Primer on Transcribing Historical Documents
NH State Archivist Brian Burford will lead a workshop on transcribing and editing historical documents. The workshop will include a primer on the techniques and conventions of transcription and editing and online transcription exercises using the digitized papers of Meschech Weare (https://commons.keene.edu/s/KSCArchive/page/WeareHome) and the Willard J. Templeton Papers (https://commons.keene.edu/s/KSCArchive/page/Templeton).
The programs is being sponsored by the Special Collections of Mason Library, the MA program in History & Archives and the student chapter of Phi Alpha Theta.
Bio of Brian Burford Brian was raised in Connecticut, but has family connections to Sullivan County in NH.
He graduated from Keene State College with a BA in History in 1973, and attended graduate school in History at the University of Virginia. After one year in Charlottesville, he returned to New Hampshire to marry and resume what had been a summer job with a land surveyor. He realized that academic history was “nice”, but that land surveying was a practical and necessary application of the historian’s skills. He was licensed as a land surveyor in NH in 1983, and was in private business specializing in the research needed to sort out boundary lines.
In 1995, he joined the NH State Archives as the State Records Manager, and filled that position for 15 years. In 2010, the State Archivist, Dr. Frank Mevers, retired, and Brian was promoted to direct the Division of Archives and Records Management. Brian retired as State Archivist in August 2021, but has continued on part-time during a transition period.
Panelists:
Brian Burford NH State Archivist Timothy Hastings M.A. History 2021
Rodney Obien Head of Special Collections
To request accommodations for a disability, please contact the coordinator at least two weeks prior to the event.
