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What is Clio?

Named after the ancient Greek muse of history, Clio connects people to information about landmarks such as historic buildings, monuments, permanent public art, markers, and places that hold a significant history. There are also walking tours and thematic trails that show how history, art, science, and culture surround us. Place is central to Clio, with nearly 40,000 entries that include original text, sources, images, and links to more information about landmarks. The website was built for authoring entries and also supports browsing and exploring. The mobile apps (iOS and Android) add location-aware features that were built to support exploration as one travels. For example, the mobile apps show one's present location in relation to the nearest entries along with options like an AR arrow to point users along a path within a walking tour. The apps also blend geofencing with an adjustable radius and notification options. This makes it possible to by notified when one is near a landmark, with additional options to have entries automatically play audio narration or read text-to-speech. Individual entries share the history behind a building or other landmark. Individual entries can be combined to create walking tours, nature trails, virtual museum tours, and thematic trails. While most of the entries in Clio focus on the history behind a landmark, there are also some that explore science and art through walks that share information about public art and interruptive nature trails or entries that include both the history and engineering behind a landmark structure. Similar to locator ‘apps’ that help you find a nearby restaurant or repair shop, Clio picks up your present location and guides you to landmarks, museums, and historical and cultural sites. Recognizing that history is often a bridge to other disciplines, Clio also hosts walking tours for public art, virtual tours of museums, and even nature trails and thematic trails related to science and engineering. Clio is a website and mobile application, but it is also something more-- a collaborative research, interpretation, and map-building project. Entries are created by museum professionals, local historians, and scholars with their students. Each day, this partnership of local history experts and professional historians is building a comprehensive, dynamic, and interactive map that connects thousands of people to nearby history each day. Clio is a nonprofit and is supported entirely by donations. If you would like to support our efforts to connect people to information, donations to the Clio Foundation (EIN 47-2488778) are tax-deductible under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501c3 and Section 170. You can support Clio with a tax-deductible grant using PayPal's Giving Fund here: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1508366 You can also donate on this website by hitting the "Support Clio" button which will take you to a link to donate. There is also our account https://www.patreon.com/Clio And.. Clio is also on Zeffy for nonprofits: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/c615e9fc-d33e-4d91-92d3-ad1e5bad3966 Finally, you can support Clio simply by sharing this project on your website or social media pages and offering a review of Clio's free mobile app in iTunes and Google Play. Search for "Clio - Your Guide to History" to find our free app.

Is there a cost to Clio? If not, how is Clio financed?

Clio is free for everyone. Our growth depends upon a community of users that donate their time and talent to create and improve entries. We also need financial support to hire part-time editors and paid interns as well as the technical staff who expand the features and functionality of our website and mobile application. Donations to the Clio Foundation (EIN 47-2488778) are tax-deductible under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501c3 and Section 170. A list of donors is available on our website. You can support Clio with a tax-deductible grant using PayPal's Giving Fund here: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1508366 You can also donate on this website by hitting the "Support Clio" button which will take you to a link to donate. There is also our account https://www.patreon.com/Clio And.. Clio is also on Zeffy for nonprofits: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/c615e9fc-d33e-4d91-92d3-ad1e5bad3966 Finally, you can support Clio simply by sharing this project on your website or social media pages and offering a review of Clio's free mobile app in iTunes and Google Play. Search for "Clio - Your Guide to History" to find our free app.

Who created Clio?

Clio was developed by Dr. David Trowbridge in 2013 while teaching at Marshall University. He is now the William T. Kemper Associate Research Professor of Digital and Public History at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Dr. Trowbridge is dedicated to keeping this resource free for everyone and welcomes partnerships with universities and charitable foundations, historical societies, archives and museums, academic departments and individual scholars, talented graduate students, local history experts, and advocates of the humanities across the United States. He may be reached at david.trowbridge@umkc.edu

How does Clio work?

Clio picks up a user’s location and shows them historical and cultural sites near them. Users can also perform their own searches by location or name. The mobile application was built to be user-friendly on a small screen with location services. The full website has additional features that allow users to select a variety of filters to focus their results.

There's an entry for a museum or historic landmark that needs updates. Should I send an email?

In most cases, it's far easier to create an account or login and then make a direct suggestion for an update in Clio. While logged in, you can click the edit this entry button and make suggested changes to hours of operation and other details. This is also a great way to fix small typos, add images, or add a few more details about the landmark or museum. Those suggested changes stay in draft mode until approved by the author or one of our volunteers. While no system is perfect, this has been the most efficient way to update entries.

I am using Clio as I travel. Should I use the Clio mobile app or should I use the browser on my mobile device?

It’s up to you! The website has been optimized for mobile devices, so users can choose between the full website or they can use the mobile application when they travel. The website was optimized for authoring and editing Clio entries as well as browsing for places one might like to visit. The mobile app was built with on-location exploration in mind and includes options for taking a walking tour with a directional arrow and live maps showing landmarks and your location. There is also the option of creating a notification radius so you can walk or drive and receive notifications when you are near a place where there is a Clio entry (geofencing).

What if a historic site is incomplete, inaccurate, or simply missing from Clio's database?

Clio gets a little better each day as organizations around the country create and improve entries in their communities. As a non-profit and volunteer project, we depend upon smart and talented people with impressive research and writing skills—people who are knowledgeable and passionate about our history and willing to share their knowledge with others. If this describes you, please create an account (always free) and add and/or improve entries about historical sites and museums. This guide shows how to create a Clio entry: https://theclio.com/howToCreateEntry Our small team of volunteer editors donates an hour or two per week to review new entries and suggested improvements, but most of the content in Clio comes from universities, historical societies, libraries, and museums who can create special accounts that include direct editing privileges for entries and walking/driving tours and trails that credit the authors and their organization. Most people choose to work with their local historical society, library, museum, or other organization because they can sign up for editing privileges following verification. However, we welcome suggested edits and improvements to individual entries. To improve an entry, simply click on “improve this entry” and submit a revision. Once verified and approved, it will become part of Clio and users will be able to see the changes you made as well as the previous version—a living record of how historical interpretations develop over time.

I'd like to add/improve an entry. How do I enter the information into Clio?

The public can use Clio without creating an account or logging in. Because we care about content, we require users to create an account and log-in each time they add entries, post comments, or suggest revisions. Each new entry and revision enters draft mode until it is approved by an administrator. After creating and logging in to your account, simply click on the green “Submit Location” tab and fill in each of the applicable windows. To “pin” the location to the map, you may enter an address and hit “Calculate Coordinates.” If you would prefer, you may also enter GPS coordinates and hit “Update Map Location.” If you don’t know either the address or the GPS coordinates but you can find the site on a map, you may zoom in and out and scroll the map until you find the proper location and then double click your mouse to drop the pin to that location. You may also drag the pin if you need to modify the location. Please be absolutely sure that your entry is in the correct location as users will use the app to get directions. To improve an entry, simply open that entry and then click on the “improve this entry” tab. Once verified and approved, users will be able to see the changes you made as well as the previous version—a living record of how historical interpretations develop over time.

What kinds of information should each entry have?

Each entry must be an original work with sources. Entries start with a title and brief summary (a single full paragraph is usually best). Entries should also have at least one image, along with a detailed description/backstory (3-6 paragraphs is usually best). The detailed description gives users more information and context, as well as interesting background information. Entries should also have links to relevant articles, books, media, and credible websites for those who want more information. If your site has hours of operation and a phone number, please enter that information in the appropriate boxes. There is also a spot towards the bottom of the entry screen to provide a link to official websites (if applicable), helpful web links, videos and audio clips, primary sources, and links to relevant books and articles. There are also categories, types, and tags to help filter their results. Category-this scroll-down menu will change based on the entry type (museum, historic site, time capsule). A “Category” is simply another feature to help users identify features such as the classification of a historic site (such as a National Historic Landmark) or the relative size of a museum. The scroll-down menu for Time Capsule entries also helps users filter their results and adjust their expectations, letting the user know if an entry is about a historic event or if it provides images and recollections of related to a particular location. Tags-Select as many tags as are applicable from the menu on the left, and those tags will appear in the box on the right. To deselect a tag, simply click on it again, and it will return to the menu on the left. Tags help users filter between subjects such as “African American History, “Political and Diplomatic History,” “Women’s History” or Military History.” If a user is interested in learning more, they can select from a variety of multimedia content and even ask Clio to guide them to the site with turn-by-turn directions. Entries within a tour can be stand-alone entries (these are for identifiable landmarks that the general public might visit, like a historic building, monument, or marker) or contributing entries (these live within a walking tour and can be more thematic) If you would like to change a stand-alone entry to a contributing entry so that it lives exclusively in the tour, click on a tour you created while logged in to your account and then select "take this tour." As you move through the tour, the tour creator will see a banner at the top of each entry that allows you to toggle entries from stand-alone to contributing entries (and vice versa).

What are the terms of use for publishing entries or sharing information on Clio?

Authors affirm that their submissions are original works supported by properly-cited sources. Any information that was found to be copied from another website will be removed. Clio uses a Creative Commons license with restrictions designed to balance our desire to share information while also making sure that the authors are properly cited. Contributors are acknowledged as the author of each page they create. If you would like to share information found on this website, be sure to include a link to the article and credit the author- see the "cite this entry" section for more information. For more information, please see Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

What if someone modifies my entry?

Clio is not a wiki, and suggested revisions will be reviewed prior to acceptance. While the public may submit entries and suggest revisions, editing privileges are limited to organizations and known authors. We welcome (and depend upon) volunteer editing from known contributors in communities throughout the United States and beyond. Because Clio is a collaborative project, we anticipate that entries will improve over time. Each revision is recorded, and all entries have a version history. Our small cadre of volunteers work to review entries, and we also work to limit editing privileges to knowledgeable and responsible contributors. While rare, we have procedures in place to restore an entry to a previous version if needed.

I'd like to build a walking tour that includes but also goes beyond general histories of landmarks. Can I do that in Clio?

YES! There is now the option to build a tour or trail that blends stand-alone entries (entries for landmarks) with contributing entries (entries that only appear within a walking tour or thematic trail). This makes it possible to offer more stories and context beyond physical landmarks in addition to thematic entries for landmarks that have been the site of multiple historical events. For example, a thematic trail for labor history could include a contributing entry for a court ruling or protest at a courthouse. The courthouse itself can have a stand-alone entry that offers a general history, while the contributing entry in the labor history tour can focus on that singular case or event. f you would like to change a stand-alone entry to a contributing entry so that it lives exclusively in the tour, click on a tour you created while logged in to your account and then select "take this tour." As you move through the tour, the tour creator will see a banner at the top of each entry that allows you to toggle entries from stand-alone to contributing entries (and vice versa).

An entry includes copyrighted material without permission-what can I do to correct or report this?

No one can own history, but everyone should have the option of controlling the content they created. If you find something that violates a copyright, please submit a correction that removes the content from the website and/or provides the correct attribution or link. You may also flag the entry using the “report entry” tab that appears at the bottom of each entry. (users must be logged in to see this tab). After the entry is flagged, our administrators will review the entry and take the appropriate action.

When will Clio host entries for countries beyond the United States?

There is a small but growing number of individual entries for landmarks beyond the U.S. created by organizations in those nations, and even a few walking tours and trails. Clio can support multiple languages, and we hope to attract resources that would allow us to better support efforts to create entries and walking tours throughout the world. If you would like to expedite this process by donating resources or content, please let us know.

Is there a video to show me how to use the mobile app?

Yes- this short video offers an introduction to the mobile app: https://youtu.be/TCY2-VTtOmM There are also videos that walk users through each step of creating everything from a single entry to a complete walking tour, driving tour, heritage trail, or a virtual tour of a museum or site here: https://theclio.com/resources You can support Clio by downloading and writing a review of Clio's free mobile app in iTunes and Google Play. Search for "Clio - Your Guide to History" to find our free app.

How do I create a walking tour?

Once you've created a handful of individual entries (landmarks on a city walking tour or stops on an interpretive trail or tour), it only takes a second to start building walking tours, trails, and driving tours. This link has more information about how to build walking tours and trails: https://theclio.com/howToCreateTour

How do I edit an existing tour?

If you are the tour creator, log in to the account you used to create a tour and find that tour in your account. From there, you will see an option to edit that tour. If you are not the tour creator, you will want to contact that organization or individual to suggest any updates. If you created a tour and are working to update that tour, the first screen you see is the second screen in the tour creation process-- the place where you will see the map and the list of entries. From there you can add more stops (entries) to the tour, change the order of entries, and change route and map options. If you need to change the tour's location, hit the "back" button and that will take you to the first page of the tour creation screen-- that is where you can edit the tour's location. To change to name and description of the tour, go forward to the third and final screen in the tour creation process. If you would like to change a stand-alone entry to a contributing entry so that it lives exclusively in the tour, click on a tour you created while logged in to your account and then select "take this tour." As you move through the tour, the tour creator will see a banner at the top of each entry that allows you to toggle entries from stand-alone to contributing entries (and vice versa).

I made a tour and I need to add entries or change their order. How do I do this?

You can always edit a tour you created to include new entries and also change the order of entries or even change the navigation option (lines between entries). Simply find your tour, click the edit this tour button, and then drag and drop the entries that are in the tour to change the order. You can also create and add new entries, add existing entries to the tour, and even add audio clips between entries. If the lines between entries would be better as street directions or straight lines, you can also change that or remove the lines altogether.

I'd like to edit an existing tour to include more stops or a different route. Is there a way to do this?

Tours can only be edited by the author or organization that created them, but in many cases, those authors and organizations choose to make their email address public on Clio or are relatively easy to contact. If you prefer, you might choose to create your own walking tour using a mixture of existing entries along with new ones to create something uniquely valuable for your community.

How does geofencing work in the mobile app?

Geofencing is a new option in Clio's mobile application that notifies you about nearby entries within a radius of your choice. There's even an option for entries to automatically play audio or text-to-speech, making it possible to walk or drive and listen to the history around you. This guide has more information about this feature within the mobile application: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FzsS0q32as6OQVMYhwkNnrtzjYuQXEt9/view

Can we schedule a time for a consultation to help us with Clio and other digital tools?

Clio is sustained by donations, including funds from speaking engagements and consulting. Our founder, Dr. David Trowbridge, uses all funds from his talks and consulting work to sustain Clio so it stays free for everyone to use. For those looking for something beyond the guides and videos, Trowbridge offers paid consultation, offering help with topics from applying for grants to using Clio and other digital tools, along with creating and editing videos and podcasts. One-on-one consulting appointments are available for $30 for a half-hour or $50 for a full hour. 30 Minutes: https://calendly.com/trowbridge/clio-consultation 60 Minutes: https://calendly.com/trowbridge/clio-consultation-clone