Registry of U.S. Government Publication Digitization Projects
Descriptive Information- URL
- digital.library.umsystem.edu/
- Project and Contents Description
- At the time of its inception, the goal of the Historical Records Survey was to compile, classify, catalog, and preserve historic documents for future generations. The WPA Survey also sought “to meet the requirements of day-to-day administration by officials of the county, and also the needs of lawyers, businessmen, and other citizens who require facts from the public records for the proper conduct of their affairs.” Today, it is historians, political scientists, legal researchers, and genealogists that will utilize the collection.
Local historians, historians of the Great Depression, and those studying the expansion of state and federal government may make use of this collection. Yet this does not begin to cover the potential uses for historical research. For example, some surveys include “insanity records” which could be used in histories of public health and disability studies. Political scientists may be interested in the sections that detail the organization and activities of county and local governments. Legal researchers may make use of court calendars, dockets, and judgments. In some instances, copies of historic legal documents are actually part of the collection. For example, the Minutes of the County Court of Shelby County, 1820-1824, contain verbatim transcripts of probate cases, civil actions, and violations of “peace and dignity of the State.” This collection will certainly facilitate legal research.
Because the records of the Historical Records Survey are annotated, they are of tremendous value to all researchers. Genealogists will be able to determine the contents of survey records. For example, in the Inventory of the County Archives of Minnesota: Aitkin County, item 243 is the “Declaration of Intention, 1898-1910.” Without annotated entries it is highly unlikely that most patrons would know that these documents record immigrants’ intention to become legal citizens of the United States. These particular records include a wealth of information including the immigrant’s physical description, occupation, place of birth, marital status, name of spouse, port of entry, etc.
The ultimate goal of this digitization project is to highlight the existence of the WPA’s Historical Records Survey and facilitate its use by a wide range of patrons throughout the world.
After this collection is digitized, users will be able to determine the existence and location of Historical Records Survey documents. This will assist researchers as they plan research trips, apply for grants, and outline potential research projects.
The University of Missouri has one the most complete collections of the Historical Records Survey in the country. A spot check of OCLC’s WorldCat indicates that, on average, about four to nine copies of any given Historical Records Survey document exist in its catalog. There are, of course, notable exceptions. Although some copies exist in greater number, these copies remain undigitized and, therefore, inaccessible to the vast number of potential users. Furthermore, the quality of the University of Missouri’s Historical Records Survey is superior to most if not all others in the country. The collection was never processed, has no library markings, and shows no signs of patron use. In terms of preservation, this collection may be the best in the nation.
This project is currently in planning stages. We do have the green light to digitize Missouri volumes only. We are working to get funds to digitize our entire U. S. set and have it reside on one server for convenience of users.
More information on the WPA Historical Records Survey collection:
* http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=699
* http://www.interment.net/column/records/wpa/wpa_history.htm - Geographic Coverage
- United States
- Language(s)
- Resource or Material Type
- Any non-U.S. Government Pubs
- No
- Publications Source
- Library's non-depository collection
Administrative Information- Owner
- mconcannon
- Project Contact Name
- Marie Concannon
- Institution Name
- University of Missouri
- Address
- 106-B Ellis Library, Columbia, 65201-5149, USA
- E-mail
- Telephone
- 573-882-0748
- Visited
- 43
- Institution Type
- Educational Institution
- Project Status
- Planning
- Searching for Project Partners
- Yes
- Digitization Conducted In-house
- Yes
Technical Information- Meets Criteria for Preservation
- I Don't Know
- Institution Has a Digitizaiton Policy
- Yes
- Restrictions on Access
- No
Other Information
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