My latest post on Digital Accessibility of Canadian Heritage can be seen over at the Active History site. It focuses on the rise of online history resources designed for the general public, and the changing nature of the online presence of heritage institutions.
Wisdom in a feeling
#reverb10 prompt for December 10th: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?The wisest decision I made in 2010 was to apply for a job I had a gut feeling was a good fit for me. At the time I applied I wasn't even really sure I … Continue reading Wisdom in a feeling
The Battle of Standardization
My recent foray into the archival world has provided me with a renewed appreciation for standardization of descriptive techniques. Rules for Archival Description (RAD) is a national (Canadian) set of rules for archival description. The first edition of RAD was established in the 1990s and has since become common place in most quality archives in … Continue reading The Battle of Standardization
Historical Societies and Community Heritage
Regardless of the size of the city, town, or rural community you live in there is a good chance your community has a historical society. These societies are often comprised of passionate volunteers who care greatly about the preservation of community history. What role does your local historical society play in the preservation and interpretation … Continue reading Historical Societies and Community Heritage
Call for Proposals, AAO Conference
I thought this might be of interest to anyone working with digital technology in the heritage sector, particularly those persons who work with archival photos.Archives Association of Ontario2010 Annual Conference, Barrie, OntarioJune 16-18, 2010From Daguerreotypes to Flikr:Grappling with the Archival Image in an Era of Technological ChangeThe 2010 AAO conference in Barrie aims to explore … Continue reading Call for Proposals, AAO Conference
Day3: Aboriginal History, the Value of Archives, and Confederation
Session 1: Aboriginal Oral History and Canadian Courts. This session dealt with the ongoing debate about the validity of using oral history in court trials. Christopher Bracken's paper The Judge and the Pharmakon: Oral History and Aboriginal Rights was particularly interesting. Bracken examined the validity of oral history from a philosophical and literary perspective. The … Continue reading Day3: Aboriginal History, the Value of Archives, and Confederation
Looking Back: Public History and Expanding Viewpoints
For more than a week I have been trying to collect my thoughts on the past eight months of the public history program. I initially wanted to summarize what I've learned, discuss the evolution of my views on public history, and the narrowing of my interests. However, when I sat down to actually do this, … Continue reading Looking Back: Public History and Expanding Viewpoints
Finding Relevance
I have been attempting to legitimize my choice to pursue History (and now Public History) to others for quite sometime now. After enthralling but somewhat abstract class discussions I often find myself wondering if anything we are talking about has relevance to people outside the realm of history. I think this desire to feel relevant … Continue reading Finding Relevance