The Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives is one of 21 successful recipients of the 2011 B.C. History Digitization Program (BCHDP) funding awards.
The digitization program, an initiative of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, was launched in 2006. It provides matching funds that help libraries, archives, museums and other organizations digitize unique historical items, including images, print and sound material.
The museum has received a $10,000 grant to create a comprehensive, publicly-accessible digital database of newspapers from the Sunshine Coast.
During phase one, the issues of the Coast News/Sunshine Coast News in most urgent need of preservation (1945-76, 1983-87 and 1989) will be digitized and made available in an easily accessible web-searchable format.
"The original copies exist within the museum, but they are extremely fragile and off-limits to researchers because of their delicate condition," said manager/curator Kimiko Hawkes. "If they are lost, they will be lost forever. This project will permanently protect this important archival treasure in digital form and provide public access to this valuable resource."
According to Hawkes, the issues to be digitized cover 37 years during a period of tremendous growth of the Sunshine Coast.
"They provide information of outstanding natural, historical, scientific, artistic, archival and informational value to many segments of the Sunshine Coast population," she said. "Moreover, by providing easy public access to these archival records, we will encourage researchers to study the area, market the community and promote tourism using a deep knowledge about the community's unique history and strengths."
Check out the museum's website at www.sunshinecoastmuseum.ca for updates on the progress of the project.
-Submitted
