The Carleton Guide to Medieval Rome (CGMR) is an Omeka-based digital guidebook to medieval sites throughout Rome. Sandwiched between the Classical Age and the Renaissance, Rome’s medieval history unfortunately tends to be overlooked and very few people are familiar with this period of Roman history. Created by Professor Victoria Morse, the purpose of the Carleton Guide to Medieval Rome is to educate the general public on Rome’s medieval history through walking tours, guidebook entries, and exhibits.

In spring 2019, I was fortunate to study abroad in Rome with Professor Morse where I viewed the medieval sites firsthand and constructed my own walking tour on papal processions. I worked with a team of three other students to research other topic, select our sites and map our route, and write our entries. In the process, I learned how to tailor my language to a general audience, collaborate with other historians, and create an accessible public history project.

After working on the CGMR on-site, I returned back to Carleton where I transitioned to building the digital side of the project as a Digital Humanities Associate. My initial responsibilities were to sort through and standardize the thirty students’ entries and photographs in Excel and prepare them for bulk import into Omeka. Once imported, I had to clean up and organize the metadata, establish the exhibits, and follow up with Professor Morse on the functions and layout of the website.