Author Archives: Jessica Samide

Reflection #7: GIS: Old Principles with New Capabilities

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When reading the handout on geographic information system, I found that the section discussing the use of GIS during urban planning to be very interesting. GIS is an essential tool in sustainable development. This is especially true in urban areas where there is a steady increase in population. I think the practicality of GIS technology is vast and will continue to evolve as other forms of technology change. I like that there is a lot of positivity that comes from using GIS during urban planning. It allows developers to use empirical data to determine a healthy, optimum area to create cities. Because of this, the people who will move into these cities will have the opportunity to experience a higher quality of life as opposed to cities built on any type of land.

Reflection #6: Hypothesizing Vinegar Hill 1870-1920

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My group and I created hypotheses about Vinegar Hill during the 1870-1920. We focused predominantly on how technological developments impacted Vinegar Hill as a place. During the time period we were given, Brooklyn was becoming much more connected to the rest of New York City. The Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge were completed in 1883 and 1909. These bridges directly attached Downtown Brooklyn to Manhattan. The construction of these bridges impacted Vinegar Hill in a few ways. One way Vinegar Hill was affected was many of it’s streets and buildings were demolished to make room for the Manhattan Bridge.

Bridges were not the only way Vinegar Hill was becoming more attached to the rest of the city. In the 1904 the first subway was opened. Shortly after 1904, many more subway routes were created providing thousands of people with easy and affordable transportation. In addition, cars were becoming more commonplace towards the 1920s.  All of these factors made it easier for people to come and go from Vinegar Hill. Before the bridges, subways, and cars, people would not travel very far distances. Because of that there was a sense of dependency on the shops and industries in Vinegar Hill. That dependency faded away when people were given more ways to access Manhattan.

Reflection #5: NYPL Archives: Robert Moses Papers

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The amount of Robert Moses Papers are vast and give deep, extensive insight to Moses’ career as a public official. His papers have been filed in different ways over the years. Some of the files are in chronological order and others are organized alphabetically due to subject. The Robert Moses Papers have been divided into sixteen principle series.

The Robert Moses Papers consist of his plans for projects involving parks, bridges, housing, and tunnels to name a few. The series consists of correspondences, magazines, clippings, speeches, official reports, and photographs. These sources may be accessed by contacting the New York Public Library’s Manuscripts and Archives Division in advance. By filling out and submitting a request form, the library may grant access to the Robert Moses Papers.

I think that it is a prudent idea that the library requires a person to fill out a request form in advance before granting access to the Robert Moses Papers. This is a way to protect and preserve such valuable sources.

Reflection #4: Applying RECAP to Loingsigh Reading.

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When applying the RECAP criteria to Loingsigh’s article “The power of family lore: uncovering Brooklyn’s ‘Auld Irishtown'”, I do think the article can be used as is a credible source.  I also think that it acts as a stepping stone to access additional credible sources. The article is current and is certainly relevant to this class because of our focus on Vinegar Hill. The author does cite his research throughout. He bases his knowledge off of what he has read by other authors who have researched and written about “Irishtown”, Brooklyn. He seems well informed and well researched, and I would use the article as a source during research. I would also use the authors and other sources he cited as sources for my research. I think that the author’s trilogy would be a better source than the article. This article comes across as being a way to advertise the author’s books. It informs the readers of the trilogy, speaks of the author’s inspiration, and gives a brief synopsis of the history. Even though I think the main reason of the article was to promote the author’s trilogy, it was definitely also meant to be an informative piece to educate people about “Irishtown”.

Reflection #3: WikiGalaxy: A Visualization of Wikipedia Rabbit Holes

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I really enjoyed reading about the author’s experience with using Wikipedia for one specific purpose and then hours later finding herself on a completely unrelated topic like the dog Air Bud. It’s a situation that I find myself in from time to time. I personally enjoy when I find myself wandering into this infamous Wikipedia Rabbit Hole. This is the moment when I actually learn the most. I become open to topics that I may know very little about or even ones that I’ve never heard of.

I have never heard of WikiGalaxy prior to reading this article. The way the author illustrates how it works makes it seem even more ideal for wandering down the rabbit hole. I think my favorite part of what I learned about WikiGalaxy is that the user is able to see how each piece of information is connected to the last. Little yellow lines are provided to connect each link with lines that vary in length depending on relevance. I think the amount of content all at once may seem overwhelming, but it can only lead to growing one’s knowledge.