The new media should be fully embraced and it is heartening to see that someone is looking to investigate this and draw together the different opportunities it presents.

First of all I have seen lots of evidence of texts and some tunes in ABC or even audio being presented on this very forum, material that would not otherwise have surfaced to be shared and studied.

Just as important to me is that information on historical background, origins, scarce versions etc is being gathered by this very forum.

Many websites like our 'Yorkshire Garland' one are making regional collections more accessible in all sorts of formats.

Researchers like myself can make use of obscure publications via things like Gutenberg and Internet Archive. Some street lit is coming online, best example The Bodleian, (but there are glaring gaps).

People like Gibb Sahib are drawing together all known published material on the history of sea shanties, such that this forum is now probably the most informed medium on the history of sea shanties in the world.

I could go on....the possibilities are mind-blowing! Roud Index, Digital Tradition, BLSA, Levy sheet music collection, AMMA, I need another 7 lifetimes!