MCPL Digital is a growing repository of high-resolution digital photograph collections of Monroe County Yearbooks and other local historical records. Our mission is to bring digital versions of the community's historical records to a broader audience!
Library Director, Grier Carson, says the digitization program has been in full force since early 2020. The first items to be digitized were the Library’s collection of area school yearbooks.
“We’re excited to make some of the Library’s most unique physical materials, particularly those which represent and/or reflect Monroe County, more accessible,” Carson said.
MCPL Digital currently includes over 230 yearbooks from local high schools, scanned from physical copies housed in our Indiana Room. Spanning 114 years, the archive begins with Bloomington High School, The Gothic, from 1908!
Before they could be digitized, Patron Account & ILS Coordinator Christine Sneed prepared each yearbook by pulling it from the shelf, counting its pages, then packing and shipping the book to be scanned. The process was lengthy, but Sneed enjoyed the experience.
"Going over every page of the yearbooks during this process gave me time to really appreciate just how much the hair and fashion choices have drastically changed over the years!" Sneed said.
Community Engagement Librarian, Christine Friesel, says the experience of holding and flipping through a yearbook provides a lens to view a community for that year.
“Think of the music at your high school prom. Do you remember it? Will you remember it more–and other things that year–if you see a photo of it, conveniently on your tablet? Probably,” Friesel said.
Whether the viewer is working on genealogical research or wants to relive their high school years, the yearbooks can now be accessed freely by anyone with access to the internet.
In addition to yearbooks, Carson says the Library plans to digitize other historical records from the Indiana Room. This includes a unique collection of local “oral histories”–audio recordings of residents telling their own stories and sharing their own lived experiences dating back to the mid-1970s.
“These recordings are a treasure not currently accessible due to their native format,” Carson said. “Digitization would be both beneficial and necessary for their preservation.”
MCPL Digital resides on a platform known as CONTENTdm. The platform provides reliable digital access and sophisticated search functionality. Explore the collection now at digital.mcpl.info!