The library has rebranded its Long Island Division at its Central Branch as the “The Archives at Queens Library.” The new name ushers in an online database, set to go live in a few months, which will include digital access to more than 4,000 photographs that date back to the late 19th century.
John Hyslop, the digital asset manager for the Queens Public Library, said although the task took many hours and much manpower, it was worth it because the materials will now reach millions of library patrons.
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Photos are not the only items that will be getting the digital makeover. The library said it will also be posting documents online, including the papers of Wilson and Jane Rantus.
The black couple collected everything from receipts, bills and letters between 1834 and 1883 and those documents are the only existing records of a minority family living in Long Island at that time.
Those who worked on the digitizing process, such as Mary Grace DeSagun, the project’s imaging technician, said handling the archives helped to educate them about the legacy of the borough.
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