The transcription data contributed by By the Peoplevolunteers can be used in many different ways. The transcriptions produced through By the People are typically published alongside the digital images on loc.gov within a year of a campaign's completion. Once there, it is full-text searchable, can be viewed alongside the original image for readability, and can be used by adaptive technology like screen readers. The text for each item and page can be downloaded via loc.gov.
All contributions to By the People are released into the public domain so anyone is free to use or reuse the data. Data from retired completed campaigns will also be made available as datasets for bulk download.
If you need help accessing the data or want to share how you're using transcription data, please contact us at Ask a Librarian.
Visit the By the People website to transcribe Library of Congress digital collections. Volunteer transcriptions help make Library collections more discoverable and accessible for all.
