SC Gen workshop

The workshop was July 11 and 12. I was surprised by how many of my Local History Room colleagues were there. Greenville, Laurens County, Florence and Edgefield were represented.

The session on SC Plats was very educationa. I am trying to make the plats a useful tool since we have the Columbia district on microfilm at RCPL. The State Arhive has the index online so they are much easier to use.

The workshop on African American research gave me a new tip. When searching through the Freedman's Bank records don't forget Augusta, GA. The only areas in SC are Beaufort and Charleston but for our upstate and midlands area Augusta makes perfect sense. I just never thought of it. That tip will definitely find its' way to my next workshop. Which, BTW, is October 4th at the Northeast Branch.

Columbia Closings

A colleague pointed out a blog to me about business closings in Columbia. The author posts pictures he has of businesses that no longer exist and visitors have the opportunity to comment on those pictures.

The Library of Congress does something similar on Flickr. They are posting pictures from their collection. Flickr visitors then have the opportunity to provide comments on the pics. The LOC has identified many people in the pictures from information provided by the comments.

It is such a unique way to make technology connect us with the past and to keep the past alive for the future. Too bad there wasn't something like a blog in 1910 or 1957 or anytime that we are looking for information about.