Category Archives: Main Page

The Interactive Archivist

Yesterday someone pointed out that the last two blog posts were all about books I was reading or wanted to read — so to divert slightly from that pattern I wanted to point to something I actually wrote! The Interactive Archivist, a Society of American Archivists e-publication, was just released.

And it happens to be all about how archivists interact with users with Web2.0 tools.

And it happens to feature a chapter by me comparing Flickr and the Libraries’ image management system (CONTENTdm).

[me smiling because I am thrilled with the project — and always happy to talk about Flickr]

Of course, it’s not all by me or about Flickr, you can also read how archivists are using tools like wikis, podcasts, RSS, blogs, mashups, social networking, and other online photo management sites.

Here’s the official blurb on the SAA site:

The Interactive Archivist: Case Studies in Utilizing Web 2.0 to Improve the Archival Experience, edited by J. Gordon Daines III and Cory L. Nimer.

“Blogs, wikis, podcasts, social networking sites, and a host of other Web 2.0 technologies have revolutionized the way that students and scholars access information. This innovative e-publication introduces archivists to practical solutions for integrating Web 2.0 technologies into their everyday work. Featuring case studies by archivists discussing actual implementations of Web 2.0 technologies it is sure to foster an ongoing dialogue about the best ways to meet patron needs.”

This e-publication is available at http://interactivearchivist.lib.byu.edu.

Oregon Industries: circa 1925

Where can you find logs, ladies, and lumber? Cows, carcasses, and chickens? Stacks of wheat and a pile of wool? In Oregon, of course!

This week we launched the latest addition to our Flickr Commons account! The 1925 Oregon Industries set focuses on logging, agriculture, and textiles production – quite familiar topics to those of us at the OSU Archives…

And, as I have mentioned many times before, the instruction booklet gives us gems of information about the images. For example, here’s the description for the “Oregon State Capitol Building in Salem, Oregon” image, which give information about the picture above, but also for the set as a whole.

It was in 1873 that work began on the erection of the State Capitol, commonly called the State House, at Salem. It was accepted by the state from the contractor on August 26, 1876. Of course later additions were made to the building and this picture shows it as it is today after a half century of service. During the fifty years the industrial growth of Oregon has been gradual until today, in proportion to population, the quantity and quality of the products of the state are very gratifying.

The lumber and timber products industry, including logging camps and sawmills, is the leader in manufacturing when measured either by value of products or the number of wage earners employed.”

“The basic industry of Agriculture continues to increase its production, in spite of the fact that there were about 8000 less farm owners in 1925 than in 1920. While transportation companies in Oregon rank next to timber in the number of employees, the farms make possible the grain mills and flour mills, the output of which ranks next to timber products in value.”

“Standing third in value in factory products is the slaughtering and meat packing industry, while butter-making flows closely and is steadily gaining in the value of its output.”

“The pictures following give glimpses indicative of a few industrial activities of Oregon.”

We’ve been busy riding!

Check out our new set “OSU Libraries Staff: Flickr Folks Ride!” — it’s our nod to the BTA Bike Commute Challenge…

Why? Many of the folks who work at the OSU Libraries bike to work, though we come at “commuting” with a slightly different bent… Some are committed throughout the rainy season (Larry Landis and Chris Petersen are foul weather riders), some ride loooong distances to reach their desk (Terry Reese rides many, many, many, many miles each day, all year), some only ride in the sun (okay, not really, this is Oregon after all), some cart boxes full of archival documents (that’s me)!

So when I read about the Bike Commute Challenge, a friendly competition to see who can get more people biking to work in September, I thought it might make a fun Flickr set to take pictures of all the biking folks that grace our stacks. And really, it’s easy, fun, and free, so we decided to give it a try! But, never one to miss an opportunity to show off our great archival collections, I thought I’d give it a try with a “Then & Now” twist… Enjoy!

Want to know more about the Bike Challenge? Check out their site.

Speaking of digging for stuff… Try docking this one!

Happy Wednesday all! The new Visual Instruction Lantern Slide set for this week is all showing off the many ways Oregon works! Check out these glass lantern slides, many of them hand-colored, showing Oregon industries from 1905 to 1910.

Boats, ports, barns, fish, and some beautiful shots of Oregon scenery.

Try stacking one more!

Digging for History?

OSU Archaeology students sift through Fort Yamhill’s history and examine the remains of stone oven at Bake House site…

“A group of students from Oregon State University’s Archaeology Field School has unearthed the latest in a series of Fort Yamhill attractions, foundational remains of the long-gone Bake House’s stone oven, which served scores of officers and soldiers from the prestatehood years of the 1850s through Oregon’s early years to the fort’s closure in 1866.”

“This is archaeology in action right there in our own backyards,” said Matt Huerter, an interpretive ranger at the park. “People can have direct evidence that the military was here over 150 years ago.” Huerter combines his enthusiasm for the history of the area with a great willingness to share in the excitement with the students. “It’s very cool,” he said several times of the student work.

“Those grounds exhibit a gamut of lessons: a bit of history bolstered by archaeology; some tempering through civics, applied mathematics as archaeology students measure angles to get an accurate reading of a dig site; a little physical outlet as visitors stretch their legs for a walking tour over the gentle hills.”

Want to know more? Check out the Statesman Journal article.

The keeper of Benton County’s history!

There is a great article in the Gazette-Times today on the Benton County Historical Society. It’s worth reading the entire thing, but I couldn’t resist posting this quote, which paints such a delightful picture…

The Benton County Historical Society’s storage building is crammed to the rafters – literally – with a bewildering assortment of artifacts. They’re lined up in rows, stacked in boxes and arrayed on shelves like the accumulated clutter of God’s own attic.

So if you ventured 5 miles west of Corvallis to Philomath, what will you find there? The collection numbers somewhere around 120,000 items, so you’ll find a lot!

Tin lizzies and horse-drawn carriages. Hand-carved bedsteads and hand-woven baskets. Wedding dresses and military uniforms. A deep-sea diver’s helmet and a telephone operator’s switchboard. A congregation of pulpits and a veritable armada of rocking chairs.”

What does Mary Gallagher, the historical society’s collections manager, think? “I think we have too many chairs, personally.” Joking aside, Gallagher and the BCHS staff take their collection and mission of preserving the history of our county very seriously! Read more and you’ll see…

What a climb…


This weekend our Flickr Commons account hit 175,000 views!! Thanks to all our loyal viewers — you make this project great.

And while we thank you, we also tease you a bit …

Love the photo in this post? It’s part of a rapid fire release schedule we’re starting this week! We have 3 more sets to show you from the Visual Instruction Lantern Slide Department Collection, all focused on Oregon Industries between 1905 and 1940. You get lots of fish, some potato prep, tug boats, the OR State Capital Building, trees, chickens, corn, and so much more. So watch for the 1905 – 1910 set this Wednesday, followed by the 1925 set on September 9th, and the 1940 set on September 16th.

And after that? Stay tuned, we think you’ll like it …

Oregon, a story of progress and development

Were you left wanting more about the Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition?

We’ve digitized the book Oregon, a story of progress and development, together with an account of the Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition to be held in Portland, Oregon, from June first to October fifteenth, nineteen hundred and five and it is now available in ScholarsArchive!

“What is ScholarsArchive?” you might ask…

“ScholarsArchive@OSU is Oregon State University’s digital service for gathering, indexing, making available and storing the scholarly work of the Oregon State University community. It also includes materials from outside the institution in support of the university’s land, sun, sea and space grant missions and other research interests.”

Remember, it exists because people contribute their work and share the digitization dreams! Submitting your research to ScholarsArchive@OSU is easy. Want to know more? send them an email at scholarsarchive@oregonstate.edu.