Join the Transcribe-a-thon for Black History Month, Tues. 2/14, 12-4pm
February 7, 2017
Volunteer to help bring history into the 21st century!
Colored Conventions Project Transcribe-a-thon for Black History Month
Tuesday, February 14, 2017 Drop-in hours 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. live stream from University of Delaware's event, 12:00 p.m. -2:00 p.m. Research Instruction Center (RIC), Room 11, lower level
The Bentley Library is happy to be partnering with the University of Delaware’s Colored Conventions Project for a Black History Month volunteer Transcribe-a-thon! In honor of Frederick Douglass’ birthday, volunteers will gather at libraries across the country to help with a digital transcription project.
Never heard of digital transcription? No problem! All you have to do is read and type!
About the project
The University of Delaware has digitized hundreds of historic documents from “Colored Conventions” – political strategy meetings held by free and fugitive black citizens both before and after the Civil War. Documents from these meetings tell us about how participants strategized to “achieve educational, labor and legal justice at a moment when Black rights were constricting national and locally.” Digital versions of these documents are publicly available on the Colored Conventions Project website, but they are difficult to browse. By transcribing the documents into plain text, volunteers help to make the documents text searchable, which allows researchers to read documents on tablets or phones, to conduct keyword searches, and to index terms.
What will I be doing as a transcription volunteer?
Volunteering is simple, and you can help out even if you only have a few minutes to spare. Drop-in to the library's Transcribe-a-thon in the Research Instruction Center on Tuesday, February 14, from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Library staff members will be on hand to show you how to submit transcriptions and how to make note of illegible words or other oddities. A live stream from the University of Delaware from 12:00 p.m - 2:00 p.m will include speakers, a happy birthday song for Frederick Douglass, and more. Stay for a few minutes or a few hours! Snacks will be provided.
If you are able, please visit http://coloredconventions.org/welcome-to-transcribe before the event to familiarize yourself with transcription and sign up for an account. For more information, please contact Jaimie Fritz, Project Archivist.