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G2S Project Code: 2017-IN-80304
State: Indiana
Fiscal Year: 2017

Grantee
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Project Director
Director Name: Michele Bottorff
Director Phone: 812-379-1266
Director Email: mbottorff@mybcpl.org

General Information
Title: 301 Washington Street: Cornerstone of Columbus, Indiana
State Project Code: D17-1-4(2)
Start Date: 08/11/2017
End Date: 04/30/2018
Abstract:

While many families have contributed to shaping Columbus, Indiana over the last 200 years, the Irwin-Sweeney-Miller family holds a distinctive position, being active in business, religion, politics,art, and philanthropy locally, nationally, and internationally. For more than a century, many of those activities were conducted out of 301 Washington Street.The Bartholomew County Public Library used LSTA grant money to digitize materials documenting the Irwin-Sweeney Miller family through the history of 301 Washington Street, and make the digital collection public. 901 new digital images were created over the course of the grant. 770 of these were digital captures of materials (including documents, photographs, architectural drawings, sample boards, and physical objects), while another 130 were new digital photographs of the buildings and its contents.

Beyond digitizing and uploading the collection as an online exhibit titled “301 Washington Street: Cornerstone of Columbus, Indiana,” the library promoted the materials and the digitization process itself through a number of peer conferences (archivists, historical societies) and public programs. They developed a digitization workflow guide that is already being used to guide other organizations in the digitization process. Social media postings have drawn public attention to the project, and new materials about the building – including a tour-guide training materials from the Columbus Area Visitors Center and new funding for photographs of the building’s interior and contents – have directly resulted from the renewed interest in this piece of local history.

State Goal: Information Access

Budget Information

LSTA

MATCH-State

MATCH-Other

Total

$10,653.42

$0.00

$1,187.00

$11,840.42

Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.
History

Activities
Activity Details
Title: Digitization of materials related to 301 Washington St.
Narrative: During the course of the grant, 901 new digital images were created. There were approximately 770 digital captures of materials, including roughly 102 documents and ephemera; 70 photographs and slides; 40 architectural drawings; 70 material sample boards; and 10 physical objects. Approximately 130 new digital photographs of the building and its contents were created. The materials range in date from the 1880s to the 1970s. Materials digitized belong to the Bartholomew County Public Library (BCPL), the Bartholomew County Historical Society (BCHS), and the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives (CIAA).
Created 400 item records with metadata in Omeka using the 901 digital images. Records are available to the public through BCPL's Omeka website and Indiana Memory and DPLA.
Intent: Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Creation
Format: Digital

Quantity
Number of items digitized: 0
Number of items digitized and available to the public: 901
Number of physical items: 0
Number of open-source applications/software/systems: 0
Number of proprietary applications/software/systems: 0
Number of learning resources (e.g. toolkits, guides): 0
Number of plans/frameworks: 0

Partner Information

Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No

Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No

Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Bartholomew County Historical Society
Address: 524 3rd St.
City: Columbus
State: IN
Zip: 47201
Name: BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 536 FIFTH STREET
City: COLUMBUS
State: IN
Zip: 47201
Name: Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives
Address: 536 5th St.
City: Columbus
State: IN
Zip: 47201

Activity Details
Title: Training on digitization project
Narrative: Project members from both the public library and the historical society underwent training on digitization and metadata processes. Volunteers from the Yellow Trail Research Center also requested and received training on digital preservation guidelines, metadata management and creation, and digitization standards.
Intent: Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Program
Format: In-person

Quantity
Session length (minutes): 60
Number of sessions in program: 1
Average number in attendance per session: 4
Number of times program administered: 6

Partner Information

Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population: General

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Bartholomew County Historical Society
Address: 524 3rd St.
City: Columbus
State: IN
Zip: 47201
Name: BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 536 FIFTH STREET
City: COLUMBUS
State: IN
Zip: 47201
Name: Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives
Address: 536 5th St.
City: Columbus
State: IN
Zip: 47201
Name: Yellow Trail Research Center
Address: 644 Main St.
City: Hope
State: IN
Zip: 47246
Question 1: I learned something by participating in this library activity.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 2: I feel more confident about what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 3: I intend to apply what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 4: Applying what I learned will help improve library services to the public.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0

Activity Details
Title: Public presentations on 301 Washington St. and project
Narrative: Project members offered several informational programs on 301 Washington St. and the efforts to digitize and preserve related history.

presentation at a conference - Indiana Landmarks: Perserving Historic Places - 70 attendees
public program on the project - 55 attendees
presentation at Society of American Archivists annual meeting - approx. 60

Intent: Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Presentation/performance
Format: In-person

Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 50
Number of presentations/performances administered: 3
Average number in attendance per session: 62

Partner Information

Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
* Created a digitization workflow manual with guidelines for metadata creation and digital preservation. * Created an online exhibit titled "301 Washington Street: Cornerstone of Columbus, IN" * 670 people have been to the to the project's landing page (www.columbusarchives.org) by the end of the grant period. Visitors to the digitized materials at bcplarchives.omeka.net had 4,085 page views. * Roughly 300 local and regional patrons have visited the digital collection to access materials relating to the project. * Roughly 300 users from outside of Indiana and 65 international users have visited the digital collection to access materials relating to J. Irwin Miller, Alexander Girard, and the Cummins Foundation Architecture Program. * Facebook posts highlighting digitize materials reached 15,343 people. The 32 posts from 2/13/18 to 6/15/18 generated 9 comments and 1,581 likes. * The Columbus Area Visitors Center developed new tour-guide training materials about 301 Washington St. based on newly available information. * Cummins Inc. has reinvested in the building at 301 Washington St. by providing funds to photograph the buildings interior and contents. * CIAA, the Columbus Area Visitors Center, and Cummins Inc began collaborating to develop a care and maintenance plan for 301 Washington St. so that it may be maintained as a museum-like space for the community.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
The website hits and social media response indicate that the materials already have found an audience - and will likely continue to grow that audience, as the community further embraces the historical role played by 301 Washington St. The project not only digitized priceless historical documents, but sparked a revived interest in the history of the building in the community.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
The project brought together 12 collections held by three organizations; project members had not anticipated the additional work this would require to modify metadata guidelines and vocabularies that had been developed for the core collection being digitized.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
No
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
Yes
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:

Exemplary: Yes
Exemplary NarrativeThe work that the project did not only to preserve/digitize historical materials, but to promote the project (and community history) was outstanding. Local community members were so inspired as to further pursue safeguarding 301 Washington St. as a historical building. The project also serves as a prime example of the benefits of inter-organizational partnership.

Project Tags: digitization, local history