Email Discussion List and Palinet Visit Update

In addition to our blog and wiki, I have created an email discussion list that will allow us to share information on local digitization projects. If you want to post a message, just send an email to lackawannadigital@listserv.albright.org. You will be able to reply to any email that was posted to the list and everyone will be able to read it and respond. If you would like someone added to the list, just let me know.

Here is an update for you: Tom Clareson from Palinet will be visiting the region on Friday, April 4th. He is currently looking over the lists some of you submitted for our first project, “The Development and Industrialization of Northeastern Pennsylvania 1850-1865” and may need to physically examine some of the items. If he does need to look at them, I will be in touch with you to schedule a brief visit on that day.

Visit by Tom Clareson

Tom Clareson from Palinet will visit our area on April 3rd, 2009 to assist with the grant application and possibly examine some of the items. We are looking forward to his visit.

Project Update

We have received lists of possible items from the Anthracite Heritage Museum, the Lackawanna Historical Society, and the Albright Memorial Library. You can view these lists in the Documents folder of our project wiki. We are expecting additional lists from other partners and have begun the grant application process. The Library Services and Technology Act application is not due until September, but it will take some time to determine the costs of digitizing such a diverse diverse selection of documents, photos, and artifacts. It is shaping up to be an exciting project!

Item Selection

Dear Partners,
Though the grant application for our first digitization project is not due until early September, there is a lot of preparation work that needs to be done so we may as well get started. Prior to knowing how much money we should request and how we will carry out the digitization process, we will need to know what kinds of items we will be including. Therefore, I will need a preliminary list of the items you wish to include from your collections. Obviously, the items should fit our theme which, as you may recall, is “The Development and Industrialization of Northeastern PA 1850-1865.” For each item, I will need the following information:

1. Format (e.g.; photo, flyer, poster, newspaper article, document etc.)
2. Brief Description (e.g.; Photo of Civil War Veteran)
3. Date
4. Dimensions
5. Bound / Unbound
6. Condition

If possible, I would like to have your list by February 17, 2009. In order to keep this project manageable, please limit your initial list to 20 items.
I really appreciate your cooperation. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Next Steps

I think we all learned great deal during the Palinet workshop on Wednesday, November 12th and I, for one, am very excited about the possibilities. Our follow-up meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 3^rd at 2PM in the library’s Community Room (basement of the Lackawanna County Children’s Library). In the meantime, please think about some ideas for a focused project that could include items from all of our collections and that would be attractive to possible funders.

Draft of Palinet Report

A draft of the Palinet Report is now available on our Wiki under Documents.

Location for 11/12 Workshop

We now have a location for the workshop on November 12th. It will be at the Trolley Museum.

Scott