Comments on: More on Your Archives http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2007/10/25/more-on-your-archives/ Failing better at understanding the past Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:32:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Ross Mahoney http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2007/10/25/more-on-your-archives/#comment-7857 Ross Mahoney Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:42:23 +0000 http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2007/10/25/more-on-your-archives/#comment-7857 Gavin - I have no problem with the download cost but obviously from your post on GWForum some do. Actually they do from time to time they do relaese documents for free. I have just downloaded a whole file relating to Hess' imprisonment at Spandau. I have to admit I have not looked to deeply at it, time again, so it is good to knwo that there are some staff working on it. Just wish their were more. Gavin - I have no problem with the download cost but obviously from your post on GWForum some do. Actually they do from time to time they do relaese documents for free. I have just downloaded a whole file relating to Hess’ imprisonment at Spandau. I have to admit I have not looked to deeply at it, time again, so it is good to knwo that there are some staff working on it. Just wish their were more.

]]> By: Gavin Robinson http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2007/10/25/more-on-your-archives/#comment-7856 Gavin Robinson Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:39:05 +0000 http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2007/10/25/more-on-your-archives/#comment-7856 I think there are some NA staff working on it. If you look at the change logs (which are admittedly not showing much activity yet) you'll see staff activity. Although a lot of it is deleting inappropriate content they've also been adding <a href="http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Category:The_National_Archives_Memoranda" rel="nofollow">memoranda</a> which were previously only available on paper in the reading rooms. And they've put on at least some of the official <a href="http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Category:Research_guides" rel="nofollow">research guides</a> which users can edit just like any page. I don't think it's the NA's fault that they charge so much for downloads. I suspect the treasury makes them do it. If their object was just to screw money out of people then they wouldn't encourage us to put up transcripts of documents which could potentially save lots of people £3.50 for a download. Time is another big consideration along with finding people who have both the knowledge of the archives and the IT skills to use a wiki. (Although I thought using a wiki would be no more difficult than using a web forum, feedback from the GWF suggests otherwise!) But it is possible to combine updating YA with doing your actual research - they can complement each other quite well. For example I'm putting up transcripts of 17th century wills which I need to transcribe for my research anyway, so I might as well make them available to the public. I think there are some NA staff working on it. If you look at the change logs (which are admittedly not showing much activity yet) you’ll see staff activity. Although a lot of it is deleting inappropriate content they’ve also been adding memoranda which were previously only available on paper in the reading rooms. And they’ve put on at least some of the official research guides which users can edit just like any page.

I don’t think it’s the NA’s fault that they charge so much for downloads. I suspect the treasury makes them do it. If their object was just to screw money out of people then they wouldn’t encourage us to put up transcripts of documents which could potentially save lots of people £3.50 for a download.

Time is another big consideration along with finding people who have both the knowledge of the archives and the IT skills to use a wiki. (Although I thought using a wiki would be no more difficult than using a web forum, feedback from the GWF suggests otherwise!) But it is possible to combine updating YA with doing your actual research - they can complement each other quite well. For example I’m putting up transcripts of 17th century wills which I need to transcribe for my research anyway, so I might as well make them available to the public.

]]> By: Ross Mahoney http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2007/10/25/more-on-your-archives/#comment-7853 Ross Mahoney Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:31:04 +0000 http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2007/10/25/more-on-your-archives/#comment-7853 Gavin - It is good to see this progressing a bit and I have to admit it seems to be useful. I searched for Dieppe, for anything to help with my MPhil research, and it came up with a Source Sheet, No. 24, which had been produced as a signpost for research. This is very good. I suppose the only real issue with it is that it seems to be driven by the public, much like Wiki, to contribute to it. As one person alluded to on your post on the GWForum we have to pay, or take the time to photograph or transcribe the file, and then have to pay for it. It would be better if the TNA was emplying people to start working through th files and at least give people the headstart on it. I also suppose time does not help. Most of us have full time jobs as well as performing the research we do. To do this too may seem like to much for some people. Gavin - It is good to see this progressing a bit and I have to admit it seems to be useful. I searched for Dieppe, for anything to help with my MPhil research, and it came up with a Source Sheet, No. 24, which had been produced as a signpost for research. This is very good.

I suppose the only real issue with it is that it seems to be driven by the public, much like Wiki, to contribute to it. As one person alluded to on your post on the GWForum we have to pay, or take the time to photograph or transcribe the file, and then have to pay for it. It would be better if the TNA was emplying people to start working through th files and at least give people the headstart on it. I also suppose time does not help. Most of us have full time jobs as well as performing the research we do. To do this too may seem like to much for some people.

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