Month 2 (August 2011)
This month I have been mostly... Getting to know the database
With the physical material relatively well-organised, and a list to hand, I made a start on cataloguing the collection. Cataloguing involves entering information about an item or group of items into a database that is searchable. My end goal is to upload a complete catalogue onto the Janus website, enabling researchers anywhere in the world to discover more about the resources we have here at St John’s, which might be useful to their studies.
Inside box VIII/28 - reply cards for the 'Erewhon Dinners', 1908-12
Creating entries for everything in the collection will take a long time – probably the full two years of the Butler Project. Inputting the information really helps you get to know the items and artefacts you’re working with, but it can be difficult, as you have to anticipate which details or features of an item are likely to prove most important, interesting or ‘searchable’ to somebody who wants to find out about Samuel Butler. I’m starting with the ‘Miscellaneous papers’ section, as this comprises the largest and most varied section of the Butler Collection (41 boxes!).
Folder VIII/26/7 - correspondence of Alfred Cathie, 1902-29
I’ve also been preparing a small exhibition for Open Cambridge weekend (9–11 September 2011). I’ve enjoyed choosing and researching the items in more detail, to enable me to write the captions to go alongside them. With so many fascinating things I’d like to show, it’s been difficult to decide what to leave out! I’ve gone for items I think best demonstrate the range of material in the collection, to give people a taster before the first big Butler exhibition, which is scheduled for October.