Can you help with this task?
Mary Smith 33 Gaynes Park Road, Upminster, Essex RM14 2HJ
I have recently discovered a very absorbing way to help the Club with its digitisation
project. It is truly fascinating, and I learn about loads of interesting aspects of natural
history.
If you are computerate at a basic level and have a bit of time to spare at intervals, then
this may be a new adventure for you too. Maybe you have been a member of the Club
for some time, are not often able to join in with field meetings, but want to lend a hand
at a less energetic level? Read on!
Most of our back publications are being digitised so they can be loaded up on to our
website. To help with indexing and ease of use of this new resource-to-be, we need
people who are willing to read some articles and then write a short summary or ab-
stract, and list some key words for indexing purposes. It is not necessary to be an
expert, so anyone with a mild interest in general natural history can easily join in.
In recent weeks I have learned a lot about a big hole that suddenly appeared in a field
not far from the Colne in Lexden in 1862. Lots of naturalists went to have a look, and
geologists and others had some wonderful ideas as to how it happened. It turned out to
be an unusual subsidence, linked with the Colne. On another occasion I learned every-
thing there is to know about Saffron Crocus: the plant, cultivation, harvesting, history
and uses, and all linked with Saffron Walden, of course. These are two examples of
long articles in one volume from the nineteenth century, but also there are lots of short
snippets on all kinds of natural history topics. An abstract should probably be under
200 words, usually much less, and some keywords chosen, maybe 3 to 10. These bits
need to go into a table in Word, or a spreadsheet (Excel), or can now be done on-line
on the Club's website via the "My Stuff page www.essexfieldclub.org.uk/portal/p/
My+Stuff. Make a note of the hours you spend as you go along.
The digitisation process is being done using money from Heritage Lottery Fund, but
we have to provide volunteer time and input as well, to 'earn' a part of the money
needed. This is why we need lots of volunteers to help with this task, and each to
record the time taken. If you don't care for writing summaries of articles, then there
are some other similar tasks, such as typing in details from a card index of our library
books. Feel free to contact me if you want to ask questions, or contact Peter Harvey if
you want to get started on tire task.
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Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 60, September 2009