[Libs-Or] BCR's CDP Celebrates 10th Anniversary

[Brandie Baumann]

October 20, 2008

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brandie Baumann, Communications Coordinator

800.397.1552; bcrpress at bcr.org



BCR's CDP Celebrates 10th Anniversary

 

AURORA, Colo. - BCR's CDP, the nationally recognized digitization
collaborative, celebrates 10 years of access, training and service to
the cultural heritage community. From its origins as the state-based
Colorado Digitization Project, BCR's Collaborative Digitization Program
(CDP) has become a model for creating digital access to the cultural,
historical and scientific heritage collections of the West by building
collaboration between archives, historical societies, libraries and
museums. 

 

During the last 10 years, the foundation of BCR's CDP evolved from the
premise that Colorado's archives, libraries, museums and historical
societies could collaborate to share their unique resources and special
collections through digitization. This type of cultural heritage
collaboration had never been attempted in the U.S.   

 

In 1999-2001 CDP received the first of many state and federal grants.
This initial IMLS grant allowed the CDP to establish regional scan
centers, develop a robust training program, consulting services and a
grant program that supported digitization of cultural heritage holdings.
In 2001, the CDP was expanded beyond Colorado through the Western Trails
project, bringing Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas and Utah cultural heritage
institutions into the collaborative.

 

In April 2007, the CDP merged into BCR. "The merger of the CDP and BCR
has resulted in new initiatives such as collaboration with the Colorado
Wyoming Association of Museums on a 2008 IMLS Connecting to Collections
grant proposal," noted Brenda Bailey-Hainer, BCR President and CEO.

 

Today, the CDP is part of BCR's Digital and Preservation Services unit,
offering training and consulting services along with products and
services that support libraries' and cultural heritage institutions'
digital programs. New content is being added to Heritage West on a
regular basis, and BCR is partnering to submit grants that will advance
digital and preservation programs in member organizations. Continuing
with the CDP's tradition of collaboration and outreach services, BCR's
CDP program offers best practices and resources for anyone developing
their institution's digital collections.  

 

Access to the resources created by the CDP members and participants is
sustained through the expanding Heritage West database. In addition to
increasing access to these unique resources, the CDP also has explored
opportunities for incorporating digital primary source materials into
classroom instruction. Today, there are more than 130 lesson plans for
K-12 teachers available through the BCR CDP website.  

 

 "After more than a decade, the CDP continues to offer libraries and
other cultural heritage institutions across the West and the nation
access to tools that support their work in creating digital content, as
well as examples for how to incorporate digital content into teaching
and learning," commented Liz Bishoff, Director, Digital and Preservation
Services, BCR.

 

About BCR

BCR brings libraries together for greater success by expanding their
knowledge, reach and power. They offer a broad range of solutions and
their hands-on, personal attention to each member enables them to
deliver effective and timely solutions that help libraries keep pace
with new developments in technology and services. BCR is the nation's
oldest and most established multistate library cooperative. Since 1935,
the BCR team has helped libraries learn new skills, reach patrons,
increase productivity and save money. BCR (Bibliographical Center for
Research) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in Aurora, Colorado. For
more information, visit www.BCR.org <http://www.bcr.org/>  or email
info at bcr.org <mailto:info at bcr.org> .

 

***************************************

 

Brandie Baumann
Communications Coordinator

BCR

14394 E. Evans Ave.
Aurora, CO 80014-1408
p: 303.751.6277 ext 110
    800.397.1552
f:  303.751.9787
e: bbaumann at bcr.org <mailto:bbaumann at bcr.org> 
www.BCR.org <http://www.BCR.org> 

 

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