NPC News

Mr. Clay Farrar of the Hot Springs Downtown Rotary Club approached National Park College (NPC) history professor Dr. Christopher Thrasher, Honors program director about digitizing scrapbooks for the preservation and circulation of the history of Hot Springs.

Thrasher suggested the project to Honors student Alan Robinette because it complimented Robinette’s studies in Library Sciences. “Aspects of my degree will include preservation of materials, curatorship and categorizing through the use of metadata and extensive categorization,” stated Robinette.

Robinette initially began this project strictly to preserve materials but soon realized that the use of different file formats and platforms would allow for more accessibility and distribution. Not only being able to house the items online, but also being able to make these documents searchable and printable made sure this was, “more than just a digital insurance policy for these documents,” said Robinette.

Robinette had the opportunity to present his capstone at the Arkansas Association of College History Teachers (AACHT) convention allowing him the opportunity to receive feedback from professionals in the field.

Robinette believes that as the NPC campus continues to grow the relationship between the college and community is imperative. Robinette goes on to state, “This relationship is symbiotic. Garland County needs National Park College to provide opportunity and an educated workforce; likewise, National Park will continue to need the support of the greater Hot Springs community as it meets the needs of students in the 21st century.”