What about Internet publishing as one way to reach the public?  
 
I am always amazed with how much I learn about archaeological projects and sites on web pages, although I think there could be much more for both the public and the professional; perhaps with web sites arranged hierarchically in some way so that the interested public does not necessarily need to get bogged down in technical reports (but, hey, if they want to, the reports are there).  
 
Web pages can remain timely and relevant through updating, and can be populated with compelling graphics (and even sound).  Colonial Williamsburg even had a blog for its excavation this summer!  Those sites already "published" in some form on the web are really useful for research and for public educational purposes.  
 
I know there are risks with misinformation, that web site design and functionality are as critical as content, that internet publishing is hardly free, and that academic promotion prefers peer-reviewed scholarly publication.  But it seems clear that the internet and its ease of accessibility holds promise for both professionals and the public.
 
Julie King

________________________________

From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY on behalf of Ron May
Sent: Sun 10/15/2006 11:52 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The continuing debate Industrial Archaeology



I have always advocated the need for parallel communication in a long-term 
project that includes a series of popularized articles that are richly 
illustrated and written for the sixth grade mentality. I learned in journalism  that
popular writing is always aimed at that level. Moreover, I learned that dry 
text will not draw public attention. Embedded art work, photograph, and 
interpretation in artwork to explain the text is the way to reach the public. An 
excellent example would be Jack Williams' wonderful illustrations of 18th 
century Spanish soldiers, military buildings, and lifeways within presidio 
compounds that he uses in power point lectures to the popular community. I say 
parallel because we also need to publish professional articles and it would hurt 
no one to embed a few art pieces to carry points to the profession. But what do
 we do for the short term? How do we fund parallel publications on projects
that  only take a few weeks in the field?

Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.