Assignment #4

This assignments' collection of readings focuses mainly on how historians should utilize the benefits of the digital age and be aware of the difficulties that come with it. The readings also cover how historian have to actively save online sources before they disappear in the digital ether.

With the coming of internet 2.0 and the interactive nature of websites, it is important for historians to utilize the new format to fully engage their readers and be able to use their input to enrich the site. As Cohen and Rosenzweig state, we must go beyond passive “texts” such as websites and web pages and also think about active processes such as communication and interaction.

While this approach can inevitability lead to some difficulties, it is still a valuable source of information. One problem that can arise when history is open to the general public is a overabundance of comments and the like that has nothing to do with the material at hand, leaving the site and original material smothered. Dr. Cebula gives an example of this when he explores the Library of Congress decision to create image archives on Flicker so that the public and add tags to the photographs. As Cebula says, "There are 20-30 notes on the photograph and not one contains useful historical information to give context or help us understand the photograph."

Another way that the internet can be used to enrich history is by collecting historical documents, images, and personal narratives, from people all over the world that may not have been found otherwise. Additionally, it is important for historians to realize and take action to preserve digital sources that are being produces right now. If we do not take time to preserve these digital sources much of our current history could be lost.