Comments on: Creating Two Totally Excellent HISTORY Websites: University Desegregation Anniversary (& US Largest Slave Revolt)

By: Laura Rosanne Adderley

Laura Rosanne Adderley — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:45:23 +0000

Thanks Michael. I actually think the most critical collaboration thing I learned here was trying to find some Tulane Library partners. We have an archivist partner from the Nadine Vorhoff Library, but it’s been more in a general advice capacity as opposed to thinking about putting archival material on the website as a joint project. That is the archivist has been like all of us, simply a member of the committee as opposed to thinking about a working partner for actually making the work happen.

By: Michael Mizell-Nelson

Michael Mizell-Nelson — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:22:38 +0000

Hi Rosanne, I noticed that you have conceived of these as two separate websites. Among archivists attending our THATCamp, Louis Digital and the Mississippi Digital Library are the “gold standards” for online archives in our state. They are holding to the pattern established throughout their profession.

Historians and traditional scholars tend to think in terms of monographs and individual authorship, but I think there’s an important lesson historians need to take from the work of professionals trained in digital work. Collaboration has its value. If best practices for archivists and librarians leads to such databases as Louis Digital, then we should learn as much as we can about their experiences on the front end: planning, fundraising, long-term maintenance of digital materials.
Even if funds are provided to create one or two great websites, maintenance and upgrades for 2 or more websites versus a collaborative effort for a website offering multiple partners and multiple exhibitions should be considered.

By: Molly Mitchell

Molly Mitchell — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:32:53 +0000

Hi Rosanne,
I am interested in putting heads together. I have a very basic version (in Omeka) of a pop-up exhibit my students did at the Ogden this spring on the visual culture of the Civil War in the South. It will not be as elaborate as what you’re doing but I think we might add to it going forward, with documents from the LOC (simple) rather than scanning our own. But I am very interested in the idea of how to do history well, digitally. I also have the additional issue of wanting to present STUDENT work well,too. Their voice have to be there, but often heavily edited… This is something I know Michael has to grapple with all of the time in the Public History program.

By: Lisa Flanagan

Lisa Flanagan — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:48:35 +0000

It seems the same issues, combining the best of form and content -academically, technologically, aesthetically, in terms of audience, etc. – are at root of any online digital project. Not to mention that the best resources now might be be as useful or desirable as the project develops or technologies continue to change.

By: Laura Rosanne Adderley

Laura Rosanne Adderley — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:18:58 +0000

I work at Tulane and am familiar with the downbytheriver project. To clarify my own proposal. While both of these projects are embryonic–both are actually up and running and have sort of institutional homes. 1811 project is approximately 4-years old, and the 50th Anniversary of Desegregation work is about 9 months in. The hard lessons learned and what I want to work on is how monumentally challenging it is to do the rigorous historical stuff well, and find the resources, skills and technology to get that online. Thanks for early positive energies. I should emphasize too that I am early days in trying to get my own both technical and local history content training properly up to snuff for this work.

By: Lisa Flanagan

Lisa Flanagan — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:58:10 +0000

This session topic has some cross pollination with the Louisiana Bucket Brigade’s “Down by the River” project: www.downbytheriverproject.org/. There are a few of us working on the project in various capacities who will be attending.

By: Vicki Mayer

Vicki Mayer — Sun, 12 May 2013 14:30:17 +0000

Happy to partner on this with you if you want.