People's Contest Digital Archive

When will I be able to see my transcriptions online?

The transcriptions go through a peer review process using the Zooniverse platform, to check for accuracy and build a consensus around what each page contains. Once that process is complete, the transcriptions will be transferred from Zooniverse into our digital collections system, indexed, and made available to researchers. We are still testing these workflows but expect a turn-around time of two to four weeks from consensus in Zooniverse to publication in the Penn State Digital Collections.

How will you publish the transcriptions in Penn State Digital Collections?

Materials in the People's Contest Digital Archive are available in our digital collections site, and transcriptions of diaries and correspondence are published there. We are also looking at other ways to present transcriptions side-by-side with images for better understanding of the letters, and at ways to publish the transcriptions as data packages for use in digital humanities projects.

We're always happy to hear ideas from volunteers or contributors about new and innovative ways to publish the diaries and transcriptions!

Who contributes content to the People's Contest Digital Archive?

Our contributors are libraries, archives, and historical societies from across Pennsylvania.

• Albright College, Reading
• Blair County Historical Society, Altoona
• Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown
• Columbia Historical Preservation Society, Columbia
• Dauphin County Historical Society, Harrisburg
• Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh
• Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Union County Historical Society, Lewisburg
• Union League of Philadelphia