Members of the media are invited to attend the launch of a new Memorial University interactive website showcasing more than 80,000 digital objects – ranging from audio and video files to historic maps and books – on Monday, Feb. 18.

The Digital Archives Initiative will allow researchers, scholars, students and the general public to view material – some of which are hundreds of years old and very delicate – housed in Memorial’s archives and library collections without visiting the university. The collection will be free and open to the public through the Internet site.

A ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. in the Commons, located on the main floor of Memorial’s Queen Elizabeth II Library on the St. John’s campus.

The event will be emceed by Lorraine Busby, university librarian at Memorial. Dr. Eddy Campbell, acting president, will provide remarks, as will Xavier Guyader, of Le Gaboteur, Newfoundland and Labrador’s only French language newspaper.

Media are invited to the launch.

For more information, contact Jeff Green, communications co-ordinator, Division of Marketing and Communications, Memorial University of Newfoundland, at 709-737-2142 or jeffg@mun.ca.