on the Internet!
Wauconda Area Local History
Materials Invitation &Guidelines
Submission Form[Skip introduction and go directly to history collection].
Anyone with access to the Internet is now able to travel back into the Wauconda area's past. Internet users can visit the old Duer's Hotel on a serene summer day in 1916. They can see the tracks of horse-drawn buggies on Main Street in 1900. They can read the first issue of The Star, Wauconda's first newspaper (1888). These and hundreds of other images and documents from the area's past are now available via a new collection compiled by the Wauconda Area Library on the Internet.
In 1999, the library was awarded an Educate and Automate Grant of $7,283 from the Illinois State Library for the purpose of converting its large collection of materials related to the history of the Wauconda area into digital format and making the collection widely available on the Internet. The library used the grant money to purchase a powerful computer workstation capable of scanning large images and documents. The money was also used to pay a part-time employee to do the scanning of the library's hundreds of photographs, newspaper clippings, and other documents related to the area's history.
Given the popularity of the library's recently expanded computer resources and the recent trends in the electronic preservation of historical materials, digitizing the library's local history collection is a great way for providing easy, effective access to the collection while at the same time preserving these fragile materials. Anyone who has access to the Internet is now able to view this collection. The library itself provides free access to the Internet at eight workstations.
This project is made possible in part by the North Suburban Library System, which provides the Internet site (www.digitalpast.org) from which the digitized collection can be accessed. Fifteen other area libraries have also established collections in this user-friendly Internet database.
Library Seeks Photographs and Printed Memorabilia
The library is always seeking good quality photographs and printed materials conveying imagery related to the history of the area. Although the library already owns hundreds of newspaper clippings and other printed materials in its local history collection, additional photographs and materials would greatly enhance the impact of the Internet collection. Anyone owning such materials is invited to participate in this project by lending the items briefly to the library for scanning. Once scanned, the items will be quickly returned to the owner. Ownership for each item will be credited as part of the description of the item in the Internet database. All contributors will also be credited on the library's web site (www.wauclib.org) and in any printed promotional materials. The only requirements for each item are that it have some historical significance and that the subject matter and approximate date of origin are identified.
Many community organizations and individuals have participated in this project by contributing various local history documents, photographs, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, photographs and even movies and of historical significance from the Wauconda Area. The long list of donors includes the Wauconda Historical Society, the Villages of Island Lake and Volo, O'Traina's Restaurant, and more. This is a great opportunity for the local business community as well as for individuals to participate in a library project which will greatly heighten awareness of the history of the area while preserving the area's heritage.
The current Digitizing collection is available for browsing at www.digitalpast.org.
Back to the Library Home Page