Digital curiosities: resource creation via amateur digitization

Abstract

Most memory institutions are now engaging with digitizing holdings to provide online access. Although, recent developments in technology have allowed users to create high quality digital resources out with institutional boundaries, little consideration has been given to the potential contribution that the general public can make to digitizing our cultural heritage. This article seeks to scope the growing trend of the creation of amateur online museums, archives, and collections, and demonstrates that the best examples of this endeavor can teach best practice to traditional memory institutions in how to make their collections useful, interesting, and used by online communities.