Digitization Project nearing goal
Staff & Wire Reports, Staff Report
07-19-2010
We are pleased to announce the joint venture to raise $25,000 for The Southwest Times Digitization Project is nearing its goal.
In March, the Pulaski County Library and The Southwest Times joined together to have all of the past issues of The Southwest Times made available online, from your home computer, and at no cost to the user.
This project was the vision of Carol Smith, technology coordinator at the library. It was quite an ambitious project and the cost is $25,000. A committee was formed, with Jim Graham volunteering to oversee the fund raising effort. Alice Buford, financial manager for Friends of the Pulaski County Library (FOPCL) handled all donations.
The Southwest Times published the names of contributors on an almost weekly basis and all contributions to date will be listed in Tuesday’s edition.
This past week, The Southwest Times made a contribution of $2,500, which pushed the tally to date over the $20,000 mark. The deadline the committee set for fundraising is July 31. We would encourage Pulaski County residents – and former residents alike – to support this project and help it reach its goal.
We can all take pride in the fact this effort has been embraced by current Pulaski residents and contributors from all over Virginia, and 12 other states: Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida, California, Arizona, North Carolina, Maryland, Alabama, Maine, South Carolina, Texas and New York. There has been a ground swell of contributions in amounts ranging from $25 to $100, with a total of 128 donations to date. The total amount of contributions as of press time Saturday evening was $20,618. We are only $4,382 short of our goal, so let's pull together and show our Pride in our heritage and make it happen. The contributions, which can be made in honor of, or in memory of a loved one, will be permanently listed on the Digitization Web site so all users will be able to see who made the project possible. What a legacy to leave behind.
Southwest Times General Manager Kay Kline stated, "This project will provide the history of Pulaski County as recorded in the paper with a click of the mouse. The availability of this information, at no cost to our readers, in a format that will allow not only word search capability, but also an option to view the entire page as it appeared, helps present the raw data in the context of the period.
“We are sharing one readers’ experience in the story accompanying this article today, but the generation link for families to explore their history will be remarkable. The reality of the full project will be awesome."
Take a minute and visit the Pulaski County Library website at www.pclibs.org and click on the “Digitization Project” link to get just a brief glimpse into the incredible amount of history this project will make available when the entire past and ongoing papers are loaded.
The full project is expected to be complete and available online in September. However, our goal for reaching $25,000 in contributions is July 31.
This is an amazing project and one that future generations will look back on with appreciation for the folks who made it happen. Get out the check book and send your tax deductible contribution to: Friend of the Pulaski County Library (FOPCL), 60 West Third St., Pulaski, VA 24301. Write on check in honor of /in memory of/ or if you wish the donation to be made anonymously. There are contribution forms available at the library or at the offices of The Southwest Times, 34 Fifth St., Pulaski.
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