A History of the Campus Theatre
The research that I am undertaking this summer will be, as the title suggests, creating a more comprehensive history of the Campus Theatre located at 413 Market St. The tools associated with digital humanities will allow to not only access data associated with the history art deco theater but will also enable me to present this data in a more suitable manner than would be achievable through traditional research methods.
In creating a more complete history of the Campus Theatre, I hope to both discover and present events which have characterized this particular movie theater and transformed a building into a home for the memories of all who have experienced a film playing there. Of interest to me in particular are the Theatre’s founding, renovations that the building has been through, past screenings, special events and the like.
As the Theatre was founded in 1941, the scope of my research will not likely cover the 77 years since its founding but I hope to begin a fuller picture of the Theatre that may continue to grow after the eight weeks stipulated by the Digital Scholarship Summer Research (DSSR) program have ended.
With regard to an audience, I hope that anyone who has felt a strong connection to the Campus Theatre, whether they be a Bucknell student or a local of the area, will come across the project and will develop a deeper appreciation for the rich history of the Theatre.
As far as I have researched, I have not come across any projects that resemble the one I hope to complete — that is, projects that hope to digitize a history of a specific movie theater. With that being said, the information that I will be seeking out will come from sources unique to the Campus Theatre such as newspaper articles, magazines, archives, etc.
I hope to continue the process of digitizing the Campus Theatre’s rich history even after my research ends. Whether it be in the form of compiling information with regards to past screenings, or digitizing contemporary events, I hope to continue the project as history is a continual process and I believe that should be reflected in the work.
I would love to continue the work if possible though it would have to be on a smaller scale. If any staff of the Campus Theatre or Campus Theatre enthusiast would like to carry on the legacy of the project after this summer, that would be welcome too.