Raymond Barnett has been Troy University’s library archivist since January 2013. Barnett’s job includes going through historic photographs and documents and then cataloging his findings. Barnett is the sole person working in his department.
Cataloging is an extensive process that includes the initial finding, physically surveying the item and then digitizing the object into an electronic format. Barnett then prepares the article for long-term physical storage.
Mr. Barnett said that the goal for each item is, “to preserve the information as long as possible.”
The entire process of finding, surveying, cataloging, digitizing, and preserving must be completed for every item in the many rooms the information is housed.
Barnett’s work will allow this information to be made available to the general public.
Barnett said, “the desire of our department is to share the history of Troy with anyone interested in searching for it.”
Thousands of photographs ranging from the 1880s to present day, all Palladiums through 2012, alumni directories, history books and documents of our athletic history are now currently available to the general public with just a few simple clicks.
Novelty items such as official pictures of the university presidents, famous artwork by artists associated with Troy University, a 1940s alumni catalog from the state teacher’s college and Van English’s Beyond the Normal: Centennial History of Troy University from 1880-1896 are also available online.
“An interesting tool in this database is the ability to search for classmates in the Palladium by searching for keywords,” Barnett said, “a feature I think the Alumni will be very excited about.”
The university library archives department is working on publicizing the information that is currently available as well as finding ways to make new material accessible.
Barnett is trying to raise funds to help make more items available to the public, including past issues of the Tropolitan. Barnett said that Troy University’s online catalog will, “be the envy of the general public, an archive that a lot of people and universities will want to emulate.”
To see this information, go to www.archive.org/details/troyuniversityarchives.
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