About
Hi, I'm Abbey and this is my website. I'm a Master of Information Candidate at Dalhousie University and future GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) professional. I'm passionate about community, stories, organization, and preservation - which I'm hoping is reflected in my site!
This website is the result of a summer project I chose to take on with the help of my partner, Henry. I wanted to learn more about web design and content management systems like Omeka, all while contributing to an online space that reflects the many hats I wear: student, creative thinker, service provider, and heritage nerd.
What you'll find here
This site is a working portfolio that brings together different threads of my professional and personal life:
- An introduction to the digitization services I provide
- My resume and a selection of small projects
- A space for exhibits I've created - each an exploration of family and community
It's not all about showcasing my work! This space is intended for continued learning in metadata, cataloguing, storytelling, and the use of digital tools for connection and meaning-making.
How we made it
In the interest of cost, the site is entirely self-hosted through AWS using Omeka Classic, an open-source platform, and a whole lot of troubleshooting via Reddit.
After buying my domain, Henry - with a background in IT Business Analysis and a little software development - jumped in to set up the more technical side of things. From my (limited) understanding, this involved setting up a web server with Apache, installing Omeka, configuring DNS settings, using FileZilla, adding plugins, editing the CSS, and adding reCAPTCHA fields to meet my (numerous) demands.
Once the back end was running, I took over and filled the site with what you see now, plus a lot of content awaiting publication. The project is ongoing and I hope to keep expanding as I continue building a career - so long as it doesn't exceed our budget!
Thank you for stopping in. I hope you can find something here that feeds your curiousity, answers a question, or makes you smile. That's what it's all about.
