The Florida Memory Project

I mentioned this Florida Memory Project in yesterday's blog post and several workshop participants today wanted to be sure that I knew about it.

Featuring over 137,000 digitized photographs from the State Archives of Florida, the Florida Photographic Collection is the most complete online portrait of Florida available--one that draws its strength from family pictures, the homes of Floridians, their work, and their pastimes.

In includes both photos and videos.

What's interesting about it?

• It includes photos that the Project is asking people to identify them.
• It has lesson plans for use in the classroom.
• There are finding aids that describe materials that have not been digitized. (see page bottom)
  
• The "Writing Around Florida" seems very unique. " The Writing Around Florida program hopes to foster an appreciation of Florida's heritage by encouraging writers to utilize the State Archives of Florida's rich and extensive photographic collections."
• There are obvious ways throughout the web site to contact a librarian (email form or live chat). There is even the option to contact a librarian in your region rather than someone at the State Library.
• You can order prints or copies of video.
  
• You can receive collection materials through an RSS feed. I tried this, but am not sure what I'm receiving through RSS and why. And I can't find documentation on the web site.
  
• The search box at the top of the screen is actually uses Google Custom Search. The Photographic Collection uses SirsiDynix software. Nothing on the web site clues you into if the SirsiDynix software is just used on the Photographic Collection or if it is used elsewhere. This is another place where documentation would be helpful.

If there is documentation on the site that I'm missing, I hope someone will tell me (perhaps someone from today's workshop). One other change I would suggest is that they provide more details on the Disclaimer and Copyright Information page. More details would help their users understand better was they (the users) can legally do and when they need to seek permission (and from whom).

One person who mentioned this site to me today wondered what I thought of it...now she knows. Interesting site and project, but could use more explanatory text (something that many projects needs, I bet).

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Technorati tag: Digitization