Presque Isle District Library is Awarded Federal Grant for Digitizing Historical Collection ROGERS CITY, MI We are pleased to announce that the Presque Isle District Library is the recipient of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), "Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) Improving Access to Information" grant through the Library of Michigan in the amount of $15,084 for the digitization of a historical collection entitled, "Presque Isle County Sesquicentennial (1871-2021) Digitization Project". This extensive collection will be made available to the general public and academia through the Michigan Service Hub of the Digital Public Library of America. Regional support for this project will be fulfilled through the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS). "Once this historical collection is digitized, it will be made available to the general public worldwide and we are committed to ensure that the collection is sustainable and maintained in perpetuity. Also, October is Family History month. This is a great time to celebrate our local genealogical history", stated Amber Alexander, Library Director. Alexander added, "We plan to hire two part-time individuals who are skilled in computer technology to help with the scanning and digitization process for the duration of the grant project". Partnering with the Presque Isle County Historical Museum, this collective archive spans one hundred and fifty years. "The museum has a massive collection of documents, photos, and genealogies that trace the 150-year history of the county and Rogers City. Through this partnership with the library, our most valuable research and reference materials will be available online and at no cost to people around the globe. This has been a goal for the museum that goes back to when we first acquired the massive Calcite photo collection", stated Mark Thompson, Curator and Executive Director of the PICHM. 2 of 2 Both organizations will be working together to scan and digitize the Great Lakes maritime and lumbering history, early homesteading, the historic Calcite Collection, oral history recordings, archival correspondence, and related documents. There is nearly seventy six thousand items to be digitized and preserved for future generations. The grant period is for one year starting October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021. Anne Belanger, who will act as the grant administrator on the project, is the program director and grant writer with the library. "During the statewide shutdown due to the pandemic, I was researching grant opportunities that addressed the needs of our community and this particular grant was well-suited for both the museum and the library. It offered us an opportunity to collaborate in a meaningful way to address how we could preserve the historical collection of our combined archives. It was a very competitive grant. Only ten applicants were approved out of twenty three applicants. We are very grateful for this opportunity", stated Belanger. "As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services, and collections. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow," said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. "IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through our grants as they educate and enhance their communities. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grant making, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. For more information regarding the digitization project, please contact Amber Alexander, Library Director at the Presque Isle District Library, 989-734-2477. Amber Alexander,MLIS Library Director Presque Isle District Library 181 E. Erie Street Rogers City, MI 49779 989.734.2477, 222 www.pidl.org <http://www.pidl.org/>