Article from the South Dakota State Library, April , 2019

What is the Digitization Department at the SD State Library?*

SD state agencies by state statute are required to submit publications to the SD State Library. SDSL is the historical repository for state government publications, some of which go back to territorial days. State library staff is working to digitize and make available online many of these historical publications. Historical documents that have already been digitized and made available include:

• SD Legislative Manuals - Blue Books (1903-present)

• Governors Inaugural/State of the State messages (territorial days - present)

• Reports of the Attorney General (1897/98 - present)

• Reports of the State Treasurer (1890 - present)

• Supreme Court Reports (1877 - 1923)

• Journals of the House and Senate (1887-1921)

• Biennial Reports of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (1890 - 1969/70)

• SD Codified Laws and Session Laws (1877 - ongoing project)

Keep checking the online repository as more publications are loaded. Future titles will include SD Session Laws and SD House & Senate Journals.

Reported by Mary Jo Parker

Visit the online digital collections: http://sdsdl-montage.auto-graphics.com/

What is Scan Day?

Scan Day is an event hosted in libraries or museums across the state, in which digitization staff from the South Dakota State Library bring scanning and photography equipment to a community and digitize photographs, documents, and objects.

The purpose of this event is to get residents to engage in building local and state history by bringing in personal records, photographs, objects, etc. to be digitized. These items then have the potential of being shared with the local library, museum, or the South Dakota State Archives.

Most libraries, institutions, and even members of the public do not have the necessary knowledge or equipment to handle digitization projects like this, but this is where SD State Library digitization staff can help. Scan Day goals are to: 1. Identifyanddigitize valuable information within a local community, and 2. Assist the local library or museum to raise awareness and comfort levels with preservation of local and state history.

If interested in bringing a scan day to the Lake Andes Carnegie Public Library contact Mary Jo Parker at the library 487-7524 for more information.