The American Legion Digital Archive – a research tool allowing access to a host of Legion materials and publications – has been released for general use after more than a year of development.

According to Library and Museum Director Howard Trace, the archive “will allow the library to organize, share and curate digital assets.” Library staff worked to customize the DSpace digital-repository software program, which is used by the Library of Congress and other big-name institutions, for the Legion’s needs.

At the moment, the Digital Archive (located at www.archive.legion.org) provides full-text access to numerous Legion materials, including:

• Resolutions from 2000-present; over 800 in all, and approximately one-quarter of all active resolutions
• National Meeting Digests from the past five years
• Issues of The American Legion Dispatch from the past four years
• Legion press releases from the past four years
• Brochures, pamphlets and special reports from 1998-2011 from the following six American Legion divisions:

1. Americansim
2. Children & Youth
3. Economic
4. Membership & Internal Affairs
5. Public Relations
6. Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation

• Annual Report to Congress from 1995, 1998 and 2011
• Issues of The American Legion Online Update from the past three years
• Issues of The American Legion Riders Update from the past three years
• Issues of National Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission Bulletin from the past four years

The archive is a work in progress. Within the next year, and as time goes on, it will be populated with more Legion materials that are both newly created, older and historical. The ultimate goal is to get all Legion materials into the Digital Archive, as far as possible, going back to 1919. These materials can be used by Legionnaires to give background and context to local initiatives; as templates for getting programs or events off the ground; or simply appreciated as a living space in which to learn through the documents that put Legion ideals into practice. As the Legion Centennial in 2019 approaches, the archive can be a valuable tool.

A help section is located at http://www.archive.legion.org/help. For questions or more information, contact Digital Archive administrator Linna Agne, at (317) 630-1367 or lagne@legion.org.

The American Legion Digital Archive: www.archive.legion.org