Access and Use in the Digital Age: A Case Study of a Digital Postcard Collection

Abstract

This article reflects on the first eighteen months of a long-term project to digitize a large and still-growing postcard collection. The project is notable for its use of student workers, developing an active donor base, establishing a significant online presence, and igniting interest in, use of, and donations to the collection itself. Throughout 2014, statistics from Google Analytics, CONTENTdm, and Flickr were monitored and analyzed. Combined with a review of the project itself, this case study examines how cultural heritage materials may be made available on a limited budget and used in the Digital Age.

KEYWORDS:

• digitization
• internet
• postcards
• search engines
• students