QQA uses DAH Grant to Digitize Newsletter Archives
In 2020, the QQA won a grant from the Arkansas Heritage, a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, to digitally archive back issues of The QQA Chronicle. After it started publication in 1970, The QQA Chronicle was more like a neighborhood newspaper focused on historic preservation than a historic preservation publication.
The Chronicle not only included stories about houses in historic districts, renovations, and other preservation-related issues but also information about local events, highlights of neighborhood goings-on, advertisements, and QQA information. Until the late 1990s, the publication continued as a four to eight page tabloid and employed a full staff of volunteer and paid writers, editors, and photographers.
In 2006, The QQA Chronicle switched to a digital newsletter format. Until now, the only way to see old issues of the Chronicle was to come to the office and dig through the files.
The Arkansas Heritage grant allowed the QQA to afford digitization services from Advantage Archives, who scanned all the back issues we have on hand and created a searchable website that allows our members and the community to search the Chronicle using keywords. Users can also download articles and images from the archive directly.
"We are excited to share this amazing resource and appreciate the support of Arkansas Heritage to make this a reality," said Patricia Blick, QQA Executive Director.