Toledo Library Receives 2020 OHRAB Achievement Award

Daily Dose  |  12/11/2020 9:00 am

The Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board (OHRAB) announced Toledo Lucas County Public Library (TLCPL) Local History Department won the 2020 OHRAB Achievement Award for its efforts to preserve and make accessible its Architectural Records Collections. The OHRAB Achievement Award recognizes significant accomplishments in preserving and improving access to historical records in any format by an Ohio archival institution.

A plaque will be sent to TLCPL's Local History Department and the OHRAB Committee will be present the award in a virtual presentation at a future date.

This award specifically recognizes the Architectural Records Collections at TLCPL which includes hundreds of thousands of architectural drawings in addition to large numbers of files and photographs to accompany the drawings. The Library has now surpassed processing the drawings for 200 buildings situated not only in Lucas County, but the entire region spanning across Ohio and Michigan. At least some portion of each one of those sets of 200 drawings is now also available online for researchers to access.

TLCPL's Supervisor of Digitization Services John Dewees said, “Preserving those documents and records that provide a view into a history is a worthy pursuit in its own right for any library, but what makes this collection so exciting is just how utilitarian it is. We have folks requesting copies of drawings on a monthly basis for historic home remodeling or when investigating a commercial property purchase. It’s wonderful to be able to help put Toledo’s wonderful historic buildings to productive use.”