Transcribing the past

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference paper discusses how European War Collecting Project initiatied in1918 the Principal Librarian of the Public Library of NSW evolved into the digitisation of this collection of diaries and correspondence which has been a major component of the Library’s Centenary of WWI program. A key tool in providing access to the digitised material has been the development of a web based transcription tool which will elevate the transcription process from a boutique in house activity using volunteers to a web based crowd sourcing model which can be adapted for a range of transcription projects.