Although Omeka doesn’t display the image when you are adding or editing the metadata, you can see the image attached to an item on the Item Browse page on the admin interface. If you choose: Toggle >> Show Details
Then a thumbnail image will display as seen in the image below. As you move from page-to-page, you will need to select it again.
Right now, after spending some time going through the myriad of items and photographs in Bobby King Jr.’s file, I am a bit frustrated trying to put everything together correctly and properly. Intellectual control seemed a lot easier when we had the folder in our hands with tangible items to review. During our day at Voices, we scanned the fronts and backs of photos, trying to manage the process in a fast, but sensible order. Yet now working on Omeka and a separate dropbox (to preview photos and assign the correct metadata) it requires time and effort to put everything together. Photos and the backs don’t seem to naturally match up as easily as I expected. I worry that I will misidentify a family member.
I gather this is the preparation necessary for a thorough digitization project, but I do wish I could speed up the pace.
Lauretta
Several folks have commented that the course is moving by so quickly. We aren’t quite half-way through, but already I see you developing the ability to think like a digital archivist and come to terms with all the ambiguity that accompanies working in this field. As you are beginning to realize, what initially appears to be black and white (think the hard-to-understand definitions for the Dublin Core elements), quickly becomes fuzzy around the edges as you try to apply them when adding metadata to your items. At first glance, DC seems to be a prescriptive language; but in the end it needs to be applied carefully and thoughtfully. Sometimes there are no hard and fast rules, and as Chrisie and Cathy mentioned in their posts, you are probably finding yourself making many small decisions before you even begin to add metadata to an item.
There are many layers of complexity to digital archiving and not many simple answers. We struggle to find the ‘just right’ title, as Miguel noted in his latest blog post, or to add a description that says neither too much nor too little, or to make decisions such as should we complete the coverage field or will the date suffice, all the while honoring the victims and their families. Yet all these little decisions that we are forced to make present us with wonderful opportunities for growth and learning.
Right now, you are in the midst of the initial stages of a project where everything, while moving a bit slowly, is starting to come together. I see all of you beginning to ask the questions that need to be asked, and grapple with the issues that need to be resolved in order to move forward with an item. You are developing a relationship with the process of archiving, with the knowledge itself, and ultimately with the material, not to mention getting used to working collaboratively with your partner and the other members of the class.
As many of you are discovering, there are inherent difficulties with designing a digital archive for an actual organization. There are boundaries and limitations that require you to think in realistic terms. This is a good thing as it grounds you in reality and helps you develop the ability to apply your knowledge, problem solve, and often think ‘outside the box’.
So contrary to my usual nature, I am actually somewhat ahead of the game and got through my half of the images Sharon and I scanned at Voices. What I found kind of interesting was that the field that seeming was most difficult for me was title because I was making a conscious effort to not have it be the same as description. Other than that, I found that you get into a groove and it doesn’t take too long per image. I’m also still unclear as to the difference between image and still image. Sharon and I classified our scans of pictures as still images vs. images but I think we’re both a little unsure as to whether or not that is correct.
I am really excited to be taking a class on campus but especially this course. It is wonderful to be able to share my internship experience with all of you but also, it is great to take back what I am learning in class to Voices. Combining the two experiences has really helped me understand the process.
I have a business background but also love information – paper, digital, any format. To be able to project manage an archival collection is like heaven to me. The best of both worlds – project management AND libraries – yea!
For me, I wish that the class was also offered in the Fall and Spring. Five weeks is a short amount of time to learn so much. Moreover, I am really loving the course that I don’t want it to end – it is nice to be connected to the others in the program. As we all know, there are few classes on campus and there is nothing like class interaction (in person) to enhance the learning experience.
I hope, like Sharon, that my 580 project this Fall will be able to connect with the Voices project. I am not sure how and would love some thoughts from the group.
I spoke with Frank at Voices and he suggested that perhaps I do my research on “Best Practices in Digital Archiving.” I like this idea but was hoping to do something that is a bit more personal.
Ideas anyone?
Like Lauretta, the story shared by Mary about the gentleman carrying the parachute to work has been on my mind. I told this to Mary this past Monday when I met with her. We were talking about the strategic plan and the future of Voices. I told her that, in my opinion, the stories were the most important. They are haunting and need to be told.
I have been at Voices for six weeks and still, I am amazing each day. I have also had the opportunity to witness the staff at work and still hear them talking about the victims, the families, etc. It is my sense that they still “feel it” every day. I think that this is a necessary component that is needed in order to do this work.
I agree – Frank is definitely the perfect person for the job at Voices! I have had the opportunity to observe him and also to work on some of the files. There is so much behind-the-scenes work that needs to be done prior to actually entering the metadata – it is a constant amazement to me the level of detail that goes into this work.
Interestingly, I was asking Frank about the set up of the system yesterday when I was at Voices. Since he is the third-generation archivist, much of the system set up was done prior to his tenure and might possibly be set up differently if Frank had been the project manager. In our reading in Chapter 7, it was mentioned that often times, a project is set up and then the staff goes away (most likely with the institutional knowledge in his/her head). How to handle this? I know that Frank has written mini-instructional guides which will help those following in his footsteps.
I am most surprised at all that goes into archiving one item. An archivist must make many decisions before even doing anything with the item. The sensitive nature of our project adds another level of thought and consideration before beginning the project.
I am thankful for the clarification of definitions in class. Our own definitions of controlled vocabularies is so important, especially as we make the lib guide glossary of sorts to draw upon for future library projects.
Our victim passed away at the Pentagon and has relatively few artifacts from her family to archive. I hope that we can pay tribute to her life though you can only work with what we’re given. For starters, Jen is alerting VOICES (Frank) to her age which was incorrectly posted as 36 on that tribute page. I am hoping that our little archive gets viewed by at least the families, so that they know that their loved ones’ lives are being honored.
This weekend I plan on uploading and tagging many of her documents into Omeka. Hopefully I won’t run into too many glitches!
Just like Sharon, I can’t believe we have already put two weeks into the class. Hearing and seeing the stories of victims and survivors during our visit at VOICES was heart-rending. Although in this short time we get a sense of who the victims and survivors are, I find myself wishing I could do more for the organization and learn more. It’s sad to say that Taylor (my daughter) is 15 and so far they haven’t really discussed what happened on 9/11 in school. Of course she knows about it but she comes to my husband and I asking questions about what happened and what the days following were like.
As far as Dublin Core goes, boy am I thrilled we are discussing it in class as a group! It’s great to hear everyone’s input and by doing so it makes it much easier to understand and follow than just reading it with the “technical” (for lack of a better word) definition like in one of my other courses.
