The Scout Report -- Volume 26, Number 7

Readers with an interest in medieval history and maps, as well as those who delight in quirky historical facts, may enjoy exploring Historia Cartarum. This intriguing site is the creation of John Wyatt Greenlee, a doctoral candidate in medieval studies at Cornell University whose "research is primarily driven by questions of how people perceive and reproduce their spaces: how movement through the world both experiential and imagined becomes codified in visual and written maps." At Historia Cartarum, readers will find several of Greenlee's digital history endeavors under Projects in Progress. One of these is the award-winning Mapping Mandeville Project, which offers an interactive map where text from the 14th-century book The Travels of Sir John Mandeville is overlaid onto a reproduction of the 13th-century Hereford Map. Another fascinating undertaking is the Eel-Rents Project, an outgrowth of Greenlee's dissertation research. This project examines the role of eels and their widespread use as a currency in the medieval English economy from the 10th to the 17th centuries. In addition to an interactive map, the Eel-Rents Project also includes Greenlee's exploration of the distances that eel-rents may have traveled and what an eel-as-currency would likely be worth in modern terms. [JDC]

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"My generation is a part of the history of Denmark and of the Philippines, but not quite our history is the history of migration." This quote from Wesley Valdez, featured on the homepage of A Philippine History of Denmark, encapsulates what the resource is about: an invitation to step into the shoes of the "Filipino Pioneers" who migrated to Denmark during the 20th century. This collection "traces the laboring lives of the Pioneers and those who followed," through archives of documents and images that tell the stories of Filipinas and Filipinos who migrated to work in Denmark's "booming service industry." Users may want to begin on the Home and About pages, which link to a few related sources that provide context on Philippine migration and introduce the purpose of the project. The FAD page houses materials related to the Filipino Association of Denmark, such as member materials and holiday celebration announcements. On the Photos page, readers can browse archived images that immortalize the lives of these Pioneers, showcasing celebrations, work life, and family gatherings. Photos are accompanied by a brief caption, highlighting who is in the picture, the date it was taken, and who contributed the image to the archive. Next, on the Documents page, readers can explore written materials, such as newspaper clippings and newsletters, that further inform the experiences and stories. Finally, on the Labor Pioneers - The Book page, users can learn about a recently published eBook and find a link to a 20-minute podcast (in Danish), both related to the theme of the project. [EMB]

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One of the oldest and best-known universities in the world, the University of Oxford has amassed enormous collections over the centuries, which are spread throughout its many libraries and museums. To help support educators who would like to reference these materials in their teaching, the university created the Cabinet project, which "aims to make these resources more accessible for teaching and research through digitisation (both 2D and 3D) and bringing these resources into a single intuitive and interactive interface." Visitors to this project will find a searchable trove of hundreds of digitized objects held by institutions such as the Bodleian Library, the Ashmolean Museum, and more. Selecting an object leads to an interactive, high-quality digital rendering accompanied by descriptive commentary and links to additional information. Three-dimensional objects can be rotated and zoomed into, and all public objects in Cabinet can be embedded in external websites. Some of Cabinet's objects have been assembled into thematic collections which are found under Discover. Examples include: "Technology and Culture in Global Perspective, 1100-1700" and digitized exhibitions, such as "Thinking inside the box," which highlights historical boxes used to carry books and documents. [JDC]

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Fairy Tales Around the World, a multi-part lesson plan from the team at EDSITEment, is perfect for elementary-level language arts and social studies classrooms. Here, readers will find six different lesson activities that are designed to help students learn to understand folk and fairy tales and appreciate them both as literature and for their depictions of "universal human emotions." In the first two activities, educators share a range of example fairy tales with students and help them understand the definition of a fairy tale and the genre's common characteristics. Subsequent activities introduce students to the concept of "tale types" that reoccur across multiple cultures, with students taking on the role of fairy tale re-tellers. Students also explore how illustrations can help tell a story and how fairy tales express emotions that transcend cultures. Four downloadable worksheets are provided (under Media & Materials), as are links to multiple free online sources of fairy tales and recommendations of specific stories as examples. This lesson was created for K-5 grade levels, and teachers may wish to split the activities across multiple sessions or adapt them to suit their classroom's needs. A project of the National Endowment for the Humanities, EDSITEment is an extensive database of free lesson plans and other teaching materials. [JDC]

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As art history aficionados may know, Alexander Archipenko was an influential American-Ukrainian artist notable for being one of the first to adapt Cubist techniques to three-dimensional forms, and he became particularly well-known for his small-scale sculptures. In celebration of this avant-garde artist's legacy, the Archipenko Foundation has created this digital catalogue raisonne of Archipenko's work. Released in 2018, the Catalogue Raisonne is an ongoing effort that is free to view, but email registration is required. As of this write-up, the Archipenko Sculpture Catalogue Raisonne consists of 1,800 records for individual works in different versions, sizes, and media, that document 440 sculpture series. Detailed instructions for searching the catalogue are provided along with examples. While thus far the catalogue only includes Archipenko's works of sculpture, the project plans to add his paintings and works on paper as well, with the ultimate goal of cataloguing his entire oeuvre. In the Life and Work section, an illustrated chronology details Archipenko's life and career, from his birth in Kiev in 1887 and beyond his death in New York in 1964, listing posthumous exhibitions through 2015. [DS]

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Readers looking for a resource that puts the "fun" in "fungi" may enjoy this episode of the podcast Ologies (featured in the 8-02-2019 Scout Report) titled "Mycology (MUSHROOMS) with Dr. Tom Volk." The episode is slightly over an hour long and features a conversation between host Alie Ward, an Emmy-winning science correspondent, and Dr. Tom Volk, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse who specializes in fungi. Chocked full of jokes and insights, listeners will learn about everything from how to properly pronounce the word "fungi" to fungus reproduction and fungal genetics. In addition to a detailed fungus discussion, the podcast also features moving commentary on Dr. Volk's heart transplant surgery (which has also been featured in a TED Talk titled, "A Change of Heart: My Transplant Experience"). His key takeaway? Every day is good. Those who enjoy the podcast may also want to check out Dr. Volk's website, linked at the bottom of the page. Though not updated since 2010, it does feature archives such as "Fungus of the Month," housing over a decade of monthly posts highlighting unique species. Listeners can also find the podcast on Stitcher, iTunes, Spotify, and Omny, and may enjoy other podcast episodes covering topics such as phenology and paleontology. [EMB]

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The Mycology Webpages was created by Dr. David Malloch, renowned mycology and research associate at the New Brunswick Museum of Natural Sciences. The site seeks to celebrate "the astounding diversity of fungi and our unending fascination with them." Readers should begin on the Natural History of the Fungi page, where they can learn background knowledge on fungi, such as reproduction, construction, and classification. Under Checklists readers can view alphabetized lists of fungi and access "A Preliminary Report of the Microfungi of Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge (Sanibel Island, Florida), December 2010," which summarizes a micro fungi collection study that collected specimens now stored at the New Brunswick Museum. On the Moulds page, users can read an "Internet version" of Dr. David Malloch's book, which was created to meet the need for a "simple text demonstrating what moulds are and how they are grown and identified." The Essays on Fungi page offers eight different entries (as of this write-up), one of which is in French. Finally, on the News Brunswick Museum page, users are linked to the Museum's website, where they can learn about exhibits "that document or represent the natural and human history of New Brunswick and other related regions." The Mycology Webpages was last revised in June of 2019 and is also available in French. [EMB]

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Mushroom Observer exists to record observations about mushrooms, help people identify mushrooms they are not familiar with, and expand the community around the scientific exploration of mushrooms (mycology). The site functions as a sharing space for mushroom experts and enthusiasts alike. Not only can users enjoy the existing content, but they can create a free account to add their own contributions. As of this write-up, the site has over 23,000 members who have contributed over one million images and over a quarter of a million observations. Users may want to start on the How to Use page, which provides tips for navigating and adding content, as well as a Concepts Glossary that defines terms users will encounter as they explore and contribute to the site. The site is searchable using the query bar at the top left, by clicking on the Advanced Search (where they can filter by result type, add restrictions by location, and more). Visitors can also navigate using the menu on the left-hand side. In the Indexes section (found in the left-hand menu) users will find other useful tools. For example, the Glossary page contains definitions (many with pictures) of hundreds of mycology terms and the Herbaria section contains a list of fungi collections around the world. [EMB]

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From the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz to the Maine Mycological Association, coast to coast, people are keen on the study of mycology. The North American Mycological Association helps connect these enthusiasts. Launched in 1967, NAMA is a "non-profit organization of professional and amateur mycologists with over 80 affiliated mycological societies in the United States, Canada and Mexico," on a mission to advocate for sustainable studies of mushrooms and to encourage educational and scientific pursuits of mycology. Through NAMA's website, users can browse a list of affiliated clubs (alphabetized by state), as well as access a wealth of resources to further their knowledge and understanding of mycology. Teachers will want to check out the Education page, which contains both basic and complex lesson plans and resources. On the Publications page, users will find the latest editions of The Mycophile (NAMA's bimonthly newsletter) and McIlvainea (NAMA's annual journal), as well as archives of past issues. The Photography page houses images from NAMA's annual photography contest, showcasing captivating and artistic captures of fungi. For information on conferences and workshops related to mycology, see the Events section. The website also features Cultivation, Poisoning, and Art Registry pages, each with resources related to these subsections of mycology. [EMB]

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Artistic models and mycology blend together through The Terracotta Fungi of Francesco Valenti Serini (1795-1872). This resource stems from a collaboration between researchers from the University of Siena, the University of Delaware, and Accademia dei Fisiocritici in Siena, Italy. The publication allows users to virtually enjoy a collection of life-sized terracotta models of fungal fruiting bodies, housed within the Accademia dei Fisiocritici. Originally crafted by Francesco Valenti Serini, a notable researcher and artist with a particular interest in poisonous fungi, the models featured in the publication were selected based on their visual appeal, the accuracy of their depiction, or their related narrative. Through both text and images, the publication invites readers to explore these selections and learn about some of Dr. Serinis major findings and contributions to the study of mycology. The publication concludes with information on the history and evolution of the Accademia dei Fisiocritici, which has displayed collections from various science disciplines since its founding in 1691. This resource is featured on the The American Phytopathological Societys (APS) website. APS focuses on agricultural, food safety, and food security issues, and works to advocate for increased awareness, funding, and policy surrounding plant pathology. [EMB]

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Last featured in the 9-28-2018 Scout Report, this digital history project is still a valuable resource for readers interested in primary source documents related to the history of botanical sciences.

Henry William Ravenel was a South Carolina field botanist, mycologist, naturalist, and author who lived during the Antebellum period and became "one of the most prominent botanists of the 19th century," with the fungi genus ravenelii bearing his name. He was also a prolific journal-keeper and correspondent, and today his journals can be read and searched online at Plants & Planter, a project hosted by the University of South Carolina's Center for Digital Humanities. In addition to Ravenel's journals, visitors to Plants & Planter will find hundreds of letters between Ravenel and other naturalists, images of plant specimens from his voluminous herbarium, and maps depicting Ravenel's travels, correspondence, and plant collections. This project also showcases all five volumes of Ravenel's book Fungi of Carolina, as well as his personal album of portraits. Launched in 2016, Plants & Planter was created in partnership between the University of South Carolina, Clemson University Libraries, Converse College, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the A.C. Moore Herbarium, and it was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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