The Prague Spring Archive: Using Open Source Publishing and an Institutional Repository to Create a Dynamic Digital Collection

Abstract

We are proud to present, with the cooperation of the University of Texas at Austin Libraries, the Johnson Presidential Library, and the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, the ambitious Prague Spring Archive online exhibit. The exhibit was created with the Scalar open source publishing platform and populated with digitized archival materials from the LBJ Presidential Archive’s collections. The full collection of over 1,100 items was scanned and is available at Texas ScholarWorks, UT’s online digital repository. This dynamic Digital Humanities project highlights the Prague Spring of 1968, the brief period of time when the Czechoslovakian government attempted to institute social reforms and resist influence from the USSR. This revolt was quickly put down by the invasion and occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact forces. This project highlights the high degree of cooperation between multiple entities and institutions. It was made possible by the work of university colleagues and graduate students, including graduate students who worked on the project as part of a seminar with which the UT Libraries collaborated. It emphasizes the impact of an institutional repository that goes beyond just housing static content but can be utilized in an integral and dynamic manner that provides the foundation for the entire project.