This week, we focused on digital mapping and how we can make our items. I started this process by finishing uploading my Omeka items. This was a little difficult at first because some of my items had little context for the item itself. For this process, I started by finding all the locations for my items and writing them down, focusing on Joyce Murrow’s scrapbook. The items with little context were challenging to map and find information about. The process revealed some exciting locations that shed light on her life. I carefully placed pins on the map for significant spots like 206 Marine Avenue in Balboa Islands, California, and 123-131 Pennsylvania Avenue in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, NJ. These locations were either explicitly provided on each item or discovered through the Library of Congress website. It was essential to remember the question, “What does this item reveal about Joyce Murrow’s experiences?” Keeping this question in mind helped me choose what location to pick. However, not all items were easy to pinpoint. Some items, like those referencing West Chester State Teacher College, proved too broad geographically. Others lacked adequate information or were simply notes without location details. In total, I mapped around five items out of sixteen. Exploring the Omeka mapping tool was very cool. The ability to search by various criteria, from ID #s to geographic addresses, added depth to my research. Joyce Murrow’s scrapbook took me from Philadelphia to far-out destinations like New York, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Each item clicked on the map unveiled a picture and a description. This reminded me of what we discussed during the first lectures. The mapping has been my favorite part of this process, allowing me to visualize Joyce Murrow’s journeys. Overall, this week highlighted the power of Omeka in showing historical narratives!
