Brigid Harmon, Urban Archive
Proposal Type
Collaborative Conversation
Seeking
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
Related Topics
- Archives
- Digital
- Place
- Public Engagement
Abstract
Digitization projects at historical institutions have been active for over 15 years, yielding publicly accessible online databases. In practice, however, these resources are often cumbersome for users and present collections absent historical context.
We will discuss projects, including Urban Archive, that use emerging technology platforms to “repair” collections access and create new modes of interaction between users, historical collections, and the built environment, itself. We will focus on projects that:
1. Promote increased access to historical documents.
2. Leverage mobile technology to situate historical content in context.
3. Foster dialogue surrounding architectural and cultural heritage/preservation.
Description
Our goal for this proposal is to consider if this topic is perhaps too multifarious and needs to be more focused on one of the above mentioned themes. Input regarding the most effective format for this topic is appreciated.
We are also looking to connect with other projects/institutions who are using emerging technologies to further collection access, those working on specifically placed-based/mapping projects, and/or those using new technology to advocate for preservation of architectural or cultural heritage sites.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly: Brigid Harmon, [email protected]
All feedback and offers of assistance should be submitted by July 1, 2018. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.
Greetings.
Two projects I know of approaching this topic include Clio and Guidekick, two mobile apps centered on location-based historical interpretation. As a community college educator and student of public history interested in utilizing a variety of emergent technologies for the engagement and delivery of relevant public history content, it would be great to learn more about this topic.
A good topic, but very broad. It might be useful to imagine what you want the product of this session to be, beyond just the discussion itself. And since you’re interested in the built environment, is there a way to showcase projects that are relevant to Hartford? Might your session have a practical component that encourages participants to appreciate the materiality of our conference setting and/or its past?
Hi There, I spent the last year working on the DC Historic Sites app, which is developed through the DC Preservation League as a way to educate and inform the public about the history and architecture in Washington D.C. They may be a good case study for the questions you are looking to explore. Please shoot me an email, I may be able to present on the work I have done on the project, if you are looking for another panel member. Please let me know.