I recently returned to an inmate case files document which I had transcribed in August. Another transcriber, who to all appearances either doesn't read cursive handwriting or didn't have their glasses on, completely re-transcribed my original transcription into an unreadable, and most importantly *unsearchable* document which I now have to re-do. I don't want to name the document because I don't want to embarrass the person who jumbled up a readable, though perhaps imperfectly transcribed, list of visitors to that prisoner. Here are just a few examples [all caps mine]:
- the prisoner's name, which is Eastern European, has numerous spellings throughout--changed to a NON-existent misspelling
- "907 Bowman" (which is on Google Maps in E. St. Louis) changed to BORIMAN
- "Lithuanian Weekly" was changed to LUHANIAN NUKLY
- "Gen Pershing" became SIN PERSHING
- "Chas," an old nickname for Charles, became CHA.
- "Grand Forks N.D." changed to SAND WORKS ND
Now I have to go back and re-transcribe everything this transcriber changed, and honestly, it'll be quicker to completely start over. It's not their fault if they're unable to read cursive handwriting. If they weren't taught, there's no shame in that. But I was taught and I have great confidence in my ability to decipher scripted handwriting.
My request to non-cursive readers: Please do not overestimate your ability to read cursive! If you want to change another transcriber's interpretation of cursive, go ahead--if you have a better replacement. Then PLEASE ask yourself this question: Which reading makes more sense, mine or theirs? That's all. It's easy and only you know if your reading was in error, so just leave it as it was.
People transcribe for all different reasons, but the most important one is to make collections searchable. I've transcribed a lot in that prisoner's case files and feel a responsibility to go back and ensure its accuracy wherever I can. to correct glaring inaccuracies this other transcriber may have made. It's not about who is right or wrong. It's about our responsibility to future researchers, scholarly or otherwise.
OK, I'm done. Thank you for reading my rant and I'm apologize if I sounded irate, I just had to get it off my chest. (It was purely by chance that I landed at that page--I wanted to see how that file was coming along. If Admin wants to know which file it is, let me know.)
P.S. In the guidelines I saw a reference to this link to help people read cursive.