On Thursday 24 March, DRI members will be given a demonstration of how the Transcribathon crowdsourced transcription tool works and a preview of how it may be accessed, and work, for members in the future.
Time: 10 am to 11 am
Dublin City Libraries and the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) are part of a pan-European consortium called EnrichEuropeana+. This exciting initiative will combine citizen science and artificial intelligence to unlock handwritten documents from the 19th Century and make them available to researchers, students, amateur historians, and the public. This work will be piloted as part of #TranscriptionWeek, a week-long event taking place from 28 March to 1 April, where people from all over Ireland will work together to unlock important historical documents and make them more easily available to historians, researchers, students, and members of the public. On Thursday 24 March, DRI members are being given a demonstration of how this crowdsourced transcription tool will work and a preview of how it may be accessed, and work, for members in the future.
What are the benefits of transcription?
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By enriching digitised heritage material, crowdsourcers can transform these historical documents into useful digital resources. The transcriptions and annotations created are vital for the improvement and preservation of this important heritage, allowing their contents to be read, searched and used for years to come.
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Information that was previously only available in hard copy can now be turned into text and rich data.
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Transcription and enrichment open up new possibilities for digital inclusion, enabling the text and data to be translated and automatically converted to audio, tactile graphics and braille.
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Contributors can gain a deeper understanding of heritage material, allowing them to discover new stories and to connect on a personal level to history.
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As we transcribe these documents we help to train AI and machine learning tools. We contribute to the improvement of the Transkribus platform and the development of better digital tools for cultural heritage organisations everywhere.
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Additionally, the competitive aspect allows you to show off these skills, become recognised for your work, and compete to become a top transcriber.
Before taking part in the session members are encouraged to register an account on https://europeana.transcribathon.eu/
Find out more about Transcription Week by visiting the our news story here.
This is a DRI members event. Please contact DRI Membership Manager Dr Lisa Griffith at members@dri.ie to find out more about the event and to register.
Image: Lady Writing a Letter; Creator: Albert Edelfelt; Date: 1887; Institution: National Museum; Country: Sweden
