I’ve actually done this for a different org and it’s actually quite soothing and interesting, highly recommend as a meaningful way of helping academics and historians - ThreadSky

maladroithe.bsky.social • 48 days ago

I’ve actually done this for a different org and it’s actually quite soothing and interesting, highly recommend as a meaningful way of helping academics and historians

Reposted from Phil Lewis

The National Archives is looking for volunteers with an increasingly rare skill: Reading cursive.

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maladroithe.bsky.social•48 days ago

I feel like I should disclose that I have an MA in a linguistics-related field, the skill set they are describing not necessarily everyone has, it’s fine if it’s not in your wheelhouse, I’m the weirdo here not you

maladroithe.bsky.social•48 days ago

Anyways yeah I’ll probably do this, seems nice and fun

giraud.bsky.social•48 days ago

Offline reading is the self-care I need after too much online reading

maladroithe.bsky.social•48 days ago

If you come in here sneering “pay people for labor” I will fucking block you so fast. The National Archive has had their budget slashed so goddamn much they are paying PhDs with gumdrops to preserve priceless information, get mad at the people who passed those cuts first.

vogonpoetry.live•48 days ago

The world would be a better place if more people were willing to donate some of their time for the public good.

achronalart.bsky.social•48 days ago

The number of people suggesting AI could do this alarm me. AI could produce ... SOMETHING, for sure, but would need just as many humans looking over its results to make sure we're not falsifying our history with hallucinated garbage

May as well employ real humans with nuanced skills from the start

achronalart.bsky.social•48 days ago

Heck, just seeing how a PDF "cleanup" mangled a scan of some vintage women's magazine I read -- and that was printed with type! -- fills me with dread of what horrors AI could invent out or handwritten records.

(Of course now I can't find the dang thing to share some of the weird misspellings)

specialsalmon.bsky.social•48 days ago

I also do this for another organization (they provide tea and cookies for events and then you can go home and do more) and it's SO interesting (and a great way of looking at hyperlocal history in my case!)

srfva.bsky.social•48 days ago

Wait, that post was serious? Suddenly I don't mind be old so much.

littleedie.bsky.social•48 days ago

This sounds so fun! Totally gonna do this! HOORAY FOR BEING OLD!

chrismeeks.bsky.social•48 days ago

I signed up and plan a relaxing weekend of translating!

maladroithe.bsky.social•48 days ago

For me it’s always 5 hours of absolute hell remembering what Rs used to look like but then it gets FUN

achronalart.bsky.social•48 days ago

Cursive Rs are so weird, aren't they.

chrismeeks.bsky.social•48 days ago

My wife beat me to it earlier this week (Get yer own account, lady!). She's been deciphering a set of old military inventory letters.

tafinucane.bsky.social•47 days ago

Folks can help do this on the Smithsonian Freedmen's Project. Fair warning: the cursive we learned in 1980 is not what these people used 150 years ago, and most of the dregs that are left for evaluation are indecipherable. Also fair warning: occasionally you'll get your heart broken.

leahaviv.bsky.social•48 days ago

If you are only mediocre at reading cursive can you still help?

statsjew.bsky.social•48 days ago

Other citizen science or transcription projects at Zoon https://www.zooniverse.org/

magicbeans.bsky.social•48 days ago

I started doing this the other day for their Chinese Heritage Records, it's so soothing and also helps me use my rusty Chinese from time to time.

casualruffian.bsky.social•48 days ago

oh good on you! That's such an important part of American history that's gone without much attention for so long.

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