ODW was represented at the British Columbia Library Conference at the end of April 2017!
Our collaboration with BCLA on the Provincial Digital Library was demonstrated by Dan Sifton of Vancouver Island University, who has been working with our Digital Library Developer Matt Barry. Dan uploaded his presentation slides to Github with notes. If you want to see it live, the prototype Supplejack client is here!
Jenny Benedict, Director of the West Vancouver Public Library, presented at the same session, from the perspective of a VITA member who’s seen firsthand the benefits of sharing digital cultural heritage. From her presentation:
“Our digital collections build community by connecting people to this place and connecting them with others and their own families. The collections support people to develop a sense of belonging by having a shared understanding of history and a connection to our ancestors. This connection to place and ancestry is at the heart of a community’s resilience. When people are connected to place, they are vested in addressing challenges, building community and growing the local economy….
“Our digital collections stimulate economic vitality by promoting travel, as well as new products and businesses. Photographs showcase destinations and publicize events and activities that encourage people to visit in person. New books have been published and small businesses have established services to digitize personal records…..
“I view the BC Digital Library as a tremendous opportunity for public libraries. It is an opportunity for our local digital collections to become more widely known, and also us to meaningfully connect those collections to people in our communities.”
