Hesburgh Portal launches
MILESTONE 54 — In January 2018, the University of Notre Dame Archives and the Hesburgh Libraries, with support from the Offices of the President, Mission Engagement and Church Affairs and Information Technologies, launched a digital research portal dedicated to the life and work of former University President Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C.
The Hesburgh Portal organized and assembled a selection of items from the University Archives, including a portion of writings and images from throughout Fr. Hesburgh’s life, making them readily accessible to researchers and members of the public. At the time of its launch, the portal featured transcriptions of more than 140 of Fr. Hesburgh’s speeches, as well as his annotations.
“We are pleased that this portal allows scholars, historians and others from across the globe to access Father Hesburgh’s writings and works,” University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., said when the project launched. “We are proud to be able to share his legacy with the world, and we know his life’s work will continue to have an impact on higher education and on all who work for peace and justice.”
The website organizes Fr. Hesburgh's life into a biographical interactive storyline broken up into six chapters: The Early Years, Life as a Holy Cross Priest, Dedication to Students, Administration, Academic Leadership, and Civil Rights for All. Each chapter allows users to learn about Fr. Hesburgh through photos, media, oral histories and more than 30 stories.
“This project exemplifies ways in which the Hesburgh Libraries and University Archives are emerging as research partners in the digital age,” former Edward H. Arnold University Librarian Diane Parr Walker said at the time of the portal launch. “Our combined expertise ensures that Father Hesburgh’s legacy and research collections are preserved, organized, discoverable and globally accessible to scholars and anyone interested in learning more about Father Ted.”
The Hesburgh Portal not only made information about the former University president more accessible, but it was also at the forefront of several new digital projects, marking a shift toward increased digital access for the Hesburgh Libraries and University Archives.
While print and analog items will always be vital to teaching and research, open and online access to digital collections transforms how scholars and the general public can engage with rare and unique materials.
Although this project provides an expansive storyline of his life, these materials represent only a fraction of Fr. Hesburgh's rich collection housed in the University Archives. The finding aid for the Father Theodore M. Hesburgh Papers is available on the University Archives website.
