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NEWS
Ohio Wesleyan library earns exemplary program honor from state library
Delaware, Ohio – The State Library of Ohio has selected the Ohio Wesleyan University Library as an “Exemplary Program” for its collaboration with the Delaware County Historical Society to digitize and place online 3,150 rare documents recounting the history of the university, the Delaware community, and their ties to the Methodist faith.
Ohio Wesleyan earned one of four “Exemplary Program” awards presented statewide as part of the Ohio Library’s Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) 2009 Program Report to the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The award is for “Our Shared History: Delaware, Methodism, and Ohio Wesleyan University,” which involved selecting and digitally scanning historically significant manuscripts, maps, monographs, pamphlets, postcards, and photographs, most from the 19th century, to create an online archive. In fall 2008, Ohio Wesleyan was awarded more than $47,000 in a one-year LSTA grant to collaborate with the Delaware County Historical Society to create the archive.
For the project, Emily Haddaway, Ohio Wesleyan’s digital librarian and curator, used a $30,550 archival imaging scanner purchased with grant funds. She worked closely with Carol Holliger, archivist for the Archives of Ohio United Methodism (housed at Ohio Wesleyan) and with Brent Carson, Sandy Wicker, and Maggie Webb of the Delaware County Historical Society to collect and organize the images and documents, as well as to write descriptions for each image.
The project staff also received assistance and support from the Delaware County Genealogical Society, Delaware churches, Delaware City Schools, Delaware Gazette, and local businesses. The digitized material is now available online.
“This project enables the public to access local historical resources online, and it exemplifies the concepts of cooperation and collaboration,” Holliger said. “We believe that our project might serve as a model for other communities interested in creating their own digital projects.”
The information is accessible online via the Ohio Wesleyan Digital Resource Commons, a part of OhioLINK’s Digital Resource Commons. This is a statewide platform for saving and sharing instructional, research, historical, and creative materials produced by the University System of Ohio and Ohio’s private colleges.
Though not part of the LSTA Grant, another special Ohio Wesleyan collection available on this site is The Branch Rickey Collection, containing digitally scanned historical photographs, university publications, and other materials featuring legendary baseball coach Branch Rickey, a 1904 Ohio Wesleyan University graduate and lifetime university trustee. Rickey is best known for breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson. The Rickey collection is available online.
Ohio Wesleyan University is an undergraduate liberal arts college that transforms the lives of its students through a combination of rigorous academics, mentoring relationships, and real-world experiences. Featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” the private university’s 1,850 students come from 45 states and 57 countries. Visit www.owu.edu for more information.
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