FlipKit
What is it?
FlipKit is a map interface with a built-in image overlay and toggle mechanism which allows users to rapidly flip between modern Google Street View images and another image assemblage of their choice. FlipKit was designed in order to provide users with contextual foundation for an historic image collection.
Digital access to material is necessary in order for the majority of the public to have regular access to it. FlipKit was designed as a way to provide greater accessibility to beautiful and informative historic photograph collections that are currently being underutilized due to a lack of easy access. Historic photograph collections are a valuable component of our present and FlipKit allows for easier access to the images while at the same time rooting them in their geographic context.
What can it be used with?
FlipKit can be used for many different types of image collections, not just historic photographic collections, like the Wymer Collection on this site. Any images with a known location can be embedded into a map and used with FlipKit. Archaeological site re-creations (drawings) could also be used with FlipKit, as could artistic renderings of real places.
Side by side comparison of Wymer's photograph (WY 0196.03) and Google Street View, both taken at Oglethorpe Street NE looking east from New Hampshire Avenue NE.
How can I use it?
The source code template for FlipKit is available for public use. It can be adapted for an academic purpose or for general use. For more information regarding FlipKit, please contact Thomas G. Smith via the contact page.
The FlipKit software is open source under the terms of the MIT License:
Copyright (c) 2016 Thomas G. Smith and Jessica E. Richardson.
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.