IGA Magic Lantern Collection
Introduction
This virtual exhibit contains only a small representation of the magic
lantern slides in PANL’s holdings. In the meantime, PANL’s entire
collection of magic lantern slides is being inspected, cleaned and/or
repaired, described and scanned into digital format. Currently, there are
over 1300 magic lantern slide images in the scanned database, with
approximately 250 slides being selected for inclusion in this exhibit.
Choice of slides depended mostly on the selection of various themes to
represent the form and function of the IGA, the life of its leader Dr.
William Grenfell, and the land in which mission work was done. PANL
archivists chose nine themes to guide the selection process, covering these
three areas. The exhibit presents a series of images based on each theme,
and provides context for each image and theme with the aid of text about
the Labrador fishery, Magic Lantern slides in general, a time line of
important IGA dates, an administrative history of the IGA, an
organizational chart of various IGA bodies, and links to various relevant
web pages.
The creation of this IGA virtual exhibit occurs simultaneously with
other ongoing work with IGA-related material at the Provincial Archives of
Newfoundland and Labrador. Within the PANL Manuscript Section, the entire
collection of textual and cartographic records is now closed to
researchers and due in large part to a cooperative grant project with the
IGA, is being rearranged and redescribed. The collection will re-open in
Fall 2004 with a new, modern and searchable finding aid and tremendous
improvements to storage, access and description. Descriptive work in the
Government Records section of PANL has included work on the Grenfell
Inquiry fonds and the preparation of an index to IGA-related records
within Government record groups. These and other separate projects form
the basis of much of the supporting contextual IGA-related information
found in this virtual exhibit.
Until now, the magic lantern slides in this exhibit were previously
unavailable to the public. Viewing these slides was only possible by using
a rare magic lantern projector and many of the slides selected contained
little or no description. As part of the larger rearrangement and
redescription piece at work with the IGA collection and with the aid of
modern scanning and digitization technology, PANL staff can now make these
images available on-line in digital format. Scanning technology allows the
slides to be presented in a safe and secure manner, while the originals
are still protected in archival storage. PANL archivists have supplemented
and contributed to the original descriptions contained with each slide
whenever possible.
This virtual exhibit was made possible by a digitization grant from the
Canadian Council of Archives, during year II of the Canadian Archival
Information Network (CAIN) initiative. Many individuals contributed to the
exhibit and included: Shelley Smith, Jessie Chisholm, Jack Lanphear, Miki
Lee, Patti McGrath, Lisa Pottle, Elizabeth Fewer and Sandra Ronayne.
When the International Grenfell Association donated its records to the
Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador almost 20 years ago, it
gave unto PANL the responsibility of caring for these records and
making them available for posterity. It is hoped this new virtual exhibit
will show this work continuing, will provide a glimpse into the
fascinating and beautiful collection of IGA magic lantern slides at PANL
and will show a visual record of IGA history and activity on the coasts of
northern Newfoundland and Labrador.
Greg Walsh
Manuscript Archivist
PANL
30 October, 2003
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