Try a small digital transcription volunteering project
Help preserve a piece of history
Try digital transcription. Your spare hour can become someone else's discovery.
Choose your dates and weekly hours in the planner. Your plan saves in this browser.
Who this is for
Someone who would like to contribute to an established public-history project from a computer.
Before you begin
Browse the linked Smithsonian projects and read the instructions for the one you choose. Requirements differ, so use the project's own guidance for unclear text and review.
Your first session
Choose a small section and make a first attempt using the instructions. Check uncertain words through the project's process instead of silently guessing.
The path in four steps
- Browse Smithsonian transcription projects
- Read one project's instructions
- Try a small transcription
- Review your work and decide whether to return
Use these as editable milestones. The linked activity source supplies the detailed instructions; adjust your plan as you learn.
What finished looks like
Review your contribution and follow the project's submission process. Decide whether this kind of work suits you before promising a larger ongoing commitment.
Time, scope and source
EDITORIAL PLANNING ALLOWANCE
Our allowance for reading project instructions and trying one small transcription task. Document difficulty and review time vary.
Smithsonian · Transcription CenterPlanning notes by RYKA. Source guidance and our practical planning suggestions are distinct. This guide does not claim that a provider endorses the quest.
Helpful resources
Use what you already have where it fits. Resources are optional unless noted.
Optional equipment
Step 2: Read one project's instructions
Moleskine Classic large ruled notebook
Keep brief notes on transcription conventions and unfamiliar words while following the project's own instructions.
Consider: This is a premium ruled notebook; a cheaper pad or phone note serves the same purpose. It has no lock or clinical features. Keep personal or health notes private and avoid copying sensitive account details into it.
Free or already owned: Use scrap paper, an existing notebook or a private note on your phone.
Optional help · Reviewed 2026-10-28
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