If you’re a local historian or history enthusiast, Jackson County Library Services has an upcoming series of workshops with you and your past-centered curiosity in mind.
“History At Your Fingertips,” six two-hour classes that will be held in early November at the Ashland, Applegate, Rogue River, Eagle Point, Jacksonville, and Ruch branches, will offer a hands-on look at several state and federal databases that can aid historians, genealogists, teachers, students, and others. You can see all the information on individual dates and times here.
The databases participants will get exposure to include:
- Oregon Digital Newspaper Program
- Northwest Digital Heritage
- Archives West
- Oregon Digital County
- Property Records
- Oregon Historic Sites Database
- Oregon State Archives
- BLM General Land Office Records
- Chronicling America
“For a lot of these (databases), people don’t even need a library card to access them,” says Brystan Strong, JCLS programs coordinator (and, full disclosure, one of my JCLS blogging colleagues). “There’s a whole plethora of really cool information out there, and if you can access it for free, you’ve just expanded your world.”
What a library-inspired idea!
Attendees should bring their own devices, such as smartphones, tablets or laptops if they want to participate.
“It’s so rewarding,” says program presenter Maureen Battistella. “The way the workshop is constructed, (participants) choose their own rabbit hole. It’s really a hands-on exploration that adds an element of personal excitement and personal investment.”
Oregon Digital Newspaper Program
I can already confirm how invaluable the Oregon Digital Newspaper Program has been to me in my 5+ years at JCLS. (Fun fact: I first wrote about ODNP 16 years ago when I worked as a reporter for the Klamath Falls Herald & News. See clipping to the right.)
When I was editing Jackson County Library Services’ documentary short, “House of Threads”, some of the supporting research materials came directly from the database, which is free for anyone to use.
For the project, I conducted interviews about a 126-year-old house in the Applegate Valley, a horrific murder that occurred on the property about seven years before the house was built, and the current occupant’s journey to this discovery (and others).
Editing involved pairing these interviews with scenic shots, music, and ambient sound. And, of course, historic documents; materials such as old maps, estate documents, photos, and immigration records.
And, of course, newspaper articles.
Heather Paladini, the historic home’s current owner and “House of Threads” co-writer, had already done the legwork and just shared everything she had already tracked down with me, but I wanted to search a bit more. I headed to the Oregon Digital Newspaper Program’s Historic Oregon Newspapers website and started to poke around.
I quickly found multiple newspaper stories about the victim, the murderer, and the horrific event. Reading the words and corroborating the details set the incident in a new, prominent light. It felt almost personal, like I’d heard this quieter echo from the past that had been overshadowed by more notable historical events.
All Histories Great And Small
These classes and our monthly Windows In Time programs are part of our ongoing efforts to make local history accessible and intriguing to the communities we serve.
“Right now, we’re in this growing phase,” Brystan says. “We’re trying to expand off of the foundation that was already created by Windows In Time and building that interest.”
The past, she adds, in all its forms and various levels of significance, is worth your attention.
“A lot of history gets stuck in these big cities like Portland and Eugene or Salem, and while they all have very rich and great histories that are also worth learning about, it neglects the fact that we are a big state, and we have a lot of history,” Brystan says. “Southern Oregon has a very long, very interesting, very diverse history that is worth learning about. That is true, I think, about a lot of corners of Oregon. I think there’s value there, even if it’s not these huge metropolitan cities.”