Tony Hillerman Portal Preview Event in Zimmerman Library

On Friday, June 14th at 5:30 pm University Libraries will host a preview event for the Tony Hillerman Portal ­– ehillerman.unm.edu – in the Willard Room in Zimmerman Library. The demonstration of the portal will be followed by a reception. The event is free and open to all.

 

In 2005, Tony Hillerman donated his manuscripts, papers and notes to Zimmerman Library. It was immediately clear that they represented a treasure trove of unique historical anecdotes and an insightful roadmap into his creative process. Given Tony's stature as an icon of New Mexican culture, combined with the exhaustive nature of his collection of papers, it is clear that there existed an amazing opportunity to make them available for research, education and public enjoyment.

Recent advances in interactive technology offer exciting ways that we can make Tony's papers available electronically. Using hyperlinked text, digital images, audio and video, making his work come alive in ways never before thought possible. Users of this resource will be able to:

• Read Tony's manuscripts online, and view them in his own handwriting
• Learn about Tony's life and career
• View interviews with Tony, and experience New Mexico and the Southwest through his eyes
• See Tony's notes and idea books, and learn how he worked and developed his literary ideas
• Learn about New Mexico life, history and culture

His entire collection will be available to Hillerman enthusiasts, students and scholars world-wide through a unique website. The project goals are to: 

• Digitize Tony's manuscripts, papers, and idea notebooks (digitization alone will ensure the long term preservation of Tony's work)
• Collect and digitize photos, videos and documents about Tony's life and career
• Create electronic links in the digital manuscripts to references Tony made to New Mexico people, events and places.
• Design and build a web portal where internet users can go to view Tony's manuscripts and historical information about his life.

This is the first phase of the three-year project.This project will help further education in the Humanities, provide researchers an extensive new resource with which to investigate Tony Hillerman’s life and works, and help secure his legacy for future generations.