I hope that you'll put both digital images of  documents as well as 
transcriptions on line. (Take a look at the way the Library of 
Congress handles this http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html). Any 
serious researcher will want to get as close to the original as 
possible.)

  Having transcribed my share of manuscripts from the 13th to the 20th 
century in several languages, I know how easy it is mis-read 
handwriting, jump to conclusions about spelling and content, and make 
elementary mistakes like skipping lines. Good transcription is a lot 
like good oral history--the more the transcriber knows about the 
context, the better it will be. So you need someone with knowledge of 
the period, place, subject matter,  handwriting/abbreviations, and 
plenty of patience. If possible, get two people to do it so they can 
check each other.

Once it is done, please be sure to announce the availability of the 
material to the history of medicine community.

Karen Reeds
Karen Reeds, PhD, FLS
Guest Curator
Come into a New World: Linnaeus & America
Exhibition, February 15-July 1, 2007	LAST WEEK!
American Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia  215--389-1776
http://www.americanswedish.org/
http://www.americanswedish.org/linnaeus.htm

[log in to unmask]
609--279-9420

cc: Robert A. Vietrogoski, Head, Special Collections, Smith Library, 
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey  (which also holds 
material on the history of osteopathy)   [log in to unmask] (973) 
972-7830 FAX (973) 972-7474.



>
>Hello everyone,
>
>We are thinking of taking some of our handwritten documents from our 
>founder, and having them transcribed and placed on our website.  My 
>question to everyone is what sort of training or professional 
>standards are there for a transcriber of historical documents?  I am 
>trying to figure out who I need to be looking for to do this project.
>Thanks
>
>Debra Loguda-Summers, Curator
>Still National Osteopathic Museum and National Center for Osteopathic History
>800 West Jefferson
>Kirksville, MO 63501
>Phone: 660 626 2359
>Fax: 660 626 2984
>Toll Free: 1 866 626 ATSU Ext. 2359
>[log in to unmask]
>www.atsu.edu/museum

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).