Digitizing and Archiving Historic Moments
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Innovation Synopsis
After long negotiations, the 152-year-old Columbus Dispatch newspaper transferred its physical historic archives to the Columbus Metropolitan Library for long-term preservation and access for researchers, scholars, and other library customers.
The Dispatch archives include historical newspaper and magazine archives including copies of previously published editions. The archives include 750 boxes of bound volumes, clippings, microfilm and microfiche, as well as photo prints, digital images and photo negatives. This is the largest collection of archived photos that the library has ever received – some photos go back to the 1920s.
Challenge/Opportunity
CML staff wanted our customers to know about and participate in celebrating this opportunity to explore and revisit our region and nation’s most historic moments. The library team partnered with the Dispatch to host an event at its Main Library to unveil the archives and invite the community to view and explore the collection.
CML’s Local History & Genealogy division staff had already begun to digitize the full collection of documents and photos, making them available online through the library’s digital collection, My History. The event showcased how customers could use the digital collection to access a variety of content.
Key Elements of Innovation
Key to this effort was making sure that our community knew about the partnership and saw its value. Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Marketing & Communications department used multiple channels to inform the community about the archived collection and the upcoming event, including the following:
- Customer and Stakeholder emails
- columbuslibrary.org homepage
- Printed fliers and bookmarks
- A History Gallery exhibit in Main Library
- Social media posts about the event and archive donation
- Pitches to broadcast media partners to cover the event and conduct interviews with our CEO and the new Dispatch editor.
The Dispatch also promoted the event with ads in its printed paper and on its website.
Achieved Outcomes
CML announced and unveiled the Dispatch archives at a special event on March 20, 2024, at its Main Library. Nearly 200 people celebrated the unprecedented contribution. Customers also met the newspaper’s new editor.
CML and the Dispatch printed historic front pages of the Columbus Dispatch as full-length banners. In addition, event attendees received CML-produced postcards featuring historical images found in the collection.
Our Local, History & Genealogy division manager led a demonstration of the library’s digital history, sharing how customers could navigate the site, upload their own pictures or conduct research.
Thus far, staff have digitized more than 10,000 photos (about 20% of the collection). They expect to catalog over one million photos by the completion of the project. Customers play an important role in the project’s success by helping staff decide what to digitize. They can browse our online inventory and place an order for specific items to be digitized.
