Reflection

I’ve spent quite a bit of this semester working on the interview archive, a collection of all interviews and audio clips that the Jackson Center has accumulated.  After working on it for so long, I now understand why it has taken so long to get done.  The audio files have to be sorted and organized; then each file name has to be formatted; additional documents such as abstracts and consent forms need to be collected and put in one place with their corresponding audio file; a spread sheet needs to be made as a database for all of the audio pieces; the audio pieces need to be burned onto discs; then everything can be organized into a binder and we will have a physical collection of the audio pieces.  So far, I (with much needed assistance) am almost done.  The audio files are organized and named in a standardized manner; the spread sheet is completed; and now, for the audio pieces that have consent forms, Blanche, Paris, and I are burning the discs with the pieces and printing cover pages and labels for each interview to be placed in the audio binder.  After that, we will work on collecting documents for all of the interviews–go searching for consent forms and abstracts and the like.  Organizing is what I’m good at, and watching this project manifest before us is very pleasing.  I know it will help the Jackson Center, the Northside neighborhood, and researching students.  

-Joe Dayaa