For this project I’ve decided to return to a topic I’ve worked on a little bit before and continues to interest me. I plan to look at Soldier Blogs: the arguments for and against them and how they’ve affected the historical record. As I do more research I’m sure what I find will take me in different directions so I’m looking forward to seeing where that goes. Soldier Blogs will I think be the major focus of my final project, but I would also like to provide a historical context of soldier correspondence over the years: how technology has changed the form of correspondence and the letters’ value as a historical resource. I’m also hoping with this project that I’ll be able to find some great primary resources.

With the plethora of electronic documents created in this digital age I not only wonder about how archivists will cope with such abundance, but also who should be responsible for selecting what should be saved. Initially I assume archivists will deal with the appraisal of digital records but they may not be the only people who will have a hand in that decision. Here I am particularly thinking of internet websites and pages. Often the creators of websites are responsible for archiving their own material. However I find it confusing and troubling to think of the many sites that are not backed by an institution and do not own the server on which their material resides.

Rosenzweig points to this concern that in the world wide web things can disappear at any moment. Then is this the responsibility of the creator to find a more permanent resolution, the responsibility of companies such as DreamHost that loan space on servers, or the responsibility of archivists to find a unique way to save that data? The Internet Archive certainly took a huge first step with the Way Back Machine in trying to archive the internet. However, this has its own problems as some sites do not translate to new servers. This issue is much bigger than one single actor and collaboration seems to be the only answer but how and with whom?

And my delicious username is kaitmedley

Reading Friedman, I was especially struck by his discussion of Moore’s Law, especially as I began to recognize the numerous developments (twitter, iPhones, flickr, etc.) of the internet since the publishing of his book in 2005. It seems nearly impossible to predict where the internet will go next, and I wonder how museums and archives can not only keep up but become more visible in such a (as Sarah said) “fluid” medium. Many historical institutions have set up accounts on networking sites, but has this helped them find new audiences or have they gotten lost amongst the rabble?

My name is Kait Medley, and I am now starting my second year in the Public History and Archives Program. I received my BA in History from NYU where I studied a variety of topics as I find it difficult to pick favorites. I originally started this program with a greater interest in Public History and more experience with museum work. However, in the last year my interests have migrated toward archives, which luckily this program allows me to do. My knowledge of computers and the Internet appear to be on par with most everyone else in the class. I am excited to take this course and hopefully become more savy about how the internet can be used by members in the field of public history and for patrons of both archives and historical exhibits.