Evan Robb is the project manager for the Washington Rural Heritage project (WRH). WRH staff bring expertise in digitization to small and rural libraries, teaching them the elements of imaging, metadata creation and digital asset management.

The libraries often work with a community partner to digitize materials documenting the early culture, industry, and community life of Washington State. The State Library hosts the images for the local library and the collections are accessible to anyone with an Internet browser.

Kirsten Furl, Evan’s former colleague, had this to say about Evan: “Evan’s excellent work on the project is fueled by his passion for bringing incredible historic materials to light. He works tirelessly to ensure quality control, to inspire innovation within the project, and to motivate the librarians that we work with. He dearly loves his job, and the proof is in the excellent sites that WRH continues to produce.”

Jeff Martin, Manager for Library Development notes, “His management and leadership of the Washington Rural Heritage project has firmly established this project within the Washington library, historical society, and museum communities. More than 60 cultural institutions now participate in the project in 25 locations throughout the state. New libraries and other cultural institutions are added to the project each year.”

Evan possesses a unique combination of project leadership and technical skills. This allows him to work closely with the individual project managers and contributors within each local community and at the same time roll up his sleeves and digitize unique and fragile materials onsite to further support the community’s work.

Rand Simmons, State Librarian, observes, “When I’m out visiting libraries and ask about Washington Rural Heritage typically people respond, “Evan? He’s great!”

Evan exhibits a can do attitude which allows obstacles to be explored and then removed. He leads in this project inspiring in-house staff and local libraries alike to continue to move WRH forward.

Thanks, Evan, for motivating all of us to continue to do our best work.

Project web site: www.washingtonruralheritage.org.

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