The 1972 Black Hills Flood

Archiving Oral History Online

Jason Walker Public Services and Circulation/Technical

Services Supervisor Marti Fuerst

Public Services Library Associate and Wiki Team Lead

Local Information at your Fingertips

Libraries nationwide are becoming the place for local information.

This includes archiving local and regional events.

The Rapid City Public Library recognized this need in 2004.

Archiving materials on the 1972 Black Hills Flood became the pilot project.

Why Online?

An online collection… is accessible anywhere, anytime. is able to reach a wider audience. allows multiple users simultaneously access. has digital formats which are easily

converted to new standards. has fewer space constraints.

In the Beginning The physical collection included

Rapid City Journal articles/publications; reports from various agencies; and items from former mayor Don Barnett.

Oral histories were proposed in 2005. They were originally proposed as just audio. Interviews would be conducted by

staff/volunteers and edited by staff.

The Oral History Project Staff and volunteers

conducted interviews. For a time, interviews

were edited externally. Videos were streamed

through the website and retained on data CDs and DVDs.

The Website The website is part of

the Rapid City Public Library’s website and includes

facts; transcripts; reports; photos; and The DeWall Collection.

The Wiki Desire to facilitate sharing written memories

lead to the inclusion of a wiki. What’s a Wiki?

A Web site developed collaboratively by a community of users, allowing any user to add and edit content.

Why a Wiki? It is easily updated by guests and staff. The project receives a free advanced account with

nonprofit status through Wikispaces.

Current Process Memories added via a

form on the wiki. Staff maintain wiki,

conduct, and edit interviews to upload to an online video host.

Staff currently consolidating information onto the wiki.

Other Tools Flickr Google Maps Vimeo CONTENTdm

Flickr We use Flickr to map, tag, and create

slideshows of photos.

Google Maps We use Google Maps to maintain a “Memory

Map” of the interviews and memories we have collected.

Vimeo Vimeo is the tool we use to host videos of

interviews.

CONTENTdm We use CONTENTdm to manage digitized

items and make them accessible to users.

Community Response 39 interviews have been conducted and 35

are available on the website. 65 written memories have been added to the

wiki. Physical materials are donated for

digitization, usually around the anniversary of the Flood.

Library programs held on the anniversary of the Flood are well attended.

Future Plans

1. Develop a digital curriculum packet for South Dakota educators.

2. Coordinate with the University of South Dakota to digitize recordings of oral histories collected in 1973 regarding the flood.

3. Market the resource and solicit interviews from Native American communities.

Conclusion Local, historical information is in demand

on the Internet. Making oral history available on the Internet

reaches a wider audience and preserves memory for future generations.

Wikis and other online tools are an easy and cost-effective way to collaboratively gather historical information.

Video Clip

http://rcflood.wikispaces.com