A selection of the original glass plate negatives from our World War I holdings , on display as part of the “Over There” exhibit (used with permission of the Provincial Archives)

Digital images on display in “Over There” (used with permission of the Provincial Archives)

In our efforts to preserve the Daughters’ legacy for years to come, we have worked with a number of specialists in art, book, and paper conservation. In addition, we have worked with experts in digital technology to make high-quality reproductions of archival materials. Digital copies allow us to reduce wear and tear on fragile originals and facilitate online access over the web and social media. In addition, digital technology can make obsolete formats once again accessible to scholars and the public. Such is the case with the images now on display as part of our exhibit, “Over There:” The Daughters of Charity’s Service in the First World War. The collections of the former St. Louis Province include a set of approximately 100 glass plate negatives depicting the Sisters’ World War I service. These negatives included images of the Sisters, the lay nurses who served with them, the hospital where they served, and the fighting along the Italian Front. Because of their format they could be not be studied, and had never been exhibited. They were digitized in 2009 by Digital Preservation, of St. Louis. With Over There, the World War I images are on display for the first time. Digital images were used to create all the photos used in both the physical exhibit and the companion video. Digital technology will play an important role in future preservation efforts.

Over There will be on display through October 30.
Exhibit hours for Sisters, Associates, and volunteers on the Emmitsburg Campus: Monday-Friday, 8AM to 4:30PM
Exhibit hours for the general public: Wednesdays, 10AM to 4PM.
All exhibits are free of charge.

The Over There video may be viewed online using the links below.
Part 1:
Part 2