A great project in the Williams area!
Thanks,
Jackie
Jacqueline C. Banks
Public Affairs Officer
Kaibab National Forest
928-635-8314
cell 928-606-7490
jcbanks@xxxxxxxxx
Historic Photo Project Earns Recognition
WILLIAMS, Ariz. – The Kaibab National Forest and the Williams Public Library received a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Arizona State Library for a historic photo project on which the two organizations have been collaborating.
Since September 2009, Kaibab National Forest heritage program manager Margaret Hangan and Williams Public Library director Andrea Dunn have been working together to gather historic photos of Williams and the surrounding area. The photo database contains scanned photos and documents from both the Kaibab National Forest and the Williams Public Library historic collections along with donated items from the personal collections of local families.
“In this day and times, Williams is somewhat unique in that there are many families that stay here for multiple generations,” Hangan said. “Many of these families have photos and documents in their personal collections documenting important aspects of Williams’ history that are not generally available to researchers. There is a wealth of information out there that we would like to tap.”
Hangan explained that it is important to encourage families to allow temporary access to their collections, which can then be added to an ever-growing photo database housed at the Williams Public Library. Once scanned, the collections are returned to their owners along with CDs containing copies of the digitized files. Then, the database itself is made available to the public.
“It is really a winning situation for everyone,” Hangan said. “Researchers get access to the historic photos and documents. The families get digitized images of their collections. And, the public gets the opportunity to view and use these important pieces of cultural information.”
To date, about 15 collections and a total of about 870 photos and historic documents have been scanned.
The grant allowed the library to purchase a new computer and scanner that are dedicated to the management of the historic database. Also as part of the grant, the Williams Public Library is working with the Arizona State Library to make a portion of the photo collection available through the Arizona Memory Project website at http://azmemory.lib.az.us.
For information about the database, to volunteer to assist with the photo project, or to make a personal collection available, please contact Margaret Hangan at (928) 635-8342, mhangan@xxxxxxxxxx
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