Digital Possibilities Series: Strategic Approaches to Transcription
Liz Bloodworth, Illinois Wesleyan University, will discuss the use of AI tools for transcription of both oral history interviews and handwritten text documents. With increasing demands on staff time, especially in small shop archives, AI offers an opportunity to enhance the discoverability of archival materials through efficient transcription. Liz will share tips for using AI tools ethically and responsibly, stressing the importance of human review throughout the process.
Then, Chris Levesque will discuss digital engagement in the University of West Florida’s Citizen Archivist Projects. During Library Week 2025 and 2026, the UWF University Libraries hosted participatory transcription events of letters and ship logs from their Digital Archives. This effort built on the well-known National Archives' Citizen Archivist model to engage students, faculty, and the larger UWF community. This talk will discuss selection of materials, implementation of the project, and lessons learned.
This webinar is the sixth of the summer Digital Possibilities webinar series, a CARLI and FLVC joint collaboration.
Presenters:
Liz Bloodworth has served as the University Archivist & Special Collections Librarian at Illinois Wesleyan University since 2023. She holds an MLIS with an archives specialization from the University of Missouri - Columbia and an MA in History from Illinois State University. Her research focuses on enhancing the archival research and learning experience for undergraduates.
Chris Levesque holds a joint appointment as a Digital Collections Archivist at the UWF University Libraries and as Archivist at the UWF Historic Trust. As an archivist, Chris is most interested in digital preservation of at-risk archival materials. His work as a historian focuses on the soldier’s experience of war and connections between war and religion.
Hosted by FLVC