See how three institutions use their digital collections to expand access, engagement and community connection
Join Palos Verdes Library District, St. Louis County Library and Denver Public Library for a free webinar exploring three very different ways archival collections can support community discovery, real-world research and new digital services.
Online webinar Date & Time
Thursday, October 8, 2026 · 4:00 p.m. EDT
About the webinar
Digital archives do more than preserve the past.
They can help communities discover and contribute to local history, connect people with records they urgently need, and create new ways for researchers and the public to access collection materials.
In this session, you’ll hear directly from three US public library archives using Recollect in very different ways.
Palos Verdes Library District will share how a small archival team manages local-history collections and creates opportunities for community discovery and participation.
St. Louis County Library will discuss how its digital archive is helping community members locate historical records that may support claims under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA).
And Denver Public Library will show how it uses Recollect’s Shopping Cart functionality to offer a self-service archival reproduction workflow that improves access, reduces manual staff effort and generates revenue.
Each customer will share a short look at their project and experience before joining a moderated panel discussion and audience Q&A.
Whether you’re looking to improve access, reduce manual workflows or get more value from the collections you already manage, you’ll leave with practical ideas you can apply to your own archive.
What you’ll learn
How digital archives can become active, useful services for the communities they support
Practical ways to make local-history collections easier to manage, discover and contribute to
How archival records can support real-world community needs, including research for potential RECA claims
How self-service workflows can improve access while reducing manual effort for archival teams
How digital collections can support community engagement, new services and even revenue generation
Meet the libraries
Palos Verdes Library District, California
Palos Verdes Library District’s Local History Center preserves and shares the history of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, with much of the archival work managed by a small team.
Using Recollect, the library has brought local-history material together in one accessible digital archive and created more opportunities for the community to explore and contribute to its history.
“The sky’s the limit when you are thinking about Recollect because there are so many different ways to do and manage things.”
- Monique Leahey Sugimoto, Archivist & Adult Services Librarian
St. Louis County Library, Missouri
St. Louis County Library’s History & Genealogy Department provides online access to historical and genealogical records documenting the St. Louis region.
Following the expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), the library is helping community members locate records that may support compensation claims — a practical example of digital archives serving an immediate community need.
Denver Public Library, Colorado
Denver Public Library manages a major digital archive spanning photographs, artwork, oral histories and other historical material.
Using Recollect’s Shopping Cart functionality, researchers can find and purchase reproductions through a self-service workflow that improves access, reduces manual staff effort and supports revenue generation.
