Exploring the Atlas of Digitised Newspapers: Enhancing Access to and Collaborative Research with Digitised Historical Newspapers

Building upon the two-year Digging into Data project, Oceanic Exchanges: Tracing Global Information Networks in Historical Newspaper Repositories, 1840-1914 (http://www.oceanicexchanges.org), this workshop will introduce participants to the Atlas of Digitised Newspapers, a comprehensive guide to the histories, structures and metadata of the digitised newspapers collections studied by the project, including those held by:Chronicling AmericaThe Hemeroteca Nacional Digital de MéxicoThe British LibraryThe Times Digital ArchiveDelpherEuropeanaSuomen Kansalliskirjaston Digitoidut SanomalehdetTrovePapers PastZEFYSThe Atlas provides readers with a deep contextualisation of these collections as well as detailed technical information about how to obtain, interpret, manipulate and map metadata and content across collections. Discussions will be supported by two additional online resources–an interactive visualisation of the metadata mapping and a linked dataset to support cross-database research.Starting with humans rather than technologies or tools, the Atlas specifically uncovers the people behind the metadata and selection decisions. The workshop demonstrates a commitment to continuously co-constructing this work, and we hope to foster future collaborations. The Atlas will encourage research that “analyzes the historical and continued impacts of colonialism, postcolonialism, and hegemony”; siloed national archives privilege collections that look inward, but Oceanic Exchanges has used the combined collections to explore multilingual/multicultural groups with future possibilities for work on comparative Indigenous studies.The aims of the workshop are to:Present the findings and outputs of the project;Create a space for critical discussion of the findings and future research opportunities by participants of the workshop;Allow for initial collaborations and hands-on use of the outputs in developing historical, literary, and computer science research questions.All participants will have the opportunity to submit and review the following in advance of the workshop:An online profile of previous work with digitised newspapers and historical periodicals.Suggestions for possible in-workshop collaborations using the Atlas, visualisations and LOD datasets across our core expected disciplines.Learning OutcomesBy the end of the workshop, participants will: Develop a nuanced understanding of available data beyond OCR text; Practice cross-collection data management and cleaning; Develop an understanding of metadata and selection practices.ScheduleIntroductions of workshop organisers and participantsIntroduction to Oceanic Exchanges Presentation of the Atlas of Digitised Newspapers Discussion of collections not represented in the Atlas by participants