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The future and the past collided in a good way last week as the Chisago County Historical Society entered the digital age.  The society took possession of a ScanPro; a device that replaces the old microfilm viewing machine,  but also does so much more.  

The new equipment was purchased using a $10,000 state Historical Society grant that the county organizationwas awarded this summer.  

The equipment has the ability to search a keyword eliminating hours that a researcher might expect to spend skimming murky newsprint, on reels of microfilm, looking for a certain item.  The microfilm data stored at the county history center needs to be transferred into electronic form, but just having this new capability is a big leap.  Any person who is interested in helping to transfer materials onto the digital format as part of earning a degree, or as contributing as an intern for non-profits, etc. is welcome to assist.  There will be specific workshops developed later.

The possibilities for this new equipment are endless.   A person hundreds of miles away will be able to e mail the history center in Lindstrom,  and ask for a newspaper article or obituary notice or even  an entire newspaper, map or photo.  The information can be scanned into the system and electronically mailed to the person making the request.  
The device uses high definition technology to reproduce and electronically maintain files of historical maps, images on slides or photographs.  Chisago City resident Charles Gramling, society member, has donated a printer for use at the history center.

Five Historical Society members attended orientation at the Lindstrom history center last week.  Jeff Peterson, of MidAmerica Business Systems, demonstrated the equipment’s basic functions.  According to Robert Chudek, the county society has a technology committee which still has to make policy decisions about who gets remote access to the scanned files, and other  usage and access guidelines.  

Chudek said the committee has been eagerly awaiting to see all that this new system is able to do before wading into rules of use.  Volunteers on this technology committee with Chudek are: Darcy Pinotti of Rush City, John Fino from Wyoming, Lin Strong, Almelund and Rose Valez of North Branch is a consultant.

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