What is it about?
This review describes how the Content Management System (CMS) Omeka supports the representation and presentation of the National Agricultural Library’s digital exhibits, including some observations on its strengths and weaknesses. It also looks at Omeka’s major features through a theoretical lens of exhibit orientation that provides another way to assess it as a digital content tool.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
The case study method was selected to review four comparable exhibits from the same institution. The Omeka software was evaluated through a lens of exhibit design that includes two orientations (object v. information) and multiple goals (object identification and display, engagement, interpretation, and education). The review grounds the examination of Omeka within a theoretical framework of exhibit orientation that enriches its observations and conclusions.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Chickens, aprons, markets, and cans, Digital Library Perspectives, November 2017, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/dlp-03-2017-0009.
You can read the full text:
Resources
"Frost on Chickens" Digital Exhibit
The poet Robert Frost lived and worked as a poultry farmer in Derry, New Hampshire from 1900 to 1909. During that period he published a dozen articles for two trade journals: The Eastern Poultryman and The Farm-Poultry. The National Agricultural Library (NAL) holds copies of these publications and other relevant materials on poultry farming which give context to Frost's articles. "Frost on Chickens" is made of nine smaller topical exhibits that relate directly to the subjects contained in Frost's pieces. Each exhibit presents relevant excerpts from Frost's articles, an overview of the topic, and links to full-text, digital NAL and USDA materials. The structure of the site follows the general subjects addressed by Frost's stories. There are nine focused exhibits: Hen Houses, Backyard Chickens, Chicken Feed, Fancy Chickens, Poultry Breeds, Poultry Farming, Egg Production, the Poultry Marketplace, and the Poultry Press. There is also an overview of Robert Frost's time in Derry, New Hampshire in the early 1900s and the Frost Farm.
Mailboxes, Mom and Pop Stands, and Markets: Local Foods Then and Now Digital Exhibit
The current interest in local foods is reflected in a long-standing focus of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the best ways to get food from producers to consumers. The National Agricultural Library (NAL) holds copies of many historical and current materials documenting the ways that food makes its way from the farm to our tables. This exhibit showcases these resources, placed within a larger context of agricultural marketing and purchasing. The exhibit is divided into three main sections: a review of the "Farm-To-Table" Movement of the early 1900s, a survey of Roadside Stands and Farmers Markets, and a list of current USDA local food initiatives identified by the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Project.
Apron Strings and Kitchen Sinks: The USDA Bureau of Home Economics Digital Exhibit
The Bureau of Home Economics was a pioneering unit in the U.S. Department of Agriculture for several reasons. It was the first major unit to have been headed by a woman: Louise Stanley, Ph.D. It focused on topics of central concern to women, as defined by the cultural norms of the early 20th century: sewing, kitchen design and features, time spent on housework, children's clothing, and food preparation and preservation. Lastly, it took a then-novel approach to its work: it strove to first understand what its primary audience needed within its broad mandate and then shaped its specific programs around those needs. This exhibit showcases the work of this Bureau -- especially the work related to clothing and kitchen design.
How Did We Can? The Evolution of Home Canning Practices Digital Exhibit
Home canning in the United States made a pronounced appearance during World War I, maintained a steady following through the Great Depression, peaked during World War II, suffered a substantial decline after the war, and has been regaining popularity since the 1970’s. "How Did We Can?" is made up of five smaller exhibits, Canning Techniques, Consequences of Improper Canning, Evolution of Canning Equipment, Canning Through the World Wars, and Home Canning: Post World War II to Present, that relate to different aspects of home canning. Each exhibit presents relevant excerpts from canning articles, an overview of the topic, and links to full-text digital National Agricultural Library (NAL) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) materials. NAL holds many digital materials relevant to all of these topics. In addition to highlighting a topic related to food safety, providing means of access to these full-text books, articles, and reports is one of the reasons "How Did We Can?" was created. This exhibit contains over 100 selected full-text digital documents, articles, and images documenting the progression of canning practices in the United States during the 20th century.
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
