Pennsylvania: News and observations from the Keystone State
Preserving Pennsylvania's Past: A Look at Digital Humanities Projects
Pennsylvania is home to numerous digital humanities projects that aim to preserve historical documents and make local history accessible through technology. Here are some examples:
- Harrisburg Historical Project: This project offers a free website and mobile app, using place-based storytelling, interactive maps, primary sources, and multimedia to share stories of Pennsylvania’s Capital Region, especially highlighting African American history and civil rights.
- Bibliotheca Philadelphiensis (BiblioPhilly): This CLIR-funded digitization project preserved around 475 codex manuscripts from Philadelphia, including many illuminated Books of Hours. It involves detailed digital reproductions and collation models to structurally represent manuscripts.
- VisColl Project: Co-directed by Dot Porter, this project develops tools and data models for creating structural representations of manuscripts, enabling better digital curation and study of physical historical documents.
- Pennsylvania Early Government Documents Collections: This massive online collection includes Revolutionary War documents, legislative minutes, and early legal texts, digitized for public access and research.
- Public Digital Scholarship at University of Pennsylvania: Various projects around memory, heritage, and cultural practices make use of digital tools such as mapping, data visualization, interactive exhibitions, and digital archives to engage civic and historical themes relevant to Pennsylvania history.
- State Library of Pennsylvania Programs: Through Lunch and Learn sessions, exhibitions, and collaborations with local universities, the State Library uses digital tools paired with historical research to highlight and preserve multi-ethnic neighborhood histories.
These examples demonstrate how Pennsylvania’s digital humanities efforts combine digitization of manuscripts and government records, interactive storytelling, and educational outreach to preserve and engage with diverse historical documents and heritage across the state. They leverage technologies such as mobile apps, digital collections, and mapping to enhance access and understanding.
In addition to these projects, several institutions have received grants for various initiatives. For instance:
- The University of Pennsylvania received a grant for the development of an archival program for the University Museum.
- Bryn Mawr College received a grant for the Papers of M. Carey Thomas in the Bryn Mawr College Archives.
- The Science History Institute received a grant to increase access to 350 hours of oral histories with 70 scientists who immigrated to the United States.
- The Pennsylvania State University received a grant for the Papers of Martin Van Buren.
- Villanova University received a grant for Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery, a collection of "Information Wanted" advertisements taken out by former slaves in African American newspapers.
These grants, along with the digital humanities projects, are part of a larger effort to preserve and share Pennsylvania's rich history with a wider audience. The total funding for both Records Projects and Publications Projects amounts to $8,698,689.
- To foster a comprehensive understanding of Pennsylvania's history, environmental science students could consider the role of digital humanities in climate-change education and self-development, addressing the preservation of historical documents and local stories.
- As part of its ongoing commitment to education and self-development, the Pennsylvania State University, through its acquisition of grants, is also engaged in the Papers of Martin Van Buren, a project that underscores the importance of safeguarding the nation's environmental-science history.
