LDND InfoCenter

Scanning Projects

Yearbook Scanning Project

Visit this libguide for additional information.

Jessi Bennett, Digital Collections Specialist, can be reached at 804-692-3793 or jessica.bennett@lva.virginia.gov.


Yearbook Digitization Project

The Yearbook Digitization Project from LVA’s Library Development and Networking Division allows people to browse yearbooks online from high schools across Virginia. Funded by the Library Services and Technology Act, the collection currently includes yearbooks dating from 1912 to 1977.

The idea for the project began in 2012 after the Division loaned scanners and other equipment to Virginia public libraries for digitizing their local history collections. Library staff members noticed that high school yearbooks made up the bulk of the scanning, but the libraries didn’t have a good way to make them available to the public—thus, an idea was born.

Since then LVA has coordinated the scanning of yearbooks from  public libraries and made them available online through the Library of Virginia (see the above libguide).  While most of the digitized yearbooks came from public library collections, some were donated or loaned for scanning by school alumni groups, historical societies, and individuals.

Here is a sample outcome:

This site is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is managed by the The Library of Virginia Library Development and Networking Division.