Exploring Digital Collections

Looking out my window this weekend, I was greeted with a scene that could have been from a postcard. With several inches of snow on the ground and more snow coming down, it was a winter wonderland. It was great weather for skiing and for snow building in the backyard. It was also a good day to engage in research.

While we love to see users exploring our collections in the Library, poring over material, completely engrossed in the magic of the collections, it is also possible to explore the Library’s collections, as I did, from home.

Since we started digitizing materials in the 1990’s, the Marriott Library has added more than one million digital photographs, books, videos, manuscripts, and other items and made them available through our digital library. These items include original sources found in the Marriott Library as well as content from diverse partnering institutions including collections of the Utah Department of Heritage and Arts, the Utah American Indian Digital Archive, and the Salt Lake Duck Clubs.

The process of digitizing allows the Library to create wonderful digital exhibits that bring collections to life. One such project compares the original sites of historic religious buildings  in Salt Lake City to the structures that reside at those same locations today. Another example is the oral histories exhibit, which not only provides a mapping of the vast oral histories collections, but also gives a glimpse of historic Utah – its places, institutions, and people.

While we always encourage in-person visits to the Library, we also offer digital collections to explore and enjoy. We are constantly increasing content of current collections and adding new collections as well, so check back often to discover new digital information. And, if you have questions about any of the collections, print or digital, please contact our knowledgeable staff.  Whether you are in the Library building itself or working from afar, remember the Marriott Library has All U Need.