 |
 |
I suspect this might be the first of several messages about successful NOF-digi projects, as the announcement of allocation of the 45 million was due to be made today. I trust that such announcements are of interest to MCG list subscribers? If not, please let me know. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ian O. Morrison, Scottish Museums Documentation Officer http://ianmorrison.topcities.com/index.htm Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 15:18:15 +0100 From: Worden, Suzette <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Church Plans Online project Posted by Sarah Wickham Reply to <[log in to unmask]> ------------------------------------------------------------- Historic churches planned online through the People's Network ------------------------------------------------------------- Lambeth Palace Library has been awarded a grant of £75,000 by the New Opportunities Fund towards its Church Plans Online project. In conjunction with the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, the Library will digitise all the plans in the archive of the Incorporated Church Building Society. Some 11,800 plans and drawings will be made freely available over the internet during 2002-3 and onwards. Around the world and around the clock, online access will enable students, local historians, architects, and architectural historians as well as those interested in their own parish church to study these materials. The Incorporated Church Building Society archive spans the period 1818-1982, and covers the whole of England and Wales. It is of national importance as a record of the most significant period in church building since the middle ages and the single largest source for plans of new and existing churches in the country. Where a church has since been restored, converted or demolished, the often-unique records in the archive preserve a vital part of the shared cultural heritage of the people of England and Wales. Church Plans Online will build on the existing services offered by the Library's website <<http://www.lambethpalacelibrary.org/>> which in its first year received 148,000 hits from around the world. The Librarian, Richard Palmer, said "We are delighted that one of Britain's oldest libraries, founded by Archbishop Bancroft in 1610, will be in the vanguard of the networked Information Society in contributing its historic resources to wider public use." Architectural historian Alexandrina Buchanan said "The Incorporated Church Building Society aimed to help the poorest parishes in both urban and rural areas. Its work was funded by public subscription and assisted by local initiatives. We are very excited that everyone, wherever they live, can now have free access to information about the past activities of their community." "We are keenly aware of the great interest there is among the general public in both local history and church architecture" said Michael Hall, editor of Country Life. "A project such as this, which will deliver information about these buildings and their architects directly into people's homes, will be greatly welcomed." ### Notes: 1. Lambeth Palace Library is the historic library of the Archbishops of Canterbury and the principal library and record office for the history of the Church of England. Since 1610 the Library has preserved and made available free of charge an important part of the national heritage to all those who wish to use its resources. The Library welcomes around 2,000 users annually. 2. The Church Plans Online project is undertaken in partnership with the Structural Images North East project at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne <<http://www.ncl.ac.uk/ltan/>> and with the Society of Antiquaries of London <<http://www.sal.org.uk>>. 3. The People's Network represents the most comprehensive programme of public information and communications technology provision so far supported by the Government. It is co-ordinated by Re:source: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, a strategic agency working with museums, archives and libraries across the UK. <<http://www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk>> and <<http://www.resource.gov.uk>>. 4. The New Opportunities Fund distributes National Lottery money to health, education and environment projects across the UK. www.nof.digitise.org is the £50 million New Opportunities fund programme to support the digitisation of learning materials as content creation for the People's Network. CONTACT: Sarah Wickham, Lambeth Palace Library, tel 020 7898 1400 fax 020 7928 7932 [log in to unmask] <<http://www.lambethpalacelibrary.org>>