Today, Sourcery launches its peer-to-peer service, allowing researchers who need archival materials—now in Boston or New York City, but soon in other locations—to link up with a researcher in the area who is available to digitize and return a copy of the required materials. The application is an intervention in access that reflects current realities with respect to research and travel budgets, and environmental conditions.
Developed by the team at the University of Connecticut's Greenhouse Studios, in conjunction with Digital Scholar and with funding from the Mellon Foundation, the application is an effort to expand access to traditional archival materials. Researchers request materials for a flat rate, Sourcerers scan and return the materials, earning the bulk of the fee for their time and effort. All of this happens without expensive long distance travel. AArchival institutions will soon be able to participate in this workflow by joining Sourcery and choosing to service requests, or at least retain a copy of the scans if they would like them. Right now, the app is launching in Boston and New York, but in the coming year, its reach will expand to additional cities.
The Sourcery Team's development of the application and its approach build on nearly a decade of research, experimentation, and conversation with researchers, archivists, and information professionals. In supporting the work of the Sourcery team, Digital Scholar has emphasized its commitment to taking an innovative approach to the research process, rather than continuing business as usual. Adapting to contemporary circumstances and emerging technologies in a way that allows researchers to continue to pursue their inquiry and analysis in the most fulsome way possible.
So, the next time you find yourself working on a section of a manuscript and you need to review a document from an archive in New York or Boston that you don't already have in your Tropy project, log into Sourcery and make your request. You can continue at your desk, and a Sourcerer can make some money alongside doing their own research.