Theses (Historic Preservation)
Document Type
Thesis or dissertation
Date of this Version
2009
Abstract
Digital archives have become an important tool in the field of historic preservation. They help to remove geographical barriers for professionals while providing an ever-increasing number of interested citizens with a connection to the history of their neighborhoods. Cultural heritage institutions around the country are utilizing these web-based information management systems to further their aims of public outreach and improved access to architectural records. Each institution has a different goals and approaches, creating a wide variety of individual projects. To date, there has been no assessment of the role of these resources in preservation research. This thesis is a case study of one effort in particular, the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Project. To assess its use as a tool in historic preservation, the themes of the historic preservation movement and its attempts at outreach. With this contextual information established, the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings project is examined to determine its strengths as a preservation tool and ways in which its position could be strengthened in the future.
Date Posted: 20 October 2009
Comments
A THESIS Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION 2009