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Welcome
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Welcome to the joint web site of the Ashland University Archives, the Brethren Church Archives and the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs Archives. The site also contains, in part, the Ashland Theological Seminary Archives. The Seminary's records are split into two groups, those housed as part of the Ashland University Archives and those housed as part of the Brethren Church Archives.
If you are looking for on-line records you will not find them. At least not at this time. What you will find are catalogs for those materials housed as part of the above mentioned repositories.
In the main these items are stored at the Ashland University Campus located in Ashland, Ohio. While the three archives are separate entities, the first and third — the Brethren Church and Ashland University archives — have a cross dependent reliance and a similarity in their holdings. The records of the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs Archives are housed at the Ashland University Archives.
This web site is being created jointly, and in the interests of preserving Brethren history, by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . For further information and / or visitation hours contact David Roepke via the previous e-mail link or telephone.
Ashland University Archives
812 Center Street, Apt. 1,
Ashland, Ohio 44805
419-289-5433 (phone)
419-903-0441 (fax)
Take Our Poll
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This article's purpose is to ask of site visitors whether they prefer the existing Ashland University Archives website, or this more modern web site. It is understood that not one person can do everything, however concerted the effort. Mr. Roepke does an admirable job with the tools he has at his command. Web site development is not a strong point of his. Mr. Webb has over the years helped where he can and as time has permitted.
This site has been developed by Mr. Webb as a technology demonstration of what can be done with a modern platform. Other than the differences in the aesthetics throughout of the two sites, the major difference between the two sites is the search engine. Utilizing the more modern platform the site can be searched extensively. Anyone who has used the existing site soon learns that the search engine, and its results page, leaves a lot to be desired. This web site offers a much friendlier results page and actually offers a more in depth search engine.
Additionally, by the use of the modern platform, the images can be better displayed permitting a "Click on me" feature that enlarges the image for easier viewing. This can be seen in action on the Lost Creek Riverside page — just click on any image for a demonstration. Another feature that the platform will make available is the direct importing of selected records from the museum software database, with some manipulation, into the platform. This will literally save hundreds upon hundreds of hours. Additionally Mr. Roepke will be able to generate reports of the visitors to the site, and the pages thus viewed, which can be passed along to the various archives in place on this site, to better aid in the vision of those archives.
Unfortunately this all takes money. Budget constraints being what they are, with the more apparent to the masses items taking precedence, little is left over for projects such as this. Just to get this site more fully developed so that migration from the museum database can be migrated, is expected to cost about $5,000. It would include 200 records as part of the development.
Once that step is completed, and the site is moved to the AuArchives.Com server, it will take further funding to migrate the remaining database records; over 25,000 by estimation. A final idea is to digitize the "greens" of the of the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs Archives. The "greens" are the carbon-copies, you still remember them don't you?, and are the replies by Sen. Ashbrook to letters. Once the digitization is completed they could be migrated to this site as well.
But again, it all depends on funding. You can help! By taking the poll below, each visitor is saying we want to move forward with the development of the base site. So, consider answering the poll.
Do you prefer the old website, or do you prefer this new website?
jVoteSystem developed and designed by www.joomess.de.
Information
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This site has been developed by A. Wayne Webb as a test-bed to demonstrate what is possible to accomplish with a little effort. It has been designed as a replacement for the existing web site for the Ashland University Archives web site. The concept, the implementation, and the funding, has all been covered by my blood and sweat. There are many, many other things yet to put into place. This all requires funding.
However, without you the visitor, putting in your vote and informing the powers-that-be your wishes it shall go the way of many other worthy endeavors wanting for attention. A quote from Bro. Henry R. Holsinger is in order
I have considerable liberality but very little money... If I give one-tenth, I will have nine-tenths of my means left. It seems to me that you, my brethren, who are worth one hundred thousand dollars...H. R. Holsinger
This quotation, in part, is that given in a speech by Bro. Holsinger when referring to Ashland College at the Brethren Church's first convention in Dayton, Ohio, in June 1883. He, and others, were trying to put together funding to save what is today one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the nation, Ashland University.
If no support is received this web site will suffer the ignominious end that Ashland University may have met if not for that intervention.
Following is a sample of what is intended for this site.