Allen County Public Library Digitizing Lincoln Memoribilia

Link to October 17 Chicago Tribune article, "Lincoln items expected to be magnet for library".

Excerpt: (Fort Wayne, IN) A 230,000-piece collection of Abrahan Lincoln memorabilia is being converted into digital images in an effort to make the history of the 16th president more accessible to scholars and Lincoln aficionados.

Librarians are matching images of the photographs, letters, pamphlets and books with other historical facts so that all are available simultaneously using a standard computer search engine.

The collection, owned by the Indiana State Museum, came from the now-defunct Lincoln Museum. Officials plan to work with the state museum to coordinate exhibits and make the items, insured at more than $18 million, accessible to the public.

Cheryl Ferverda, spokeswoman for the Allen County Public Library, said the Lincoln collection should be a "magnet" for library business even with the collection available online.