“Breaking Down Menus Digitally, Dish by Dish”

The New York Public Library's "What's on the Menu?" project recruits volunteers to help transcribe digitized copies of the library's 40,000 historic menus. Not only is the project a runaway hit with the public, it's helping the library rethink its mission in the 21st century. Crowd-sourcing isn't just about free labor; it's about engaging patrons everywhere with the creation of public memory.