Internet and Research

It was just announced that the JFK Library plans, over the next 10 years, to post online 48 million pages of documents, as well as photographic and video material. The initiative is part of a pilot program that might serve as a model for other presidential libraries.

As someone who works in 20th century US history using government sources, it amazes me how many documents have become available online in just the last five years (the FRUS series is the best example). If the JFK program succeeds, this could be a revolutionary development in opening a new array of material not only to students, but also to scholars whose research interests might have not justified a trip to Boston to look at the material, but who could easily incorporate some online sources into their projects.