The course blog for Digital History Methods a graduate seminar at American University. One of the explicit goals of this course is for us to develop as communicators on the public web. So please do join our conversation, but please do so respectfully. We are all learning how to do this together.
Hey Carlyn,
I enjoyed your point about change, and the misconception that it is only in the recent past that libraries and archives have started to change. Too often we hear the stereotypical accounts of knowledge professionals being the “guardians” and “keepers” of the information they house. But librarians and archivists are constantly adapting their programs to suit their users. And as we discussed in class, digital preservation efforts have been ongoing since electronic records first came into being. I think more and more people are just now starting to become worried about the longevity of their files because EVERYTHING they care about is stored on a single drive. Personally, I keep all my files on this computer I’m currently using to write this post. I don’t have a separate hard drive, or a backup hard drive, or anything really. If my computer crashes, I lose everything. It’s scary, and I think a lot of people are in the same position. Thus, they start talking about the safety of their files, and BAM. Next thing you know, archivists like Bertram Lyons are jumping down your throat on the NPR website. But these discussions are useful. While change in cultural heritage institutions is not a new development, user concern about our preservation efforts IS a new development, and I think that is what will help carry us forward.
Thanks, Mallory. Now, GO BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER!!!!