Mini-Server suggestion - Turning it into an Archive Box

Hi all, I was mulling over the request you made on the mini server video you recently posted on Patreon and am looking for ideas as to what to do with the mini server build from Micro Center. I wanted to suggest giving a simple guide on how to set up the tools of the trade with Archives.

Bit of a backstory: I am working on getting my Master’s in Information Science and the amount of information on the subject is in odd corners. I started to look over job postings just to the name of programs that were used in the field. This is how I found out about ArchivesSpace.

Its an Open Source program where you can create a finding aid repository for both physical and digital collections (if anyone needs me to translate that sentence let me know). Since I saw this as a means to learn something in the field I tried to go and find documentation on it. Turns out that unless I was partnered with an institution that paid a ton of money, I was left only with former webinars they posted on YouTube.

I found a crack in the armor when I found this tutorial to help get me to get it up and working in my home lab ArchivesSpace 2.8.1 installation on Ubuntu 20.04 (in 15 steps) - YouTube

Because I went through this properly and learned some key terms I was able to land an internship at a local archive.

The point is that the field is doing A LOT of moving into the IT server space in order to maintain records for the future, and most of the tools that are out there is open source and free to use to play around with. The issue is that since the field is very old when it comes to technology there is a severe lack of documentation to get someone like me who wants to poke around the software to run it on a local server and learn how to use it.

If we can get a box up and running with something like Archivists’ Toolkit, Archon, to get it up and running to the point we can play around with it. I think it could usher in a new level of “people who work in IT who want to leave but use their skills in the archive realm.”

I know this is a bit of an odd topic choice but you asked for suggestions and wanted to throw this one out there. Thanks for reading and hope you have a great day.

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I think this is a great idea and it kind of goes along with the Video that Wendell did about the CatalogSystem for storing knowledge.

Good find and I hope that people find this interesting enough to do a video on it.

Also good luck on getting your Masters. I need to find some time to finish mine.

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