It’s true. Researching online is not as satisfying as sitting in an archives, gloves on, examining primary source materials in person. The advantage, however, is that plugging in combinations of search terms on a search engine of choice, can be done at home, at a researcher’s convenience. The results vary, of course, depending on subject matter, etc. but as more collections are digitized and uploaded online, the rewards improve.
To date, the Clayton McLain Memorial Museum has three online exhibits:
- Cut Knife Town Centre exhibit was highlighted in yesterday’s post. (Click to view.)
- Attons Lake – A Summer Meeting Place was developed as a Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) Community Memories Project. The slideshow consists of 216 photos with accompanying text, and an additional 2 dozen stories. (Click to view.)
- Cut Knife and Districts School Sites & Points of Interest is presented as a pdf document. The information was compiled in time for the 2012 Town of Cut Knife Anniversary and is complete with school districts noted and GPS coordinates provided. Perfect for a Sunday drive. (Click to view.)
All of the online exhibits and projects mentioned over the past few days rely on archival research which, in the case of a volunteer-run museum and archives, is dependent upon – yes – volunteers. Specialized knowledge is not required. Often, the search is for something quite specific, and it can be fun. It’s almost like looking for buried treasure with so many interesting tidbits discovered along the way.
We haven’t identified our next project yet, but if you’d like to be a part of a research team, it only takes a word with Lucille or a Board member, or an email to cmmmcutknife@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you!
~ Debbie M.
Clayton McLain Memorial Museum 