On-line Research Tools

Alaska’s Digital Archives (VILDA):
Alaska’s Digital Archives presents a wealth of historical photographs, albums, oral histories, moving images, maps, documents, physical objects, and other materials from libraries, museums and archives throughout our state.

Oral History Collection, University of Alaska Fairbanks:
The Oral History Program was established in 1981 to collect, preserve, and provide access to audio and video recordings that provide insight into Alaska’s history and the people who have contributed to its heritage. The UAF Oral History Collection consists of over 11,000 recordings, most of which were donated by organizations and individual interviewers who collected them over the years.

Project Jukebox:
Project Jukebox is the digital branch of the Oral History Program and provides synchronized and interactive access to audio and video recordings, transcripts, maps, historic photographs and films from across Alaska. Visitors to the website can listen to hundreds of interviews with those who have lived Alaska’s rich history.

Alaska Film Archives, University of Alaska Fairbanks:
Through three decades of collecting, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has built the largest collection of archival films in and about Alaska, with particular strength for the pre-statehood era. The current collection of films and videos combines hundreds of individual donations to UAF with films collected earlier by the Alaska State Library.

Alaska/Polar Periodicals Index, University of Alaska Fairbanks:
The Alaska & Polar Regions Index cites articles concerning Alaska, northern Canada, northern Scandinavia, the Russian Far East, and Antarctica that are held by the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  More than 200,000 articles are covered, with 5,000 added each year; most articles are not in any other index. This index is now integrated with the Library’s on-line catalog (http://catalog.library.uaf.edu).

Historical Alaska Newspapers:
Between 1991 and 1998, the Alaska Newspaper Project was a participant in the United States Newspaper Project, a collaborative program between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress, underway in all fifty states to locate, identify, preserve and provide researchers access to our nation’s newspapers.  The result is an amazing collection of Alaska’s historical newspapers on microfilm stored at the Alaska State Library in Juneau, Anchorage’s Z.J. Loussac Public Library, the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Consortium Library, and Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. A hardcopy guide to this collection also is available: “Alaska Newspapers on Microfilm, 1866-1998.” Compiled by Mary C. Nicholson, Coordinator, with the assistance of Mary Anne Slemmons, Alaska Newspaper Project, Alaska State Library. Published by University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Alaska State Library, 1998. On this site, you’ll find a growing archive of text searchable pre-1923 Alaskan newspapers.

Statewide Library Electronic Doorway (SLED):
SLED provides provides easy and equitable access to electronic information resources for, about, and by Alaskans. It was developed by the Alaska State Library and the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks. An advisory group of citizens and librarians choose sites of interest to Alaskans to include in the project.  Funding was provided by the federal government, the Institute of Museums and Library Services, the State of Alaska, and the Rasmuson Foundation.

Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS):
ARLIS provides universal access to natural and cultural resources information about Alaska. Its collections include: books and reports;  journals; federal, state, and agency documents; maps; conference proceedings; theses and dissertations; videos; CD’s, photographs, and educational material. ARLIS partners with the following federal and state agencies and libraries to provide access to their materials: National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and Alaska State Library.

Alaska State Archives:
The Alaska State Archives preserves State government records (1959-present) that document the work of State agencies (Office of the Governor, Department of Fish & Game, Department of Natural Resources, etc.), as well as the Alaska State Legislature. The State Archives also holds select District (1884-1912) and Territorial (1912-1959) government records, with the largest pre-1959 holdings consisting of District Court records (includes land records) and the papers of Alaska’s governors. Researchers can access records at the State Archives by searching their online catalog, digitized collections, and collection guides, contacting the State Archives, or visiting their facility in Juneau.

Alaska State Library, Historical Collections, Digitized Index Cards of Captain “Kinky” Bayers Collection:
Access to digitized versions of index cards from the Captain “Kinky” Bayers Collection in the following categories:
· Alaska Historical Files Cards (Bayers)
· General Marine Files (Bayers): Ships
· General Marine Files (Bayers): Topics
· Marine Wrecks (Bayers)
· Juneau History (Bayers): Subjects
· Juneau History (Bayers): People

Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association (AMIPA):
AMIPA is a private collection of endangered sound and moving image material about Alaska, Alaskans, and Alaska events of historical importance.

Yukon Archives Digital Library:
Yukon Archives acquires, preserves, and makes accessible to the public the valuable and irreplaceable documentary heritage of Yukon including its prehistory, First Nations cultures, mining and industry, environmental concerns, politics, etc.  The archives acquires original and unique archival records, of all types (text, photographs, sound recordings, etc.), from private individuals and businesses and from the Yukon government. The Yukon Archives Digital Library enhances access to the archives’ library collection by providing open and free access to digitized library titles, with an emphasis on unique Yukon content.

Library of Congress—Digital Collections:
The Library of Congress has made digitized versions of collection materials available online since 1994, concentrating on its most rare collections and those unavailable anywhere else. The library offers a gateway to a growing treasury of digitized photographs, newspapers, manuscripts, maps, sound recordings, motion pictures, and books, as well as “born digital” materials such as Web sites.