We joined Flickr last summer as a new way to share our photos with the public. These photos are also available via our online catalog, the Archival Research Catalog (ARC). From the iconic Mathew Brady Civil War photographs to the stirring images from the Environmental Protection Agency's DOCUMERICA endeavor in the 1970s, thousands of people … Continue reading Tech Tuesday: Machine Tags on Our Flickr Images
We're launching a public wiki that will allow researchers, historians, archivists, and citizen archivists to create pages on records or themes. We need your ideas and enthusiasm to make the wiki a success. Please join us for the first organizing meeting at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, on Friday, May 7th from 1-2 … Continue reading Join us Friday, May 7th for our first Archives wiki planning meeting
Last week we asked for your help developing an “Archives wiki.” The first order of business is to name the wiki. We have a few names that you have told us you don’t want (like People’s Pedia) and a request not to be too stuffy, but no suggestions for names yet. So tell us what do … Continue reading Name your wiki!
The National Archives is planning to launch a public wiki that will allow users to participate on our website. We need your help in developing an "Archives Wiki." This project will be similar to the UK Archives' "Your Archives." Check out this wiki and let us know what you think you would want in your … Continue reading Calling All Citizen Archivists
Are you planning to attend the National Archives' 6th annual Genealogy Fair? If so, we hope you'll come visit us at our exhibit tables. NARA's new Open Government Plan (PDF) highlights how crucial social media is to opening up the Archives and establishes the redesign of Archives.gov as NARA's "flagship initiative." Stop by, bring us … Continue reading Stop by to See Us at the NARA Genealogy Fair
Today we've released our Open Government Plan (PDF) on our website. We developed this plan with your thoughtful ideas and now we're asking for your help again. Read our plan and let us know what we need to improve and your ideas for how we can implement the plan. Visit our Open Government Idea Forum … Continue reading A Work in Progress: Our Open Government Plan
The National Records Management Program's RACO blog, which paved the way for all other National Archives social media projects back in the spring of 2009 has been reborn as Records Express, the official blog of the National Records Management Program (NRMP) at the National Archives! The new blog will be a forum for all things … Continue reading Welcome back, RACO!
Cultural organizations sometimes get a bad rap for adopting “technology for technology’s sake.” This tends to happen when observers feel that the excitement and widespread appeal of a new product has eclipsed its actual usefulness within the scope of the organization’s existing mission and strategic plan. On the other hand, with the proper research, planning … Continue reading Question: How should NARA use Twitter?
Yesterday we asked a question on the blog about transcribing NARA's handwritten records. Thanks to those of you who commented for the ideas and examples! We love the idea of crowdsourcing and have been thinking about how we could make it work for NARA. Projects like the one that Craig mentioned at the Australian National … Continue reading Follow-up to Our Question About Transcription
What are your favorite sources for looking up biographies? Do you have a favorite site online, or do you swear by a particular print source? We're in the very early stages of planning a wiki for the National Archives and have recently been considering including a biography section on the site. Our tentative plan is … Continue reading Question: What are your favorite biographical resources, online or in print?
