November 6, 2024
The Garvin H. Johnston Library at the Poplarville Campus recently began an initiative to digitize part of its archives and is happy to announce some of the first files are now available to view online.
The archives include yearbooks, college publications, and clippings from local newspapers. These clippings, dating from 1911 until now, are a comprehensive collection of thousands of articles about the college, its students, faculty, alumni, clubs, and sports teams. They not only tell the history of the college through local news but also reflect the influence the college has had on the local community and the Lower Pearl River Valley.
The initiative to digitize these clippings is fueled by the desire to preserve fragile pieces documenting local history and make them available to the public. However, due to limited staffing and the time-intensive nature of digitization, the project is long-term and will take many years to complete. This particular batch of files would not be available if it were not for the help and dedication of library staff, Linda Spiers, Eileen Hall, Judy Prince, and Stacy Dawsey, who worked to transcribe articles. Phi Theta Kappa student Naomi Williamson created metadata that allows files to be findable and searchable online.
“I am blessed to have colleagues and students willing to help with this massive project,” said Public Services Librarian Amanda Myers. “Naomi’s dedication and attention to detail helped expedite this project. She saw the value of digital preservation and access and took the initiative to learn and dedicate time to making part of our collection available online for researchers and historians.”
Online hosting is provided by Mississippi Digital Library, a consortium of digitized collections from institutions from across the state. PRCC’s digital archive can be viewed by searching “Pearl River Community College” or locating Pearl River Community College from the list of partners on msdiglib.org.
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Article by Amanda Myers. Photography by Laura O’Neill.
