The Electronic Archiving of Community-Based Research and Its Educational Utilization : Focused on the Initiatives by the Students of Upper Secondary School in Tanegashima Island

Shimono, Toshimi (1929-2022), a leading folklorist in Kagoshima Area, left behind a large collection of books and folklore materials related to the region. Currently, of the vast amount of materials, those related to Tanegashima Island are in the possession of Nishinoomote City and under its control, awaiting arrangement. 　When Shimono was an upper secondary school teacher, he was posted to various places in the prefecture, where he established a locality research club and conducted research on his hometown with his students. When he was a teacher at a school in Tanegashima Island, he also established a local studies club at the school and compiled the results of his research in a booklet entitled“ Tanegashima Kenkyu” (It means“ Study on Tanegashima Island”). “ Tanegashima Kenkyu” was praised as having excellent content, both in terms of quality and quantity, for a work written by secondary school students. 　However, exactly 60 years have passed since the first issue of“ Tanegashima Kenkyu” was published, and not many of the booklets themselves are still in existence, and those that are left behind are not necessarily in good condition. In addition, because of this state of affairs, there has been little movement to utilize the booklets for learning and revitalizing the local community. 　In light of the above, we will conduct surveys and research activities with the aim of exploring the valuable heritage of Shimono, archiving it electronically as much as possible, and making it available as educational material for school and social education. This is a project that aims to preserve and utilize important cultural resources that are“ community assets” 　As a first step, we will focus on the above-mentioned “Tanegashima Kenkyu” and conduct the following activities. The following activities will be undertaken: (1) checking the location and condition of the booklets, (2) organizing the contents of the volumes (creating a general table of contents), (3) visiting and interviewing the authors as much as possible, (4) digitizing and archiving the contents, (5) organizing the legal procedures (rights) necessary for utilizing this archives, (6) actual using the archives for school education, and (7) in the future, using the archives for the activities to contribute the regional revitalization in Tanegashima Island.