Athens, Ga. – The Civil Rights Digital Library is the 2008 winner of an Award for Excellence in Archival Program Development conferred by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board. Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel and GHRAB chairperson Ross King presented the award as part of the GHRAB Awards ceremony at the Georgia Archives in Morrow on Oct. 6. The CRDL is a GALILEO initiative based at the University of Georgia.
The Civil Rights Digital Library is an archive of news film and related historical materials from educational institutions across the U.S. According to P. Toby Graham, director of the Digital Library of Georgia, it is the most ambitious and comprehensive initiative to date to provide educational content on the Civil Rights Movement via the Web.
“The University Libraries have been proud to play a leadership role in developing the Civil Rights Digital Library,” said William Gray Potter, university librarian, “and we are pleased that GHRAB shares our enthusiasm for this important initiative.”
The CRDL promotes an enhanced understanding of the movement through its three principal components: a digital video archive delivering 30 hours of historical news film; a civil rights portal providing drawing together holdings from more than 90 libraries and allied organizations across the nation; and instructional materials to facilitate the use of the video content in the learning process.
The Civil Rights Digital Library receives financial support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
The CRDL will continue to grow through its partnerships with allied organizations across the U.S.
The Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board (GHRAB) works to promote preservation, access, and educational use of Georgia’s documentary heritage. Its twelve members are appointed by the governor.
See the Civil Rights Digital Library online at http://www.civilrightslibrary.org.
