Six institutions are recipients of the fifth set of service grants awarded in a program intended to broaden partner participation in the DLG. The DLG solicited proposals for historic digitization projects in a statewide call, and applicants submitted proposals for projects with a cost of up to $7,500.00 The projects will be administered by DLG staff who will perform digitization and descriptive services on textual (not including newspapers), graphic, and audio-visual materials. This subgranting program was presented the 2018 Award for Excellence in Archival Program Development by a State Institution by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC).
The recipients and their projects include:
- Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, Ga.)
Digitization of the Joseph R. Wilson papers, late 1800s (containing the sermons of Joseph Ruggles Wilson, the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Augusta from 1858-1870); John Newton Waddel papers, 1821-1881 (materials belonging to John Newton Waddel (1812-1885) and his father Moses Waddel (1770-1840), both Georgia Presbyterian ministers and educators); and the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. Presbytery of Hopewell minutes, 1797-1866 (minutes from Georgia’s first Presbytery belonging to the Presbyterian Church from the period following the Revolutionary War through the Civil War).
- Dougherty County Public Library (Albany, Ga.)
Digitization of city directories for Albany, Georgia, dating from 1922-1949.
- Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum (Atlanta, Ga.)
Description of archival documents that highlight notable events and accomplishments during Jimmy Carter’s presidential administration from 1977-1981 that include the Camp David Accords (1978), the hostage crisis in Iran (1979-1981), the Panama Canal Treaties (1977-1978), the president’s daily diary (1977-1981), presidential directives (1977-1981), presidential review memoranda (1977-1979), and legislation towards the progression of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).
- National Civil War Naval Museum (Columbus, Ga.)
Digitization of a ledger from the James H. Warner Collection containing correspondence from Warner, commander and superintendent of the Confederate States Naval Iron Works (sometimes referred to as the Columbus Iron Works) which operated from 1862-1865. The ledger also includes entries as late as 1866 as Warner worked with the United States Navy in turning over naval equipment to the United States government.
- University of Georgia Map and Government Information Library (Athens, Ga.)
Digitization of Sanborn fire insurance maps produced in 1923 for 21 Georgia towns and cities in 17 counties.
- Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections (Valdosta, Ga.)
Digitization of Georgia deeds and plats representing southeastern and south Georgia counties(including Camden, Glynn, Wayne, Brantley, Ware, and Worth counties) dating from the 1700s-1899.
Preference in the selection process was given to proposals from institutions that had not yet collaborated with the DLG. Dougherty County Public Library and the National Civil War Naval Museum are both new partners for the DLG. Sheila McAlister, director of the Digital Library of Georgia, notes: “Since the start of DLG’s subgranting program in 2016, we’ve funded 26 projects and added 10 new partners. Documenting the entire state, the collections illuminate the lives of Georgia’s African-American, LGBTQ, and Asian-American communities, as well as the state’s educational, political, cultural and industrial past.”
About Columbia Theological Seminary
Columbia Theological Seminary exists to educate and nurture faithful, imaginative, and effective leaders for the sake of the church and the world. It is an educational institution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and a community of theological inquiry, leadership development, and formation for ministry in the service of the church of Jesus Christ. Visit https://www.ctsnet.edu/
About Dougherty County Public Library
The Dougherty County Public Library’s mission is to select, assemble and administer organized collections of educational and recreational library materials; to serve the community as a center of reliable information and a place where inquiring minds may encounter original, unorthodox, or critical ideas in our society; to provide opportunities and encouragement for individuals to continue their educations; to supplement and help formal education programs; to seek, continually, to identify community needs; to support civic groups, cultural activities, or cooperate with other agencies as they work for community good; to maintain and disseminate public information encouraging to individuals to better use the libraries as well as to contribute to the field of professional librarianship; to enhance interest and research in local history; and to provide opportunity for substantive recreational and constructive use of leisure time through the use of literature, music, films, and other forms. Visit http://docolib.org/
About the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Georgia houses U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s papers and other material relating to the Carter Administration and the Carter family’s life. Visit https://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/
About the National Civil War Naval Museum
The National Civil War Naval Museum houses the largest surviving Confederate warship, the CSS Jackson, as well as the wreckage of the CSS Chattahoochee, and the largest collection of Civil War Naval-related flags on display in the country. Their timeline exhibit shows naval events and features many of the museum’s most rare artifacts, such as the uniform coat of Captain Catesby Jones and Admiral Farragut’s two-star hat insignia. The museum hosts a range of events throughout the year with an emphasis on museum theatre and historic character interpretation. Additionally, there are living history events, tours, cannon firings, weapons demonstrations, local history projects, and more. Visit https://www.portcolumbus.org/
About the University of Georgia Map and Government Information Library
The University of Georgia Map and Government Information Library (MAGIL)’s mission is to provide bibliographic, physical, and intellectual access to cartographic and government information in all formats. The UGA Libraries serves as Georgia’s regional depository for documents published by the Federal government as well as the official depository for documents published by the State of Georgia. Its collections include select international and United Nations documents. Cartographic resources include maps, aerial photography and remote sensed imagery, atlases, digital spatial data, and reference materials, with a particular emphasis on the State of Georgia. Visit https://www.libs.uga.edu/magil
About Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections
The VSU Archives and Special Collections supports the University’s commitment to scholarly and creative work, enhances instructional effectiveness, encourages faculty scholarly pursuits, and supports research in selective areas of institutional strength focused on regional need by collecting, preserving, and providing access to records of enduring historical value documenting the history and development of VSU and the surrounding South Georgia region and in support of VSU curriculum. Visit https://www.valdosta.edu/academics/library/depts/archives-and-special-collections/
About the Digital Library of Georgia
Based at the University of Georgia Libraries, the Digital Library of Georgia https://dlg.usg.edu/ is a GALILEO initiative that collaborates with Georgia’s libraries, archives, museums and other institutions of education and culture to provide access to key information resources on Georgia history, culture, and life. This primary mission is accomplished through the ongoing development, maintenance, and preservation of digital collections and online digital library resources. DLG also serves as Georgia’s service hub for the Digital Public Library of America and as the home of the Georgia Newspaper Project, the state’s historic newspaper microfilming project.
