Now that we have a quiet space in the NativeNet discussions, I'd like to
ask once again for help with the Quincentenary database project I've
written about a few times in the past. I'll just go over the basics here,
but I'd be glad to send more details to anyone who is interested.
The main idea is that I want to put together a collection of information
pertaining to the event and the legacy of the voyage of Columbus, par-
ticularly as they affected the indigenous peoples of what we now know as
"the Americas." This is the five-hundredth anniversary of that voyage,
and we can expect a great deal of fanfare in October when the event will
be commemorated by the governments of various countries (U.S., Italy,
Spain, etc.).
I would like to have in place, preferably by the end of the summer, a
database containing a basic set of information about books, teaching aids,
films, videos, audio tapes, events, organizations, people - and anything
that could be of help to someone not knowing where to turn for alternative
information and resources. This database could be searched by anyone with
Internet or Bitnet access, using ordinary electronic mail, in the same way
that we can use the services of the LISTSERV software that manages some of
the NativeNet mailing lists. The idea is that you could email a query to
a special electronic address and have the results of that query mailed back
to you automatically. The database could be updated in a similar fashion.
For the past month, there has been what I consider a preliminary discussion
which has taken place among a number of people who expressed an interest in
helping with the project. So far, we have identified volunteers to lay out
a database structure for dealing with textual material (mainly books), and
to create and maintain the corresponding database. We still need to do the
same for the other kinds of materials and information mentioned in my list
above.
In particular, it is important that we identify people who would be willing
to contact the various organizations which have established themselves as
information clearinghouses, and to get copies of their lists of materials
and to make sure they are represented in our database. We need to make
these organizations aware of our project, and to attempt to form collabora-
tive arrangements with them. I have a preliminary list of organizations,
mostly in the U.S., but some in Europe. Once we have some volunteers, we
can assign each of them some organizations to contact and to represent.
(We can also talk about getting those organizations themselves hooked up
to our network via email, of course.) We also need to make sure we know
about all the organizations which are doing work on such projects, so that
we can be sure we gather as much information as possible, so I'd appreciate
knowing the names of organizations you'd recommend, even if you feel your-
self unable to volunteer for the project.
I will be taking care of setting up the database software. I have a package
that seems adequate to the task. Now I just need to write some code to make
it do what we need, and to connect it with electronic mail, by means of a
package that AISESnet facilitator Borries Demeler helped me locate - so the
technical part of the task is being taken care of by yours truly.
PLEASE - let me know just as soon as possible if you think you might have the
time and interest to become involved in this project. I'll add your name to
the "nn.database" mailing list and send you instructions on how to access
articles from the archives, so that you'll know what decisions we've already
made and what questions are now open.
Thanks very much for any help you can provide.
Gary
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Gary S. Trujillo gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us
Somerville, Massachusetts {wjh12,bu.edu,spdcc,ima,cdp}!gnosys!gst