COVID-19: How has the pandemic changed your life?
As the number of cases in Alabama grows and the enactment of shelter-in-place and social distancing have become the new norm, we would like to hear about how the pandemic is changing your daily life. Share your experiences with us by filling out this survey. Help us create a record of this momentous time in our history.
In Spring 2020, the Special Collections Department will begin a new community digitization project, and we need your help!
The project, “Huntsville in Retrospect,” focuses on scanning and photographing family records and other items of historical value. However, instead of you coming to us, we are going to you. We plan to schedule six locations around Madison County – at community centers, churches, libraries, and anywhere else we can find – where you can bring in personal family records for us to digitally copy for the archive. The best part? You get to keep your family records!
The first scanning day will be held at the Historic Huntsville Depot on March 3 and 4, 2020.
A donation turned preservation project…
In Special Collections, we get donations of all shapes and sizes. Books, papers, artifacts – they all come to us, and we make them available for researchers. Sometimes, though, it is the things we don’t get to keep that really intrigue us.
“It’s out of paper!” You scream in terror as your printer (leisurely printing your homework), grinds to a stop. You look around, but there is no extra paper to be found. These days, a simple run to the office supply store can solve your paper needs. However, paper has not always been as accessible.
In the 19th Century, letter-writing was a surprisingly expensive task. Producing paper was not cheap, and buying quality paper came at a cost. Early in the century, postmasters began charging for distance traveled and the weight of paper. Combine the price of paper with the budding idea of paying for postage – writing to loved-ones suddenly became a line item in the family budget. This added expense led many to find ways to save on paper.
