Who I am
I'm Ben, a map lover, former museum professional, and digital humanities enthusiast based in Southwestern Ontario. I founded Digital History Canada to do one thing well: give small and mid-sized heritage organizations the same quality of digital infrastructure that large institutions take for granted - at prices that fit a volunteer-run budget.
Why heritage technology?
As a board member of the Bayfield Historical Society and the Huron County Historical Society, I see first-hand how much community memory is locked in filing cabinets, basements, photo albums, and unsupported legacy software. I also see how much determination these organizations have to preserve and share that memory.
The gap between that determination and the tools available to act on it is exactly what I work to close.
How I work
Every project begins with a conversation - about your collections, your community, your staff and volunteers, and your resources. From there we scope something achievable. I don't upsell complexity; I build what you need and make sure you can sustain it.
When budget is the obstacle, I'll often work alongside you to identify relevant grant programs - federal, provincial, and local - and help prepare the application. Many of my most rewarding projects have been grant-funded.
Expertise
My technical background spans open-source collection management systems (AtoM, Omeka, CollectionBuilder, Tainacan), full-stack web development, GIS and mapping tools, 3D modelling, database migrations, and modern web development practices.