Digital Treasures: The Evolution of a Digital Repository in Massachusetts

Abstract: Digital Treasures is a digital library collection of the history of central and western Massachusetts. It is a collaborative project among Central/Western MA Automated Resource Sharing System (C/W MARS), Central MA Regional Library System (CMRLS) and Western MA Regional Library System (WMRLS). Initiated by C/W MARS in 2006, Digital Treasures began as a pilot program when C/W MARS purchased equipment and software and set up a scanning lab at its headquarters in Worcester. Currently Digital Treasures has 36 collections from libraries, with over 1,300 accessible images. C/W MARS, CMRLS and WMRLS continue to collaborate on ways to bring funding, selection guidance and metadata expertise to their member libraries and bring access to the wealth of cultural history of the Commonwealth.