Collection Principles
As previously stated, the Wisconsin Historical Images section of the Wisconsin Historical Society website has a broad range of digitized collections focusing on numerous aspects of Wisconsin history and culture. This particular collection is meant to convey an important part of pre-WWI midwestern history, specifically with the use of tall-tale postcards, which emerged around the turn of the 20th century, when postcards came to function as surrogates for travel. According to the site, "people soon realized that postcards could be used to create or sustain a certain utopian myth about a town or region, and crafty photographers began to physically manipulate their photographs. Nowhere did these modified images, or "tall-tale postcards" as they came to be called, become more prevalent than in rural communities that hoped to forge an identity as places of agricultural abundance to encourage settlement and growth. Food sources specific to the region — vegetables, fruits, or fish — were the most common subjects."
This collection fits in well with the larger attempt at a unique view of Wisconsin history through digitized books, maps, text, images, and ephemera that the Historical Society page undertakes. It is easy to maneuver, and you can always get back to home, search other collections, find out where you are in the context of the site, and learn about privacy, intellectual property, how to purchase items, and where to learn more about Wisconsin.
Object CharacteristicsThis site does a good job of digitizing images, leading the user to believe that they really care about the persistence, availability, and usability of the items. The items are all named with the name of the collection (Tall-tale Postcard) followed by a colon (:) and the name of the image (this one is "Mammoth Strawberries") and the image number identifier. Also on each object page is information about how to purchase the item as an archival pigment print or digital file, a link to "share the object with a friend" (via e-mail), and a concise but appropriate intellectual property statement: "Credit: Wisconsin Historical Society.This image is issued by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Use of the image requires written permission from the staff of the Division of Library-Archives. It may not be sold or redistributed, copied or distributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media. The image should not be significantly altered through conventional or electronic means. Images altered beyond standard cropping and resizing require further negotiation with a staff member. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright."
Metadata
The metadata for each object is thorough and consistent, which lets you know even more how good a job the Wisconsin Historical Society is doing with their digitization efforts and making accessible online collections. Each object has a title, description, item number, creation date, creator name and location, collection name, genre, multiple linkable subject headings, and various image size options. The titles and descriptions do a good job of placing the items in context and the index terms allow for better discovery of related items and finding what interests you.Intended Audience
I think anyone interested in or researching Wisconsin (or other midwestern) history would find this site extremely useful. The complete site, in which this online exhibition can be found, has numerous learning and teaching resources and lots to discover about Wisconsin, and I think can be seen as a good example for future digital libraries and online collections as well. Anyone studying pre-WWI history, especially with regard to ephemera and printed materials would find this site useful, and it is just a nice, easy site that is fun to look around, and I think many people would enjoy looking at it.
No comments:
Post a Comment