IUPUI

University Library’s Digitization Continues with John Tipton Papers, WWI

The IUPUI University Library is collaborating with a number of libraries and other state agencies to preserve more historical documents in digital libraries, making Indiana's history more accessible to Hoosiers and others.

University Library, Indiana State Library and Indiana Historical Bureau will collaborate in the digitization of collections of the papers, journals, letters and memoranda of 19th century Indiana Senator John Tipton.

The IUPUI library and the two state agencies are the recipients of a Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) Digitization grant to fund creation of a digital collection of 4,500 pages of Tipton papers dated from 1810 to 1942.

When the digitization is completed, researchers, teachers, and students will have public access to a digital version of Tipton's original documents about Indiana's history during the early settlement period.

In addition to the John Tipton Collection, the IUPUI University Library will collaborate with the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library to digitize 240 of its WWI posters.

The University Library will also collaborate with the IUPUI Columbus Library to digitize the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives on repository. This collection includes a collection of sketches, architectural plans, correspondence, construction files and others about the Midwestern town's extraordinary architecture.

The IUPUI University Library has built a digital library infrastructure using a suite of high-end systems and software. The digital lab is equipped with a large format color scanner, a digital publisher overhead scanner, a duplex high-speed scanner, and a super cool scanner making it possibly for the library to support the digitization projects of organizations seeking to preserve Indiana's history and cultural heritage.

University Library's Digitization Lab Team will begin developing the online Tipton collection this fall. The collection will reside on a state library server, but University Library will maintain collections' content through use of a website interface.

Over the past 10 years, the University Library has received LSTA Digitization grants to create three other collections: the Digital Collections of IUPUI University Library, the Indianapolis Sanborn Map Collection, and the Road to Indiana Statehood.

The library also received a LSTA Digitization grant to collaborate and to create digital collections for five Indiana nonprofit organizations: the Indiana State Archives, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, the Geography and Map Library Indiana University, Indiana Historical Society, and the Hancock County Public Library/Riley Old Home Society.

University Library's online digital libraries currently include more than 40 unique collections. The library continues to explore new ways to use digital technology to provide for the long-term preservation and accessibility of its resources

Located at 755 W. Michigan Avenue, the University Library is a public library that serves the general Indiana public, as well as the university population. Any resident of Indiana is eligible for an IUPUI University Library card.

To browse digital collections, go to: http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/digitalcollections/collections.html

Library resources are available online at http://www.ulib.iupui.edu.