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By the People Bulletin

Goodbye, History Hub  

Today the National Archives announced plans to decommission its History Hub platform. Since 2018, By the People volunteers have used the discussion forum to share tips, ask one another questions, and openly engage with Library of Congress staff. On January 15, 2026, all other forums on the History Hub site will be “frozen in time” and will remain read-only until February 13, 2026. The Library of Congress’ History Hub CROWD space will remain active through February 13, 2026.

This change applies only to the National Archives History Hub platform. By the People is a Library of Congress program and you will still be able to transcribe, review, and contact us as usual. We want to thank all of our volunteers who have shared their experiences and supported each other on History Hub for the last seven years. 

What does this mean for By the People volunteers with History Hub accounts? Volunteers who use the CROWDSOURCING History Hub discussion forum will lose access to their accounts on February 13, 2026. If volunteers have posts, comment history, or other data they wish to save, they will need to do so by Friday, February 13, 2026. 

What to expect next? The Library of Congress remains committed to inviting the public to contribute to our collections and communicate with Library of Congress staff. Library of Congress staff are currently exploring alternative ways to keep volunteers connected to our staff and each other. Please contact By the People Community Managers with any questions. 

January Volunteer Office Hours 

Join us on Thursday, January 29 from 3-4pm EDT for our next virtual volunteer office hours session! Community Managers will share some updates about the program and preview upcoming campaigns. But most of our time during office hours is reserved for you to ask questions about transcription, talk to other volunteers, and share what you've learned. Everyone is welcome - from transcription-curious to long-timers! Register to receive a Teams link for the call. 

Upcoming Campaigns 

We're excited to release transcription campaigns for the following collections this spring. Explore the links to preview digitized material on the Library's main website. Stay tuned for launch announcements!

February 2026: Christian Fleetwood papers

March 2026: Jane Schoolcraft selections 

April 2026: Early American sheet music and Atlantic Neptune atlases 

 

Warmly,

Abby, Carlyn, and Lauren