Mnemosine. Historical Open Data Management Software

The research project focuses on forms of school memory, understood as the individual, collective and public practice of remembering a common school past. The Mnemosine software can manage and publish open data about the research through the following electronic repositories: a) Digital library of school memories: this database – containing audio/video interviews and photographs – has been designed following the model of the memories sharing, narrating History through your stories, and it will also stream video interviews with students and ex-students, teachers, school heads, school inspectors, and also other school and education staff working in Italy in the latter half of the 20th century. b) Database of literary memories of school: this database is destined to create an electronic catalogue of the main literary works, diaries (published and unpublished), autobiographies, and memoirs within which there will be a representation of school and/or teaching between 1861 and 2001; the project will also include digitisation and open access (where copyright allows) of a significant sample of texts. c) Databases of the films on school and teachers: this will consist of an electronic repertoire of films about school and/or teachers, produced and distributed in Italy during the 20th century. The descriptions will be indexed according to an analytical system (type, synchronic and diachronic chronology, geography, theme, etc.), which will provide access to content through semantic research able to increase the potential and incisiveness of the questions; the project also includes digitisation and open access (where copyright permits it) to a selection of excerpts of the best films made on the subject. d) Database of medals, decorations, and honours awarded to teachers: this will consist of an electronic repertoire of school medals, decorations and awards presented by national and/or public institutes and by private institutions to school teachers of all levels, working in Italian schools between 1861 and 2001; the descriptions will all be accompanied by images. e) Database of funeral commemorations for teachers: this database will record, categorise, index and analytically describe the different forms of funeral commemorations for teachers of all school levels in Italy in the period 1861 to 2001. f) Interactive map of the places of school memory in Italy: the map – conceived on a model of that generated by the Permanent Observatory on education museums and research centres on historical-educational heritage – aims to record, categorise, analytically describe and geo-reference school museums, historic schools and those which we have classified as “sancta sanctorum” for national public education (as Barbiana or La Montesca).