The document summarizes the AddressingHistory project, which aims to crowdsource the geocoding of historical Scottish postal directories by having users link directory entries to digitized historical maps. The project partnered with the National Library of Scotland to digitize directories from 1784-1805, 1865, and 1905-1906. It will develop an online tool allowing users to georeference directory entries by placing pins on digitized maps. The project will focus on engagement through social media channels and its blog. It recently launched its online tool and API and is now focused on sustainability and funding.

1. AddressingHistory – Tracing the Past
Stuart Macdonald
AddressingHistory Project Manager
Nicola Osborne
Project Officer & EDINA Social Media Officer
EDINA & Data Library
AddressingHistory Launch - National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh - 17 November 2010

2. • JISC-funded Community Content
project
• 6 months (April 2010 – September
2010)
• Partner with NLS
• Advisory Board
CC image courtesy of Flickr –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenhorton/3970883720/

3. • To create an online crowdsourcing
tool which will combine data from
digitised historical Scottish Post Office
Directories (PODs) with
contemporaneous historical maps
CC image courtesy of Flickr –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenhorton/4418947864/
Similar to Australian Historic
Newspapers project provided by
National Library of Australia
where members of the public
correct and improve OCR’d text
of old newspapers

4. • Project will focus on 3 vols.
of Edinburgh PODs: 1784-5;
1865; 1905-6
• Historic maps geo-
referenced by NLS
• PODs digitised by NLS in
conjunction with the Internet
Archive
• Public domain
CC image courtesy of Flickr –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenhorton/4477409137/

5. CC image courtesy of Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenhorton/4463849542/in/set-72157613482977550//
• Upon registration the tool will allow ‘the
crowd’ to geo-reference a POD entry by
moving a ‘map pin’ on a digitised map
• Facilitates the addition of a grid
reference to the OCR’d POD held in an
XML database
• Geo-coding of POD
addresses parsed against
Google geo-coder

6. • Interface has to be easy-to-use for a
range of users
• Robust and scalable to accommodate
400 Scottish PODs currently being
digitised
CC image courtesy of Flickr –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10413717@N08/2718212938/
• Crowdsourcing of mass
geo-coded content
• Mechanism to check
user-generated content
such as geo-references,
names, professions

7. • Edinburgh Beltane –
beacon of partnership &
CHSS knowledge transfer
office
• Amplification of tool and
API via Social Media
Channels – Facebook,
Google Groups, Twitter,
Blog, Flickr
CC image courtesy of Flickr –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenhorton/4006519613//

8. • Our Blog has been our hub of
activity throughout the project
• We’ve posted items on…
StampimagefromWikimediaCommons:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Och
sstamp.jpg
• Scottish history
events and fringe
shows
• Regular project
progress reports
• AddressingHistory
Preview
announcement
• Press appearances
• And various other
items we think you
might find
interesting…

9. • We’ve also benefited from some
fantastic guest bloggers…
UKStamp:2nd
Class,Scotland-CCimagebyTomBKK.:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atomdocs/4272429557/
…and we
welcome
more!

10. StampimagefromWikimediaCommons:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pierre_poivre_mauritius_pos
tage_stamp_60_cents.jpg
• Twitter has helped us find fantastic
supporters, friends, and feedback
• It’s already led to articles, previewers,
recommendations and those fantastic
guest bloggers!

11. We’ve also been making
friends on Facebook &
encouraging those who Like us
to share AddressingHistory!
StampimagefromWikimediaCommons:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Am
atuerradiostamp.jpg

12. • We’ve a few new treats:
– a new Flickr account
– AddressingHistory badges for
your website or blog
– Videos about the project
• We’ve also been having huge fun meeting people in
person here, at Beltane events, at CILIPS,
OKScotland, RepositoryFringe, IASSIST, RunCoCo,
RSC Scotland Web 2 Forum, and Perth 800.
• And we hope you will help us by using and
contributing edits to AddressingHistory and, most
of all, by helping us keep this community of people
and groups passionate about Scottish history to
thrive.
Art - Stamp Art - US - LOVE 1977 – CC image by Vintageprintable1:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintageprintabledotcom/4967209674/

13. What next?
• Sustainability
• Google Analytics – measure access
and usage of API & generation of User
Generated Content
• Funding
CC Image by Karen Horton courtesy of Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenhorton/4491710248/

14. AddressingHistory Online Tool & API –
http://addressinghistory.edina.ac.uk
NOW LIVE!

15. THANKING YOU!
Email: addressing.history@ed.ac.uk