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| Do your organizations encourage new documentation methods? http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35376 |
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| Author: | PCook [ Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Do your organizations encourage new documentation methods? |
Have any of your historical groups or museums ever sponsored any information preservation "help" sessions to encourage prospective authors to research and write about topics of historical interest? Such sessions or seminars might include topics like: 1. Organizing spoken interviews, including suggestions for question development, setting up historical time lines, and editing interviews for presentation. 2. Organizing to write and publish, including use of information search resources, setting up time lines, document sorting, scanning and archiving, and electronic library management. 3. Clinics on the use of word processing, presentation, database and desktop publishing software packages. 4. Clinics on the use and the training of voice recognition features on modern computers as an aid to writing and recording history. Just a few years ago many of these new and useful information preservation tools were not available, but now that they are, do your organizations support any efforts to encourage and assist members in their use, and to share and distribute the information and practical skills among the members of the group? PC |
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| Author: | syoste51 [ Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Do your organizations encourage new documentation method |
I support your views whole-heartedly that there is a need for such sessions. I would happily participate in such an offering at a train show or convention, or as a separate event. Being the recipient of a voluminous collection of railroad paperwork myself, sans inventory or filing guidelines, I've been tasked with learning how researchers refer to various types of publications/reports/maps etc. Organizing them into a recognizable system is my current stage along with random digitization as items of interest are discovered. Other related topics might be methods of sharing documents online, copyright regulations, document preservation guidelines, etc. Thank you for bringing this aspect of preservation to the group, and let us know if any organizations plan to host such an event. Susan Yosten |
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| Author: | HudsonL [ Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Do your organizations encourage new documentation method |
The GNRHS-NPRHA website uses Sharepoint as it base software, I plan on doing a "Sharepoint for Luddites" session at one of the NPRHA East End meets. -Hudson |
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| Author: | PCook [ Fri Aug 23, 2013 6:10 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Do your organizations encourage new documentation method |
Thanks for the comments, I hope others will let us know if their groups are doing anything new to encourage the pursuit and publication of historical information, documentation and interviews, particularly through the use of newer technologies. You frequently see comments on discussion groups that the members want to see greater volume and variety of articles and information, but at the same time some of the editors of historical organizations' publications tell me there is less and less participation, and a large portion of what does come in are "article kits" that require extensive work by the editor to complete them. With younger people increasingly computer skilled, it would seem like there is an opportunity here to promote and support the preservation of railroad history that fits within the "educational mission" of many organizations. PC |
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| Author: | PCook [ Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Do your organizations encourage new documentation method |
An upcoming issue of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania MILEPOST magazine will include an article covering the methods used to do research for a recent 74-page article on the step by step process of constructing diesel-electric locomotives in the 1970s and a tour of the plant facility. It includes some of the details of organizing for writing the article series, including materials sought, types of questions asked, searching for other former employees, working with retirees groups, and encouraging others to help in expanding the search. The article generally parallels a clinic I used to do for railroad history groups on "Writing for History", which was retired long ago. It might be of interest to some writers looking to document complex subjects when details could be enhanced by input from others who participated in events many years ago. PC |
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