LC Natl Digital Library Program Announces 2nd Release of George Washington Papers

[Tamara Swora <tswo@xxxxxxx>]

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 From: Library of Congress National Digital Library Program <ndlpcoll@xxxxxxx>

The Library of Congress National Digital Library Program, in conjunction with
the Library's Manuscript Division, announces the second web release of the
George Washington Papers, at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gwhtml

The first release in February 1998 included Series 2, forty-one letterbooks,
dating from 1774 through 1799.  This second release, also incorporating Series
2, includes Series 3, Varick Transcripts, Continental Army Papers, 1775-1783,
and Series 5, Financial Papers, 1750-1796.

Series 3, Varick Transcripts,  Continental Army Papers, 1775-1783, consists of
forty-four letterbooks relating to the American Revolution.  Originally
transcribed and organized under Washington's direction by Lieutenant Colonel
Richard Varick, Series 3 letterbooks are divided into the following
correspondence divisions:  Continental Congress; Continental and State
Military Personnel; Civic Officials and Citizens; Foreign Officers and
Subjects of Foreign Nations; Enemy Officers and British Subjects; Continental
Army Proceedings; General Orders; and Personal Correspondence.

Series 5, Financial Papers, 1750-1796, includes thirty-four volumes of
Washington's private and plantation accounts, and his public accounts related
to the Revolution and two presidential administrations.  Most of these
thirty-four volumes have not been published previously.  They reveal detailed
information on how Washington and his private, public, and military households
or "families" lived on a daily basis.

Series 2, 3, and 5 can be searched by keywords or phrases.  Extensive efforts
have been made to render this rich repository of historical material easily
accessible to the user.  Search output (up to 500 items) is sortable in
ascending or descending order.  The links generated by searches allow easy
navigation of original documents using the National Digital Library's
"page-turner" feature.  Page images can be viewed as screen-size JPEGs or in
larger grayscale formats.  Text transcriptions with explanatory footnotes are
available for many of the page images.  Online help and suggestions are
provided for those wishing to modify their search terms.

Series 2, 3 and 5 contain detailed information about the digitization of the
George Washington Papers, and about their provenance and publication history. 
Series 5, the Financial Papers, offers a guide accompanied by hyperlinks to
original documents and complete explanations for each.  There is also a very
comprehensive Washington bibliography, subdivided into General Biographies,
Books for Young Readers, Mount Vernon and Environs, The Colonial Period, The
American Revolution and The Early Republic.

In addition, this second release of the Washington Papers has two Special
Presentations, one a timeline covering Washington's life from his birth in
1731 to his death in 1799, and the other a set of three essays about the
George Washington Papers.  The timeline chronicles events in the Colonial era,
American Revolution, and in the period of the Early Republic, and contains
many pictures and links to Washington's letters.  Special Presentation essays
include a piece on Washington's letterbooks; "Creating the American Nation,"
detailing highlights from Series 2 Letterbooks; and  a note on the so-called
Fairfax Resolves, a resolution written by Washington and George  Mason in 1774
challenging the unconstitutional actions of the British government.  Teachers
and students interested in Washington's life and in the American Revolution
will likely find the timeline and the three essays a compelling path of access
towards understanding the materials in this extraordinary collection.

This second release of the George Washington Papers comprises approximately
23,000 additional images, bringing the total to date to 31,000 (about one
fifth of the eventual total).  The images are presented online as GIF images,
with 200-dpi grayscale JPEG images also available. A further release is
planned for January 1999.