The Softalk Apple Project and FactMiners.org are very pleased to announce our partnership with the Internet Archive which will dramatically accelerate the digitization, preservation, and public access to an archival-quality digital collection of the full 48-issue run of the Apple edition of Softalk magazine. By dramatically collapsing the pre-research activity of creating the core/source digital archive at The Softalk Apple Project, we will be able to shift considerable resources and move up the schedule to concentrate on the applied R&D initiatives of FactMiners.org's museum informatics mission.

While The Softalk Apple Project is partnering with the Internet Archive as a Contributing Library, the Digitizing Sponsors – meaning the "financial partner" paying for the IA scanning center fees – are project founders, Jim Salmons and Timlynn Babitsky.

"Jim and I are funding this scanning project as one of our 'Pay It Forward' actions in celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary this Valentine's Day, and as a way to kick-off the second year of our post-cancer Bonus Rounds." said Timlynn Babitsky, co-founder and Head Archivist of The Softalk Apple Project, "We're going to turn this project into a super-'serious-fun' experience by taking the magazines to the Midwest Regional Scanning Center to document and participate in the actual scanning process. And we'll be doing this as a stop along our way to DPLAFest, the conclave of folks coming together to celebrate and envision the future of the Digital Public Library of America."

"The acceleration and quality improvements that will result from this partnership with the Internet Archive are certainly significant." said Jim Salmons, co-founder of both projects and tech lead of FactMiners.org, "However, the thing that excites me most is how this partnership clears the way for us to dig into the innovative applied museum informatics research and development agenda we are pursuing at FactMiners. I look forward to detailing our increased R&D activity in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, I know that Timlynn and I are going to have an incredibly fun time going to the Internet Archive Scanning Center to meet Jeff Sharpe and his staff, then on to DPLAFest. Considering what Timlynn and I have been through in these last few years, I am just so happy to even have a 25th wedding anniversary much less have a chance to be working with Timlynn on such exciting Citizen Science and History projects."

For Citizen Science/History projects with a similar need, we encourage you to visit the Internet Archive Scanning Services page, then contact Robert Miller, Global Director of Books and prepare to have a REALLY good technical and distribution partner that will help you achieve your wildest project dreams and then reach for more.

Happy-Healthy Vibes to All, and Happy-Healthy 25th Anniversary to Us (Jim & Timlynn) :D :D

P.S. We promise to "crank it up to 11" for the second year of our Bonus Round! Look out Reaper, not done yet!!!
J&T