| Long Island University "Digitizing Local History Sources"

Long Island University, “Digitizing Local History Sources”

Generous grants from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation are enabling the Palmer School of Library and Information Science at Long Island University to digitize local history materials in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The initial $1.5 million in grants awarded in 2016 and 2017 provides fellowships for master’s and doctoral students to assist with the project. In December 2022, the Robert David Lion Gardiner established an additional $1 million endowment for “Digitizing Local History Sources.”

We are pleased to provide public access to materials we have digitized to date:

50 historical organizations
83,000 images
5,500 gigabytes of data

On this public site, you will be able to access and download low-resolution JPEG images. Each organization has access to high-resolution uncompressed TIFF images through a non-public site. Please contact the originating organization with questions about TIFF images as well as copyright and usage information.

We will continue to add new historical materials, highlight particular collections, and enhance the search functionality of the site. Please visit often to explore primary sources documenting the people of Long Island!

For additional information, please contact the Project Director, Dr. Gregory S. Hunter, at the Palmer School of Library and Information Science: greg.hunter@liu.edu.

Media Coverage

On January 30, 2023, Newsday published an article, “William Vanderbilt II Photos are Latest Digitizing Project at LIU Post’s Palmer School in Brookville.” https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/liu-digitize-history-project-vanderbilt-photos-uj9wloe7

On November 2, 2022 Fox 5 New York reporter Jodi Goldberg covered the digitization of Walt Whitman’s Family Bible. The full video is available at: https://www.fox5ny.com/video/1138375

On June 13, 2022 the Project Director was interviewed by WHRU Radio, the Hofstra University Station. We discussed “Digitizing Local History Sources” and the Culper Spy Ring. The recording is available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DgTUTRZYM6a94jNb0VY3vI4AW3sF6YYz/view

On May 9, 2022, WCBS New York aired a feature story about DLHS. Carolyn Gusoff visited the on-campus Digitization Lab and interviewed a Palmer School student. The full video is available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/liu-post-digitizing-local-history-sources/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

On April 17, 2022, Newsday published a six-page feature story about the project. The full article and a video are available at: https://www.newsday.com/long-island/grant-helps-liu-post-preserve-li-history-ic0x4sol

On November 26, 2021, Dan’s Papers published a story about the Bert Morgan Collection at the Southampton History Museum: https://en.calameo.com/read/0036300935eb8a11af1e8?page=34

On November 17, 2021, a similar story was published in The Island Now. https://theislandnow.com/community-news/liu-digitizes-southampton-history-museum-photo-collection/

On November 12, 2021, The Patch published a story about the Bert Morgan Collection: https://patch.com/new-york/longisland/liu-announces-digital-collection-historical-documents

Preservica highlights the project as a “Customer Success Story.” https://preservica.com/resources/customer-stories/long-island-university-1

Library Journal honored DLHS as one of the “best free resources of 2021.” https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/best-free-resources-2021

DLHS is included as a “best practices example” on the Website of the Roadmap for Participatory Archiving: https://ropa.umb.edu/preserving-collection

Participating Historical Societies

Sayville Historical Society

The Sayville Historical Society, located in Sayville, NY, is a local organization dedicated to studying and preserving the history of Sayville. The Historical Society fosters an appreciation of the past, with an emphasis on local history. In addition to collecting and preserving historical artifacts, photographs, and personal stories, the Historical Society conducts research into local Suffolk County families and businesses, which they present to the public through exhibits. The Historical Society also provides public historical records.

Shelter Island Historical Society

The Shelter Island Historical Society interprets Shelter Island’s past through historical material and through its people, from the first Native American inhabitants, settlers and town fathers, to those who have made it a caring and unique community through the years. The Society strives to preserve the Island’s heritage for future generations. https://www.shelterislandhistorical.org/

Southampton History Museum

The Southampton History Museum was organized in 1898 and incorporated in 1910. In its early days, the Museum collected and exhibited historical objects and documents relating to the history and development of Southampton, organized pageants and gave lectures on antiques. By 1960 the Rogers Mansion property had expanded to include 12 historic structures including an 1830 one-room schoolhouse, an 1825 barn and a 19th century paint store, among others. The Mansion is the main administrative center for the organization and is open year-round. Today the Museum's mission is to preserve and promote the history and culture of the Town of Southampton by engaging and inspiring diverse audiences. It does this through the management of 4 separate properties with 14 historic buildings that contain changing exhibits on historic topics, a research center and educational programs for schoolchildren and adults. https://www.southamptonhistory.org/

Southold Historical Society

Southold Historical Society was founded in 1960 to "promote interest in and education about the history of Southold and to bring together those persons who desire to discover, acquire, preserve, maintain, and exhibit historic sites, buildings, and relics.” https://www.southoldhistoricalsociety.org/

Stirling Historical Society of Greenport

https://www.facebook.com/stirlinghistoricalsocietygpt/?ref=page_internal

Straus Historical Society

The Straus Historical Society fosters educational activities with respect to the settlement of Jews in the United States and, in particular, the family of Lazarus and Sara Straus, their ancestors and their descendants. The focus of the Society's activities on the Straus Family is based on the family's involvement in government, commerce, and philanthropy. The history of the Straus family is part of world history. It is written for the present. It provokes discussion, imagination and creation. It ties the present with the past and draws pathways to the future. http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/

Three Village Historical Society

The Three Village area is comprised of communities where history is close to the surface. It encompasses the villages of Old Field, Poquott, the Setaukets, and Stony Brook. At the Three Village Historical Society, you can learn about the area's rich and fascinating past in creative and engaging ways. So whether your interests lie with the American Indians who first called this region home, General Washington's Culper Spy Ring, or Stony Brook University, you are sure to find a program or publication at the Three Village Historical Society that satisfies your curiosity. https://www.tvhs.org/

Vanderbilt Museum

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum — a unique combination of mansion, marine and natural history museum, planetarium and park — is dedicated to the education and enjoyment of the people of Long Island and beyond. This mission shall be achieved through the thoughtful preservation, interpretation and enhancement of the Eagle’s Nest estate as an informal educational facility. Many exhibition and program themes focus upon Long Island’s Gold Coast Era. Programs also concentrate on William K. Vanderbilt II’s desire that his marine, natural history, and ethnographic collections promote appreciation and understanding of the marvelous diversity of life, other cultures, and scientific knowledge. Planetarium programming, more specifically, focuses on scientific knowledge and seeks to capture Mr. Vanderbilt’s sense of adventure and exploration through state-of-the-art entertainment. https://www.vanderbiltmuseum.org/

Walt Whitman Birthplace Association

As Stewards of the Walt Whitman Birthplace, a New York State Historic Site, we preserve and promote the poet’s legacy with educational programs about his life and work, celebrating inclusivity and inspiring creativity.

Westhampton Beach Historical Society

The Westhampton Beach Historical Society serves the communities of Westhampton, Westhampton Beach, Westhampton Dunes, Quiogue, Remsenburg, Speonk, and Eastport. Our mission is to preserve and promote the history of these communities and to serve as a community resource for historical information. https://www.whbhistorical.org/

Whaling Museum and Education Center

The museum's collection and education programs provide the community with a significant link to the understanding of one of Long Island’s earliest major industries - whaling. The collection was formed by the local community who recognized the need for a repository to preserve the region’s local maritime history and Cold Spring Harbor’s whaling pas

Preserving the Past for the Future