SPL receives grant

In cooperation with the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, 12 public libraries across nine Northwest Ohio counties, including the Swanton Public Library, are partnering to implement a regional document digitization project.

The purpose of the project is to make an array of important and deteriorating local history resources more available to state residents and a worldwide audience of researchers through the Ohio Historical Society's Ohio Memory Project.

Materials to be scanned include books, photographs, postcards, newsletters, pamphlets, atlases, slides, flyers and yearbooks. Subject matter will include community histories; area businesses; community celebrations and festivals; local personalities; school records; family genealogies; and area homes. Participating libraries will determine their own priorities for scanning based on condition and use of their materials.

"This grant will allow the Swanton Public Library to make about 400 historical pictures of Swanton accessible through the Ohio Historical Society web site", according to Linda S. Slaninka, Swanton Library Director.

The pictures were collected and committed to slides in 1976 as part of the nation's Bicentennial observance. "In the slide format the photos were difficult to index and access. Thanks to this grant the pictures will soon be viewable at the click of a computer mouse," she said.

Once the equipment for the project is installed in November and training is completed, participating libraries will begin submitting their files to OHS. The images subsequently will be made available to the public through the web sites of the OHS and the libraries involved in the project.

Funding for this grant is being provided by the State Library of Ohio, Columbus, through the Library Services and Technology Act; the Northwest Regional Library System, Bowling Green; and the 12 participating libraries.