Imagining History collections are online! Our scanning and image-processing vendor, Back Stage Library Works (BSLW) of Orem, Utah, worked all Fall on uploading the digital images and metadata from five of our participating institutions: Beverly High School; Lawrence Public Library; Lynn Public Library; Peabody Institute Library, Peabody; and The Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House, Salem. Some metadata work is ongoing with collections from Lawrence Public Library, Lynn Public Library, and The Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House, Salem. All metadata and image processing work for the above collections should be completed by mid-March.

Currently NMRLS is coordinating BSLW visits to the Northeast Region in the Spring to work with our remaining participating libraries: Essex Agricultural & Technical High School, Danvers; Lowell National Historic Park; and Saugus Public Library. BSLW will scan on-site and complete image/metadata processing and uploading back at their offices. The scanning session this second year of the grant will involve using a large-scale scanner to accommodate maps and books. Other unique items types will be 35mm color slides and 8"x10" glass plate negatives.

There are over 1,700 images available online from these collections through NMRLS' Northeast Massachusetts Digital Library (nmrlsdli.cdm.oclc.org). Take a look at the site and download and save a page of your favorite images!

The Library Experience: Older Citizens

This second year will see the launching of a Lifelong Access eXchange that will be part of the NMRLS web site. Susan Grabski, NMRLS Operations Manager, has designed a draft site for the project. Libraries for the Future is supplying content for the site. Participating libraries will contribute additional content ideas to NMRLS staff, who will maintain responsibility for updating the pages after the grant period is over.

We are spreading the word. Five Lifelong Access Institute alumnae have agreed to speak on a panel at the Massachusetts Library Association Conference in May to discuss Lifelong Access programs and services that their libraries have introduced for the grant audience (55+ active adults). The Program entitled, "Ready or Not, Here they Come!: The New Older Adults in Your Library," will be held on Wednesday, May 11.

Enhancing Archival Access in Northeast Massachusetts

For the first year of our "Roving Archivist" grant, NMRLS has matched an archival collection with a project archivist at four participating libraries: Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton; Lowell General Hospital Medical Library; Reading Public Library; and Swampscott Public Library. A fifth project at Governor Dummer Academy is awaiting an archivist's hand. Five more projects will be completed next fiscal year.

Two archives training sessions are required of libraries participating in the grant - one on Collection Policies (held on February 2) and one on Arrangement & Description (March 16). Peter Parker, of InLook group, Portsmouth, NH, is the trainer for these workshops. Attendance is open to any member library.

Serving Spanish Speaking Patrons in Northeast Massachusetts

Yolanda Cuesta will return in March and April to continue training and discussion on serving diverse library users. Her focus will be: Programs, Services and PR (March 30), Management and Diversity (April 12), and Front Line Staff and Diversity (April 13 -- this is a repeat of a December workshop).