Using the World Wide Web for Community Outreach: Enriching Library Service to the Community

Abstract

Through Our Parents' Eyes: Tucson's Diverse Community, includes a series of World Wide Web exhibits that share the history and experiences of Tucsonans from a variety of ethnic back-grounds. Its purpose is to acknowledge our multi-cultural heritage through digital histories that combine historical images and text with stories of Tucson told by some of Tucson's founding members. Through Our Parents' Eyes demonstrates how libraries and archives can create a vehicle for outreach and establish a powerful presence in their communities. This article describes the experiences of University of Arizona and Pima Community College librarians in building World Wide Web exhibits featuring traditionally underrepresented groups in the Tucson, Arizona, community. It provides a foundation from which new Web projects may be developed by highlighting the key elements to the project: developmental considerations, goal setting, costs, benefits, and rights and permissions. It concludes with recommendations for other librarians and archivists on planning, implementing, and supporting community-based Web projects.