The New Georgia Encyclopedia

Project Name and URL:

The New Georgia Encyclopedia located at http://www.newgeorgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Home.jsp

Organization Name:

This project is put on by Georgia Humanities Council, the University of Georgia, the University System of Georgia/GALILEO, and the Office of the Governor.

Description of what was Digitized:

The about NGE project page explains that the content of this digital repository is revolved around all aspects of Georgia in the format of documents and images. Some of its content subjects are people, places, events, historical themes, institutions and many others related to various topics.

Audience for the Project:

The audience of this project is the general public as well as scholars interested in anything related to Georgia and its rich history going back to colonial times.
Type of Project Background Information Available on Site:
The amount of background information is vast and the website does a good job of informing anyone interested virtually everything involved in putting this project together. The About NGE is equipped with its own subsections from the FAQ to Contributor Guidelines for those wishing to provide content to the NGE. The entire layout of the website is much more conducive to a positive experience with the site, more so than some of the other projects that provide an extensive project background.

How are the Digital Assets Presented:

The digital assets are presented through a basic 3 box search engine, selecting subject, a search term entered by the patron, and the search restriction the patron wishes to use. The content itself is neatly presented with authoritative information presented and a nice feature that highlights your original search term in the article. Some of the content proves to be in great detail allowing users to get what they would expect out of encyclopedia similar to Encarta or Britannica.

Metadata present:

The metadata contained in this project is less than other projects, but keep in mind that it is an encyclopedia. There is the main background information on the subject, followed by suggested readings and additional resources.

Additional Information:

There is a quick fact page on Georgia for basic background information on the state itself. The amount of content is large and it is not presented in a way that is going to feel overwhelming. It is concise yet informative enough to provide all the factual information one would need for a basic report. It also has on its main page sidebar a section dedicated to the encyclopedia’s most popular articles. It is an interesting addition to an already strong online encyclopedia that keeps the site well rounded and a fun page to visit and explore.