Digital libraries: Digital archive of World War II first-hand stories mounted in Canada

More than 700 Second World War veterans across Canada participated in “The Memory Project: Stories of the Second World War”, a growing digital archive of veterans’ personal stories and memorabilia.

“Each page is like a memorial to these veterans, even though they’re still with us,” says project manager Jenna Zuschlag Misener. “It’s a testament to their experience.” Once the veterans pass away, she says, their living memories go with them. “So we’re really trying to create a legacy for future generations.”

The project, run by the Historica-Dominion Institute and funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage, hosts “digitization events” across the country, giving every living Second World War veteran the chance to share their personal experience of the war.

The project’s staff record audio, scan love letters and photos and take pictures of personal artifacts to upload to a digital memory bank, which is used as a resource for students, teachers and Canadian history buffs.

The personal accounts can be browsed by name, place of deployment or a specific battle.