by Evelyn Bailey
The official launch was Tuesday, Nov. 15 – the University of Rochester has uploaded, indexed and completed the necessary links – Empty Closet newspapers from January, 1971 through April, 2010 will be accessible through U of R server for online search engines to access!
In April, 2010 the Gay Alliance, in partnership with the University of Rochester’s Rare Books and Manuscript department, moved forward on digitizing The Empty Closet for research purposes and to preserve this primary source for Rochester LGBT history. Richard Peek, Director of the Rare Books and Manuscript Department offered to have the University pay for the microfilming. Shoulders To Stand On raised the remainder of the funds for digitization.
This project began in 2007 with Michael Robertson writing a grant for the microfilming and digitization of The Empty Closet. The grant was submitted to the Rochester Area Community Foundation, but was not approved. For the next four years many more grants were written to no avail.
Finally in February of 2010, Richard Peek, Director of the Rare Books and Manuscript Department at the University of Rochester offered to have the University fund the microfilming. Shoulders To Stand On raised the funds to digitize. The goal of making The Empty Closet past issues available for research and reading by the people all over the world which began four years ago is now a reality.
A very special thanks goes to Melissa Mead, Director, Digital Projects Research Center at University of Rochester for her persistent steady progress in making this happen. Special thanks also to Richard Peek and those who contributed financially to the digitization of the EC: John Dash, Michael Robertson, Jay Baker, Tim Mains, Toni Mascioli, Ron Pawalczak, Bill Kelly/Rick Easterly, Jeff Markarian, Mary McCrank and Mark Siwiec.
This is an accomplishment which gives the Rochester lgbt community a reason to be PROUD. The Empty Closet is primary source material for the history of our community. The Empty Closet provides the most complete and thorough record of the gay liberation movement in Rochester, NY. Placing the past 40 years of Empty Closet issues on-line is a major step in securing our place in the history of Rochester, Upstate New York, the State of New York and the Nation. Enjoy reading and researching YOUR history.
See the YNN website for an article on EC digitization!