Interactive local history materials at a recent event at the Forest Hills Library.

At our community scanning events in Queens, I’ve been experimenting with introducing more interactive features, including slideshows of historic materials and an oral history listening station. I’m interested in moving our events in a more interactive direction in order to:

• engage participants who have not brought material to be scanned
• share local history materials
• demonstrate that individuals’ stories and materials are interesting
• provide an activity for donors who are waiting for their material to be digitized
• create a “give” for the events that is more meaningful than a flash drive

These new interactive features have been really well received by donors, volunteers and other participants. These are simple to create, but require the right technology and some additional time.

Historic Slideshow

For each neighborhood where we hold a community scanning event, I create a slideshow of historic photographs and documents from the area. The slideshows include material from the Archives at Queens Library and material that has been donated at previous Queens Memory events. Each image in the slideshow includes a caption with a very brief description, the date and collection information – all this content is taken directly from our catalog. The slideshows allow library patrons to view historic images of their neighborhood, an exciting and sometimes new experience. The captions, in addition to providing contextual information about the images, can introduce library patrons to archives. Not only can participants get a glimpse of the extensive material held by the Archives at Queens Library, they can see if a photo has been donated at a previous Queens Memory event. Participants can learn through experience that their family photos may be interesting to others!

Sometimes we work in neighborhoods or with communities that are not well-represented in our collections. This is a great teaching moment to talk about archival absence – why the slideshow is short, or why there are very few people of color in the photographs. We also emphasize that one of the main goals of Culture in Transit is to collect materials from neighborhoods and communities that are traditionally under-represented in the archives.

Close up of the historic slideshow tablet.

The slideshows are created in PowerPoint (to allow for captions), and displayed on a Samsung tablet with a large, 10 inch screen. The slideshow is exported to a .wmv (Windows Media Video) file from PowerPoint, and is played on the tablet through the built-in gallery feature. The tablet has a case that folds, creating a display stand for the tablet. I also make a second version of the slideshow with additional event information (date, time and place), as well as photos from previous Queens Memory events. These slideshows are displayed on the libraries’ flat-screen TVs as promotion in the weeks leading up to the community scanning event.

A participant listens to oral histories at the Flushing Library.

Oral History Listening Station

The oral history listening station consists of a second tablet connected to over-ear headphones, containing approximately 20 clips from oral history interviews with Queens residents. These clips generally stay the same from event to event, though I try to include some content reflecting the specific neighborhoods and communities where we are working. The oral histories have many of the same advantages as the historic slideshows: participants learn about the history of their neighborhood and borough, and can see the types of material collected by Queens Memory. Participants also learn that the stories and histories of individuals can be both interesting and of historic value.

The oral history clips are created as part of the cataloging process at Queens Library. These clips, formatted as .mp3 files, are loaded onto the tablet and played like any other music track. Before loading the files onto the tablet, I make the file names consistent and edit the “Properties” information for the files, so they display consistently in the music app. I also bring a sign that says “Oral History Listening Station: Hear your Queens neighbors talk about their lives and experiences!”. The oral histories have been enthusiastically received by participants at our events and are definitely a great addition to our interactive engagement materials.

I am continuing to explore new methods for interactive engagement and teaching at our community scanning events. Stay tuned for more soon about community collaborations and new techniques!