When I search for information on large databases I usually use keywords. The whole time I was in highschool, we were told to use keywords in order to find the most relevant information. However, it was pointed out by Professor Guidone that doing this can actually limit the amount of information you’re shown pertaining to your topic. But when you’re searching in a database the easiest thing to do is to find your keywords and type them into the search bar. I can certainly see why it limits your access- you’re only being shown documents with a very specific word in them.
The awesome thing about digitization is that everything is permanently preserved on a computer, and it’s much more accessible. Information and artifacts have never been easier to look at, and you can do it from anywhere in the world. (As long as you have an internet connection.) Digital exhibits are extremely important in today’s academic society as well. The ease of access to technology has opened a whole new world in the sense that the possibilities of what we can do with them are endless. A really good example of a digital project that has the ability to educate thousands is the Enslaved Children of George Mason project. The information contained in it is a harsh reminder of how enslaved people were treated. They’re spoken of as less than, as possessions. It’s a little sickening when you remember that most of the Founding Fathers were slaveowners, and really only believed in independence for white men. It’s important to remember that yes, these records exist, and we have incredible access to them, but that’s what they were. Records of ownership, and records of possession. Our university is named after George Mason, but he viewed people as nothing more than possessions. 1
The way information is presented is also very important. Sometimes newspapers or other records were formatted a specific way, and it doesn’t translate well online, so there are steps that have to be taken to assist with that. Professor Guidone showed us the Essex Register as an example of this. He did also point out to us that mostly everything prior to 1920 has been digitized, which is extremely helpful. Digital projects have opened up a whole new world of academia. So much more is available to us, and you don’t have to leave your house to look at a specific newspaper you need for research. You can just look it up in a database.
References
Bracey, A., Farrow, K., Fatima, A., Perez-Garcia, E., & Murshed, F. (2017). The Enslaved Children of George Mason. Retrieved from https://ecgm.omeka.net/
Guidone, T. (2019). Digitization and Keyword Research [PowerPoint Slides].
