Mad with the Writing: 100 Years of Collecting, 20 years of Digitising, 3% Completed

Abstract

This is a story about the Australian War Memorial’s historically significant, preeminent archive, which represents 100 years of collecting, 20 years of digitising and to date is three per cent digitised! Whether the format of the original record is created in paper or digital, we are all still “mad for the writing”, and there is only one thing for certain: that for the next 20 years, we will still be digitising! We all want to read and access collections online. It is hoped that developments in technology will continue to make that desired access faster, easier, safer and more efficient. Artificial Intelligence will most certainly play a role in ensuring that we will not be trying to “drink from the fire hose” when accessing digital collections into the future. Transcription technologies will continue to deliver research data that is relevant today in a variety of contexts.