The document discusses web archiving efforts at the Folger Shakespeare Library. It details how the library has archived over 6 million documents and 429 GB of data from their own website and related sites to preserve the digital record. This includes archiving their website, social media, blogs, and other related performance sites quarterly and semi-annually. The library has made progress expanding their collections and improving documentation and workflows to advance their goal of official web archiving.

1. “The Short and the Long”
of It:
Web Archiving at the
Folger Shakespeare
Library
Jaime McCurry
November 12, 2013

2. National Digital Stewardship
Residency Program (NDSR)
MISSION: “To build a dedicated community of
professionals who will advance our nation's capabilities
in managing, preserving, and making accessible the
digital record of human achievement.”
http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/ndsr/

3. Project Description:
To establish local routines and best practices for
archiving and preserving the Folger’s born-digital
content.

4. “The mission of the Folger Shakespeare Library is to
preserve our collection; to make our collection accessible
to scholars and others who can use it productively; and to
advance understanding and appreciation of Shakespeare’s
writings and the culture of the early modern world.

5. Web Archiving at the Folger
Initiative Began: 2011
Current Collections: 2
Documents Crawled To-Date: 6,189,247
Data Archived To-Date: 429 GB

6. Archived Since: October 2011
Purpose: Preserving the institution’s web presence
Active Seeds: 34
Crawl Frequency: Quarterly
Scope: Websites and social media sites from the Folger
Shakespeare Library

7. Types:
Folger Website
Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, MySpace)
WordPress Blogs
Folger YouTube Account
Luna Imaging Database & Hamnet Bibliographic Catalog

8. Archived Since: October 2011
Active Seeds: 296
Crawl Frequency: Semi-Annual
Scope: Websites for drama festivals and theatrical
companies with a focus on Shakespeare performance.
Scope primarily limited to the United States, but
includes some international festivals as well.

9. In the Past:
Research on the subject required combing through
- print directories
- production files
- newspaper clippings
- printed programs
- outdated web directories

10. “A number of theatrical companies listed in
online directories were no longer active by the
time we started our Archive-It activities in 2011.”
(Kuhn, Wahl: Folger RBMS Poster, June 2013)
“Have we lost the first decade of Shakespeare on
the Web?”
If so, we don’t want to lose the second!

11. Progress:
- 64 new seed URLs
added to the collection
- Metadata for each seed
- Grouped seeds by
location for improved
search functioning
11

12. Next Step:
- Create a third
collection:
International
Shakespeare
Festivals and
Theatrical
Companies
https://infogr.am/Festivals-and-company-websites-bygeographic-location/

13. RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Communication (Online Strategy Council, Collection
Development Committee, Folger Staff and Readers)
Documentation (Archive-It webinar write-ups, Updated
Metadata Workflow, Updated Workflow for Adding a
Collection)
Small, Yet Effective: Customized URL, Uploading Folger Logo,
“Landing page” on Folger Website
ULTIMATE GOAL: OFFICIAL WEB ARCHIVING

14. FUTURE POSSIBILITIES?
- Always keeping in mind potential collection topics:
Examples:
Shakespeare in Education (NY Times ‘Hamlet’ Contest)
Scholarly Blogs
University Programs
Reader/Staff Nomination Forms
Etc.

15. “To thine own self be true.”
Hamlet
“Hell is empty, all the devils are here.”
The Tempest
“To do a great right, do a little wrong.”
Merchant of Venice
“Better three hours too soon than a minute
too late.”
The Merry Wives of Windsor

16. CONTACT
Jaime McCurry
National Digital Stewardship Resident
http://jaimemccurry.com
jmccurry@FOLGER.edu