Public Library to hold “Digital Archive Scanning Day”

By Matthew Blair

The Belleville Public Library is launching a new project to upload local history into digital format for the world to see.

The library has undergone a joint partnership with the Belleville community archives, and received funds to create an online digital archive. The new project can be viewed on a website they’re starting which can be viewed on their genealogy page called Belleville History Live.

This project is so the library is able to preserve local history. Chrissy Barker, the information and web services coordinator at the library, said a lot of the material is only available in print form.

“Once it’s lost it’s gone forever,” Barker said.

The initiative is to make sure it’s available to more people and accessible all over the world. Barker said people come from all over to take a look at it.

“People are coming from everywhere across the states and last week people came in from Australia to review the collection who were doing family genealogy.”

The library is allowing members of the community to participate. The digital archive scanning day will be held on Sept. 29 between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. People can go to the library and head to the second floor where they will scan and upload material to the digital archives.

Barker said they’re allowing the public to bring a maximum of three items, consisting of things like photos, letters, or even postcards. She also said they’re only allowing a maximum of three because it’s unknown what the turnout is going to be, and it’ll be a time-consuming process.

She said this is a great way to get people involved in their local history.

“Some other communities are starting to undertake similar projects because of the fact the way people access information is changing”

Some of the material they have isn’t in the best shape. Barker said a lot of information is very sensitive.

“Print, as much as it’s still alive and well, there’s some information that’s so sensitive, like newspaper clippings that are deteriorating”

The library will be participating in a national event this Saturday known as Culture Days.  Culture Days is a three-day volunteer movement where people will be encouraging others to participate in their local community and local history. Barker said it’s going to be great to be able to match a national initiative to get people to get involved in the local project.