A page I am transcribing contains a hand-drawn map. Many of the elements in the map are labeled. Do I write down all of the labels/written elements of the map as if they were marginalia? Is that something better dealt with in tags?
Are words within images or photos ever transcribed (ex: if the image was of a person holding a sign at a protest, should the words on the sign be transcribed)?
Thank you for your help.
Thank you for your questions and for your work as a Citizen Archivist. I think the answer to your question is both. Typically we suggest tagging the features on a map. If the map has a title or paragraph explaining the contents, mapamaker, etc. that should be transcribed.
As for the photo question, if you can read a sign and it feels significant, go ahead and transcribe it. Please include in brackets some description such as [handwritten text on protest sign] along with the actual transcription.
Suzanne Isaacs
Community Manager, National Archives Catalog