Florida Department of State Celebrates American Archives Month

Tallahassee, Florida –

In celebration of American Archives Month in October, the Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services, State Archives of Florida, announces a weekend of special events during Archives Month to promote the study of Florida history and culture, and to foster a closer relationship between the public and the archives. The feature events during this month long celebration will be a digital photography show and an Archives "scan day."

Secretary of State Ken Detzner said, "The photographic resources of the State Archives of Florida are easily accessed via the Florida Memory website, which provides online access to archival resources that illustrate significant moments in the state's history, offers educational resources for students of all ages, and makes available collections for historical research.”

Florida Memory provides a glimpse into Florida's past and supports heritage tourism for destinations across the state. Attending the digital photography show and participating in the Archives scan day will be a unique opportunity to preserve your family legacy and share your Florida history with fellow Floridians.

On Friday, October 11, 2013, visitors will be treated to a digital photography show featuring many unpublished images from the Tallahassee Democrat, showing scenes of Tallahassee life from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. Complementary refreshments for the photography show event, which will run from 6:00-8:00 p.m., will be generously provided by the Friends of the State Library and Archives of Florida.

On Saturday, October 12, 2013, the Archives’ Imaging Lab will be open to the public. Residents of Tallahassee and the surrounding area are encouraged to bring in their original Florida related family photographs (no digital images please) for possible inclusion in the collections of the State Archives of Florida. Many of these images will eventually be made available on the Florida Memory website (FloridaMemory.com) as part of a special "Big Bend Area" photographic collection.

During the scan day, Archives staff will scan photographs and return the originals to the donor.  The Archives will not take permanent physical possession of the images unless the donor requests otherwise. Staff will be on hand to discuss the process as well as address any questions.

For more information, visit: Floridamemory.com/about/archivesmonth.  Both events are free, open to the public, and will be held at the R.A. Gray Building, 500 S. Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399. Please direct any questions to: [email protected], attention: Archives Month.

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About Florida Memory Program:
The Florida Memory Program provides free online access to significant photographs, films, sound recordings, and original documents from the collections of the State Library and Archives of Florida.  Florida Memory is funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Florida Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services.