Director Aaron S. Williams is pleased to announce the launch of Peace Corps’ Digital Library – a searchable collection of electronic Peace Corps materials from 1961 to the present – and invites current and returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs) to share their unique service experiences through firsthand narratives and personal photos.
As the Peace Corps approaches its 50th anniversary in 2011, the Digital Library is a living collection that represents the agency’s legacy of public service. Since 1961, nearly 200,000 Americans have served with the Peace Corps to promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of 139 host countries. The digital library can be accessed at http://collection.peacecorps.gov.
“The Peace Corps has always been an agency rooted in shared experiences – the volunteers share their perspective and expertise while our host-country communities share their languages, friendship and culture,” said Director Williams. “This unique collection will educate and inspire the next generation of volunteers. I look forward to watching the collection grow in scope and depth as the nearly 200,000 Americans who have served with the Peace Corps share their photos and stories.”
Current volunteers and RPCVs can contribute up to five photos and one story to the Digital Library via online submission forms. The Digital Library is searchable through several built-in features. Visitors can either browse the Digital Library’s individual collections or search by keyword, the host country name, or a specific period of time. The individual collections include press briefings; congressional reports and legislation; posters and graphics; speeches essays and letters; newsletters; volunteer stories; volunteer photos; brochures; and agency photos.
Archive for December, 2009
Peace Corps Launches Digital Library
Breaking News: Congress Prepares to Approve $400 Million for Peace Corps
The United States Congress is beginning final action on Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations. According to Congressman Sam Farr, speaking tonight at an event in Washington to celebrate the Peace Corps, negotiations on the State/Foreign Operations appropriations bill have closed. Congressman Farr says the final bill contains $400 million for the Peace Corps.
“This wonderful news represents a tremendous and historic investment for a bigger, better and bolder Peace Corps”, said National Peace Corps Association President Kevin Quigley. “Our congratulations to the many lawmakers on Capitol Hill who championed this cause, and also to the thousands of members of the Peace Corps community who took action over the past two years. As we prepare to continue future advocacy to improve, embolden and expand the Peace Corps, we applaud everyone who helped secure this initial victory. You really made a huge difference.”
Guyana shout-out on “A Day in the Internet” poster.
Not really news, but I thought it was neat 
Created by OnlineEducation.net
Guyana rainforest diversity…threatened.
On a trip to collect information on the giant river otter, an endangered species, a group of researchers ended up in Rewa Head. “In just six weeks the expedition recorded an astounding variety of life: 158 species of birds, 22 species of medium to large mammals, and half of Guyana’s known endangered species.”
They also found that “this pristine wilderness—still free from the impacts of the modern world—may not remain so for long. Both a massive logging concession and an even larger oil drilling concession overlap the wilderness.”
Read more about this topic at: http://news.mongabay.com/2009/1129-hance_pickles.html
and more about U.S. timber firm Simon & Shock International’s involvement with Guyana here: http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0221-guyana.html
