Digital war memorials for the county

Devon County Council has been involved in the national launch of the Digital War Memorial.

The project, which has enabled public libraries to help community groups work with artists, was launched at the British Library by the Society of Chief Librarians and Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture and Digital Economy.

Across Devon, projects started with the rich and diverse materials held by Devon County Council libraries and archive services – photographs, newspapers, letters and other documents. Community groups then worked with artists to reflect on how the First World War resonates a century later.

The Hayridge Centre in Cullompton is among those to have taken part. It has been working in partnership with arts organisation Daisi to bring together members of the local community and artists to create their own unique response to the First World War Centenary.

Inspired by items from library and heritage collections and by items belonging to local people, children from local primary schools, Cullompton Community College, the library’s Get Into Reading group and community organisations, including the Walronds, took part in dance workshops, oral history recordings, creative writing and visual art. 

Devon Libraries will continue to host activities in libraries across the county over the next four years to commemorate the 1914 – 18 conflict. Recent initiatives include the production of First World War themed bookmarks with artwork by local residents at Ivybridge Library and storytelling at Okehampton Show as part of the BBC World War One at Home Event.Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for libraries, said: “It’s important to mark the Centenary of the First World War and the Digital War Memorial will provide a lasting commemoration. Our libraries are playing a crucial part in this inspiring and educational project which is bringing young and old together. For many, the project will create a better understanding of events of 100 years ago and the Memorial will benefit future generations.”

Ciara Eastell, Devon County Council’s Head of Libraries and President of the Society of Chief Librarians, said: “The Digital War Memorial is a special combination of three things – public libraries, their communities, and the arts.  Public libraries have enabled people to work alongside established artists and play an active part in the creative process. For many people this is the first time they will have had such an experience. As well as being rooted in their local communities, public libraries are connected across the country and, as this project shows, can work together to create a national response to major events.”

Local projects are being captured digitally and will form part of a national memorial that will continue to build until 2018. 

The Digital War Memorial is funded by The National Lottery supported Grants for the arts: Libraries fund through Arts Council England.

For more information visit www.digitalwarmemorial.com. The project has been incorporated into Historypin www.historypin.com in order to make it available to as many people as possible.