Awesome!

In my last post I spoke about how the library I am working with for my project seemed to kind of be "out of date." But something must have happened that sparked a fire within the director and when I went to the library yesterday to continue my projcet...she was passionate about getting new technology and learning. She had a completely different attitude than she did the last time I met with her and it was really amazing to see a passion that I hadn't seen in that library before. I met with someone who is getting us a "companion" scanner for this microfilm digital reel called ST200x, which was $10,000 and the companion is $2,000. But the director says that this technology is definitely a need within this library and she is totally into my project. I am sure many other libraries have already done this but she made the comparison to when she worked in Alabama and needed an Appalachian transcript but at that time they wouldn't even fax it to her...she had to drive and pick it up and sign for it...she says she hates that people now who are looking for family records and live in Montana would have to drive to Taylorsville if they wanted access. So that is where my project will help this library tremendously. I can't say much for the small town that I grew up in and love...but I can say that family is the most important thing to almost everyone here and thus even if someone has moved away there is an almost eerie connection with family and family history here. I know it in my family and I know so many others who just have a connection with this small town because of family ties. So in that, I am so thankful that this project has panned out. I may even be able to find some good things on my own family as I scan and revamp these documents. Phalbe, the director, says my project is going to really be "made" by the man who sells the ST200x, because this technology will allow me to scan faster, make corrections to old documents - by way of typing in letter that are no longer readable and such, and also allow me to put them on the internet. I have already gotten permission from the county as well to place these documents on the county website and have copyright permission from the newspaper to also put some old news clippings up. How exciting! Right now I have met with the gentleman who is getting me the companion. Then I will learn how to use it, when I get the manual, and the project will also involve me teaching other librarians how to use the machine...so it can be useful after I am finished with my project. I think I am beginning to feel a sting of "love" for this small town library and like Dr. Sanders said before...I may just become so woven into the project that it extends way past the class. Hurray for Passion!