Hello MUSE Bloggers!
If you don't already know me, I'm Sophie! I'm a fourth-year Museum Studies major, and I'm also double-minoring in History and Art History.
Before jumping into some ideas I have for my thesis, I think it would be nice to de-stress with a critter break!
Here is my lovely cat, Boba Joe, whom I am more than willing to share more of once this class starts to get stressful! She is 3 years old and a very silly creature!
Now that we've been graced by Boba, let's discuss thesis ideas.
At this point in time, my top idea for my project is to create a set of technical documents and templates for GLAM institutions that don't have the resources or funding to pay for industry-standard databases and software. I have a bit of experience with technical writing through my job at the RIT Archives, and my internship over the summer of 2024 was focused on helping my hometown gallery create some organizational documents.
My other ideas revolve around my interests in oral history, metadata, and WWII technologies. I would love to do an oral history project centered around interviewees who have gone through intense life-changing experiences that have completely turned their lives in a different direction, similar to my personal story, but I'm not exactly sure how I would crowdsource participants while also respecting sensitive themes.
I would say that my preferred project would be the oral history project, but that would be personally fulfilling, but not necessarily impactful for the community, unlike a document set for underfunded institutions would be. I kinda feel like my final decision is being hindered by a moral decision at the moment.
I shall make my decision soon. Best of luck to all of you!
Hi Sophie! I love both of your ideas. As the director of a small institution, paying for software is very hard ro justify when there are staffing concerns, buliding concerns and conservation concerns. I would may encourage you to combine your ideas and make a low cost/low barrier to entry oral history workflow. I think that would be really impact full to tge small museum community and you could demo it with a oral history important to you!
ReplyDeleteSophie, I am excited to see what ideas you have, and as Eliot suggests, how you might combine them. Or, you might plunge forward with one valiantly. You might think about what oral history does/provides. Is it, ostensibly, a form of commemoration? Keep going!
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