*Open more, well, open, leveraging tools, technologies and services that are freely available on the Web to push content to the blog - with some editorial assistance on my part.

For example, I have started using a Twitter service called Twitterfeed, which takes RSS feeds (title and description fields only) and tweets them to a Twitter account. Regarding the Archives*Open twitter feed (@archivesopen), I am creating search parameters that encompass archives, access and Web 2.0 and saving them as RSS feeds and then running them through Twitterfeed to the @archivesopen Twitter account.

I have done something similar with Delicious, the social bookmarking service. Every time I find a website that fits 'the Web 2.0/innovative access to archival materials' classification, I tag it with "archivesopen" (no quotation marks, natch) and in time the bookmark (short blurb and URL) will be tweeted.

You can join in as well.

If you have a Delicious account, you can tag websites with "archivesopen." Fingers crossed, the bookmark will be tweeted via the Archives*Open Twitter feed.

As I reaffirm here, I am still invigorated by both the concept and mission behind the blog as well as by the positive feedback and contributions received from readers. Giving Access to the Masses is still the goal.

By using current and emerging Web technologies to raise public awareness, educate, and provide improved and enhanced public access to archives and archival materials, I firmly believe we can inspire people, giving them the means to fully appreciate archives and even partake in the profession as "citizen archivists," as Rory Litwin writes in his book review of Richard J. Cox's latest book. And, perhaps, in so doing, even uplift our own spirits. Archives are not about old dusty long-forgotten things; they are stories that recount the past, frame our present, and possess our futures.

This is not the end of Archives*Open, but rather a re-structuring of forthcoming plans, including the amount of time I will dedicate to the blog. Thank you all for reading, following, and contributing to Archives*Open. Stay tuned. There's more to come.

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Call for Student Papers: ACA Conference 2009

From Arcan-L, posted on January 12, 2009, by Duncan Grant. A call for student papers for the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) Conference 2009 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. "Submissions relating to the conference theme, 'Rights, Responsibilities, Trust: Archives and Public Affairs,' are encouraged, though proposals on other archival topics will also be considered."

Although the ACA Conference 2009 has a theme, other proposals will still be considered. Perhaps a good time to talk about Archives, Access and Web 2.0!

Complete call for student papers below:

Attention Archival Students,

Call for Student Proposals – ACA Conference 2009

New Ideas, New Voices: The Student Session

Calgary, Alberta - May 17-19, 2009

 

Are you an archival studies student with an idea that you want to share with the archival community?  Are you researching a paper and would like to take it to the next stage?  Are you honing your public speaking skills, and looking for ways to enhance your CV?  The ACA 2009 Program Committee wants to hear from you!!

 

Proposals are now being accepted for the ACA Conference’s annual student session. Submissions relating to the conference theme, “Rights, Responsibilities, Trust: Archives and Public Affairs,” are encouraged, though proposals on other archival topics will also be considered. For more information about the conference theme, see the ACA conference website. All individuals who are presently enrolled in or will graduate from a Canadian archival studies program in the 2008-09 academic year are eligible to apply. 

 

The student session, “New Ideas, New Voices,” will be held on Friday, May 15th, 2009 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm.  Three student papers (15 to 20 minutes each) will be selected by the Program Committee, each by a student from a different institution.

 

Thanks to the Association of Canadian Archivists Foundation (ACAF), the selected participants will receive a bursary which covers the cost of the registration fees as well as some assistance for the travel and accommodation expenses, through their schools. Students who meet the eligibility criteria (e.g. ACA member, Canadian, travel originating in Canada), may also apply for a travel subsidy through the ACA’s SSHRC travel fund, while the completed SSHRC travel form must be submitted directly to the ACA office.

 

Please include the following in your submission:

- Your name, telephone number, postal address, and email address

- Name and address of the school/program that you attend

- Title and abstract of your paper (max. 250 words)

- A one-sentence statement indicating your commitment to attend the 2009 ACA Conference and to deliver your paper in person if selected by the Committee

 

The deadline for submissions is January 25, 2009.

 

Questions and submissions should be sent to Crista Bradley, ACA 2009 Conference Program Committee, at crista.bradley@uregina.ca.

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"Old Stuff, New Tricks.." A Web 2.0 Presentation You Need to See

Slides from a presentation at the 2009 American Association for History and Computing (AAHC) an affiliate at the American Historical Association (AHA) meeting by Jean Root Green, Jessica Lacher-Feldman, Mark Matienzo, and Amy Schindler.

Old Stuff, New Tricks: How Archivists Are Making Special Collections Even More Special Using Web 2.0 Technologies

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: networking social)

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Around the Web - January 8, 2009

This week on Around the Web, I am highlighting several Web 2.0 archival projects that I found or were forwarded to me over the holidays.

Wiki

Russell James, who blogs over at Records Junkie, submitted his wiki, History of Archives, Recordkeeping, and Records. A wiki (the word, by the way, is Hawaiian for fast) is an online collaborative work space where registered (or unregistered) members contribute content and build an evolving resource on one or several topics. In most cases, the wiki's interface is similar to a Microsoft Word document or a WYSIWYG ("what-you-see-is-what-you-get) HTML editor, so the learning curve for most users is minimal. The goal of a wiki is to foster collaboration among individuals and/or experts in a field. Very useful.

Waco

A reader sent an email to the SAA listserv, which he also directed to my attention, about a project called Ashes of Waco. It is a blog about the standoff between the US Government and the Branch Davidians, an end time cult, and its tragic ending. The blog effectively provides incredible detail and insight into what took place on that event. In the project's own words:

A blog about the digitization and online presentation of archival materials in Dick J. Reavis Papers that are related to his book, The Ashes of Wace: An Investigation, about the 1993 raid, siege, and burning of the Mt. Carmel Center near Waco, Texas.

Archief 2.0 / Archives 2.0 Dutch-Style

Dutch Archivist Christian van der Ven, who has been feeding Archives*Open a steady and healthy diet of Web 2.0 ideas, projects and initiatives occurring in his native Netherlands, forwarded me information on a social networking, content aggregating, and collaborative work space called Archief 2.0 (Archives 2.0), which he and his fellow colleagues have been using to start discussions, share comments, information and thoughts on Archives 2.0.

They use a free service called Ning. One caveat, though: While the service is English, the Archief 2.0 site is in Dutch. However, even a simple scan of the site by non-Dutch readers clearly indicates that Christian and his colleagues have been building a large volume of content on a very relevant topic to readers of this blog.

Another Dutch reader, Thijs van Exel, alerted me to a preservation, digitization and access project called Images for the Future (IFTF), which is a joint venture of six participating consortium parties, among which the National Archive and Kennisland | Knowledgeland are members. The website is in Dutch and English. According to the website:

The aim of this project is to open up the wealth of 20th century audio and visual material that has been stored in the archives of the parties concerned. If nothing is done about it, this material will be lost forever. In this project the material will be restored, preserved, digitalised and made available. A total of 137.200 hours of video, 22.501 hours of film, 123.900 hours of audio and 2,9 million photos is involved.

This project is reminiscent of another on-going project by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), which is endeavouring to digitize and make accessible to the public via the Web the Board's large vault of animation, documentaries and feature films. More information on this project is available at The DIGITAL Archive, where I wrote a review of the website.

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Around the Web is a community-driven series of blog posts. It serves as a platform where archivists and others in related fields submit information about archival projects that are using Web technologies, such as Web 2.0, in innovative ways. It also servces as a platform where archivists and others express opinions and comments on Web 2.0 in the archives field. Let's generate some useful discussion. Leave a comment or send Archives*Open an email (archives.open@gmail.com)

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New Year's Greetings from Archives*Open

The year 2009 starts and so resumes Archives*Open.

Over the holidays (which I hope you all enjoyed), I must admit I had very few opportunities to write or even draft any new blog posts. But, thankfully, I received a handful of interesting ideas from readers, ranging from content suggestions to community-building initiatives.

One suggestion was to create an online community on LinkedIn, which is a professional social networking website similar to the hugely popular Facebook but more focused on professionals connecting with other professionals. Registration is free, fast and simple; but, best of all, there are real opportunities to connect with others in your field.

For example, I opened a LinkedIn account a few months ago and have been adding new content, such as profile information, previous work experience and recommendations, and connecting with former colleagues as well as people who I have met online.

So, after some thought and preparation, I decided to start a LinkedIn Group called the Archives*Open Network. It is open to anyone interested in what Archives*Open is doing: Using Web technologies, current and emerging, to further improve and enhance public access to archival materials.

But more than attaining that supreme goal, I believe that in joining the Archives*Open Network, there will be many opportunities for members to share ideas on the discussion board and for members to connect with other members. Sounds like a good deal. Readers connecting with other readers.

Ready to join? Want to learn more? Visit LinkedIn and also visit the Archives*Open Network.

Upwards and onwards!

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