The Digital Age and Local Studies

Citation

Llwyd, R. (2006), "The Digital Age and Local Studies", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 40 No. 2, pp. 192-194. https://doi.org/10.1108/00330330610669316

This volume is one of Chandos' new series of books aimed at the busy information professional and it investigates two core themes namely local studies librarianship and “the impact of the digital age, in particular the internet, on this distinctive part of the library world”. There are, of course, a number of standard texts which have appeared during the last decade, attempting to delineate the significance of “local studies” and countless volumes which have studied the impact of technological and electronic developments on our lives and work. But nowhere have those two themes been brought together in the way they have in this study and for that reason alone it is to be welcomed. In addition, it is particularly pleasing to note that the author still teaches local studies to both full‐time students and part‐time distance learners at the Department of Information Management at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. I say pleasing because courses or modules on local studies librarianship have virtually disappeared from the syllabi of almost all other UK library schools/departments; and yet we know that family and community historians are making increasing demands on libraries and archive repositories because of the growing popularity of these subjects.

The book has been divided into eight chapters each of which has been usefully sub‐divided into sections, each ending with a conclusion that provides a useful summary of the issues discussed. In the introductory chapter the concept of “local studies” is analysed and the question “how local is local?” raised before an attempt is made to measure the impact of computers, and the internet in particular, on local studies provision. Indeed, a special plea is made which many of us could wholeheartedly agree with:

Perhaps the first and most important thing to say about the impact of the digital age on local studies is to reiterate that the local studies department is not simply a desirable “additional extra”; it is a vital core part of the service and, as such, must be an active participant in the development in information and communication technologies (ICT) currently taking place within libraries.

Additionally, it is essential that local studies departments are properly resourced, both in conventional terms but also in terms of receiving adequate proportions of funding for ICT (p. 14).

The second chapter investigates further the development of local studies collections/departments in the UK context and concludes that “the Internet offers tremendous potential to widen access to local studies and finally to explode that myth of parochialism” which has often dogged them.

The third chapter, “E‐enquiry services for local studies” examines “both the advantages and disadvantages of electronic enquiry services in local studies” and offers some valuable observations on e‐mail enquiries, online enquiry services, Inter Relay Chat, Weblogs (or blogs) and other interactive techniques that are now commonly used by family and community historians. Indeed, Dr Reid claims that in some instances “many users are more familiar with electronic and web‐based tools than the library staff!”. The net result of the digital revolution has meant that access to “local” materials wherever they are located is not confined to those who live in a particular locality hence “local studies without walls” has become an apt slogan. And it is the use of local materials by remote users that is the subject of the fourth chapter. We are offered an interesting discussion of the practicalities of content selection and creation and the author here, as elsewhere, is at pains to emphasise the need for web sites to be as socially inclusive as possible. A major part of this chapter is “An A to Z of content creation” which aptly illustrates the range of diverse materials expected in most local studies collections.

In Chapter 5 it is claimed that “E‐genealogy has proved to be one of the enduring success stories of the Internet” and we are reminded of some of the notable national and international sources that are accessible to family historians and how the more global sources can be used in conjunction with local ones and vice versa. This underlines the interactivity of the internet, a factor that makes it so remarkably valuable. Equally important is the need for “joined‐up thinking” and the theme of Chapter 6 is “E‐collaboration and co‐operation” in which it is argued that “collaborative ventures of digital content creation” is the obvious way forward, where possible, at both formal and less formal levels.

The seventh chapter is entitled “E‐learning” and rightly reminds us that the relationship between local studies and the world of education goes back a very long way. The advent of ICT, however, is offering exciting new opportunities for using e‐learning in the context of local studies and there have been excellent examples of this such as focus on … the census (www.learningcurve.gov.uk/focuson/census/) from The National Archives on a national level and the Powys Digital History Project (http://history.powys.org.uk/history/intro/entry.html) on a more local level. However, to maximise these opportunities it is crucial that information literacy training is provided.

Throughout his text the author looks at the advantages and disadvantages of the digital age in relation to local studies and the final chapter is devoted to “Evaluation and appraisal.” The questions of accuracy, reliability and validity of sources are crucial whatever the context and we are offered helpful criteria, under ten headings, for evaluating local sources many of which will be totally unique.

In the preface to The Digital Age and Local Studies the author maintains that the work was not meant to provide detailed discussions of the technicalities of digital technology, but rather a “practical overview of many of the main issues associated with local studies and the internet.” I believe he has succeeded in his aim. It is a book that reads well and apart from a handful of typographical errors is nicely presented. Very effective use has been made throughout of screenshots to illustrate examples of web sites such as the Victoria County History, Gateshead Libraries, Knowsley Local History, Scotland's People, and many others. And, at the end of each chapter we have notes and references accurately cited, although I was intrigued to find that, in the case of three separate references, we are led nowhere – merely to a “private source!” There is also a valuable indicative bibliography and a helpful index.

I referred at the start to the fact that these Chandos texts are aimed at busy information professionals. The Digital Age and Local Studies, however, deserves an even wider audience and should be within easy reach not just only of students and “professionals” but also those countless family and community historians who are “beavering” away at their researches!