Congregational Library & Archives launches new open access digital archive in Quartex
The Congregational Library & Archives (CLA), based in Boston, MA, has launched its digital archive with 170 collections documenting the history of over 90 communities in colonial and early-American New England.
Many of the documents in the digital archive are being made available to the public for the first time. CLA’s New England’s Hidden Histories initiative has uncovered many historical records kept in church attics and basements and made them available through preservation and digitization, as well as producing thousands of pages of transcriptions to make these unique records accessible to a wider audience.
Key to the selection of Quartex was the platform's extensive range of search and discovery capabilities, including customizable controlled vocabularies, faceted searching, dynamic digital exhibits, and the ability to present complex multi-image digital objects.
CLA’s choice of Quartex was driven by the platform’s ability to completely change and enhance how we provide access to our diverse and important digital content. The digital archive you see today will become a significant resource for scholars, students, genealogists, and anyone interested in the Congregational story. We will continue to use and expand on Quartex’s accessibility, search, and display functionalities as we continue to grow the digital archive and ensure that these important historical records are accessible and available to all.
The launch also includes CLA’s first digital exhibit, “We do Give up ourselves to one another,” created using functionality in Quartex that serves as a powerful gateway into the archive, drawing users and patrons further into specific assets and collections. The new exhibit presents compelling historical narratives about church disciplinary cases as well as providing guidance on using and understanding such resources.
I’m delighted to be able to congratulate CLA on launching this fantastic new website for scholars of New England and Congregational history. It’s been a pleasure to work closely with Zachary Bodnar and the CLA team as they have made effective use of many display and discovery features to create their site using Quartex. I look forward to watching the evolution of their digital archive as further resources are added.
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