It's interesting the amount of resources available online for reference material. What is most ironic is that you can go online, visit your local library's website, view their entire catalog, yet you come to the critical moment when you realize the movie you've been looking for is only available on VHS! Who has a VHS player anymore? I certainly don't, and don't even know someone who has one. Technology is changing all the time, yet our resources for studying and researching remain antiquated. I suppose that's why there is a big push within the recent years to digitize print materials.
Another large issue I need to address is incorporating newer ways to bring this information on the Pan-American Expo through new, hot technology skills. I want to use my Smartphone for things other than just video recording and taking pictures. I want to find websites that make transcribing interviews a snap. I realize that in order to fully appreciate the technological side of this course, I need to think outside the box in bringing this project to the public's eyes.
One research tool I've always wanted to use was the newspapers on microfilm. At my local library, there are newspapers dating back to 1860. I plan to use newspaper articles to find out the culture at the time; how important was Buffalo at the time and how did it react to the Pan-American Expo?? At the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, they also offer a research library catalog, called FRANK. Unfortunately, we run into the same problem as the VHS situation---- they have over 20,000 images yet only one, small collection is viewable online.
This week I'm planning on delving into local university libraries. With such a high demand for accessibility due to students, I would imagine that their libraries are more digitized than smaller, county libraries.... (I hope!)
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