[Genealib] WPA Historical Records Survey

[Concannon, Marie]

Genealogy Librarians:

Our library has been given a complete (or near complete) set of WPA Historical Records Survey books - about 88 linear feet - all in exceptional condition.  Originally part of the WPA Federal Writers' Project, the Historical Records Survey was devoted to inventorying and indexing historically significant record collections in state, county and local archives, in church archives, and in federal archives that were housed in states.  

The strength of the work is in the amazingly detailed annotations which accompany each record set listing.  Rather than just listing a collection title, for example, "Town Crier Records, 1764-1810" it tells exactly what information the Town Crier collected and recorded.  With this information the genealogist will know whether or not to pursue that avenue for genealogical information.  The books explain what information is provided in other strangely-titled local collection sets such as "Mittimuses" and "Capias Writs."  Further, this set of books vastly facilitates discovery of hard-to-find record sets, including early hospital patient records, registers of individuals holding insurance policies, etc.

I would like to digitize the complete collection (all states) for placement on the University of Missouri Digital Library server http://digital.library.umsystem.edu.  I have not seen evidence that this collection has already been digitized with the intent of making them FREELY available, but as part of the process I must confirm that the collection (or parts of it) have NOT already been digitized.  

Therefore I have come to this list with these requests:

1) Please tell me if you know of digital versions of this set already freely available on the internet.

2) If you believe that digitization of this set will benefit genealogists, please send me a note explaining why you believe it will be beneficial.  I am still fighting to get grant money to digitize the set, and I need a few well-worded testimonials.   My funding sources have only approved digitization of the Missouri volumes.  Since family trees do cross state lines(!), I need to present the strongest possible argument to convince granting organizations to help us get this done in its entirety.

3) Tell me if you know of an organization which might wish to partner with us on this project.  

Here are some articles for further reading on the WPA Historical Records Survey:
  http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=699    
  http://www.interment.net/column/records/wpa/wpa_history.htm 


Sincerely,


Marie Concannon
Government Documents Regional Coordinator
106-B Ellis Library
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65201
Phone (573) 882-0748