Thanks to everyone who has written me with suggestions on how to get things digitized.  Unfortunately, most of them involve getting volunteers to donate time, money, or goods.  I love my fellow Charlotte Countians, however, most exhibit a great apathy towards all things involving history and preservation.  Even our local chapter of the APVA (one of the richest in the state) won't contribute any funds towards rebinding.  Our Clerk is very aware of his responsibility towards the original documents, and he and the ladies who work with him try very hard to maintain the integrity of the records while allowing the public access.  People who live in large urban areas often don't understand that in a small (12,000 people and no traffic lights), rural, economically stressed county, that doesn't yet have high-speed internet, making records available on-line is very low priority, 21st century or not.  And there are counties like this all over the country.

Digitizing all the records and making them available on the internet would be a wonderful thing but it is just not feasible now.  LVA has many of our records on microfilm, perhaps they can make the images available on-line.  What say you, Brent, is such a thing in the works? 

Kathy

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