A MOUSE CLICK INTO HISTORY VALLEY PHOTOS, DOCUMENTS FEATURED ON CSUN WEB SITE.

Byline: Mariel Garza Staff Writer

California State University, Northridge, will unveil on Tuesday an online collection of more than 2,200 historical photos and documents about the San Fernando Valley - the first digital library devoted to the history of the region.

The San Fernando Valley History Digital Library, with documents dating to the late 18th century, is the result of a collaboration between CSUN and various local historical societies. The online archive will be the focus of a celebration starting at noon Tuesday at CSUN's Oviatt Library.

``The purpose really is to tell the story of the Valley,'' said Susan Curzon, dean of the Oviatt Library. ``I think Valley residents, students and researchers are all interested. The Valley is important. People are interested in the history.''

In addition to historical photos of the Valley during its agricultural heyday, the collection includes documents such as menus from restaurants, postcards, governmental documents, and bills of sale. The digital library can be accessed at digital-library.csun.edu.

The online collection is the start of what CSUN librarians and Valley historians hope will be a work in progress.

Curzon encouraged all Valley residents to browse the collection and add any information they think might be relevant, such as names of influential people or unidentified locations.

The creation of the digital library stems from a meeting of Valley historians and campus library staffers who wanted to consolidate the collections of the Valley's historical societies, said Tony Gardner, curator of special collections and archives for the Oviatt Library.

``We thought it would be good for them and good for us too if we could work something out together to increase the accessibility to the historical records of the San Fernando Valley,'' Gardner said. ``One idea that came out of the meeting was to create a digital library of material of all of our collection.''

Last year, the group received a $153,000 grant from the California State Library to complete the project. About 30 groups and individuals contributed materials to the online collection, including the Burbank Historical Society, Canoga-Owensmouth Historical Society, Chatsworth Historical Society and the Calabasas Historical Society.

``We wanted to do this because the San Fernando Valley took the hardest hit in the Northridge Earthquake and people are very anxious that it rebuild its sense of heritage,'' said Kevin Starr, California's state librarian and a noted historian.

Tuesday's celebration will begin with Assemblyman Keith Richman, R-Granada Hills, reading a joint resolution by the state Assembly and Senate declaring the day ``San Fernando Valley History Day.''

Other events include an agricultural exhibit from Pierce College in Woodland Hills and performances by Ballet Folklorico Aztlan de CSUN and the Bob van West Square Dance Group.

Later that day, Starr will speak in the Oviatt Library Presentation Room. His speech, ``Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters Had it Right Regarding the San Fernando Valley,'' is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Oviatt Library curator Tony Gardner poses by some of the San Fernando Valley documents that are now available online.

(2) CSUN's digital library features San Fernando Valley artifacts like this orange crate label.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer