The Yosemite Research Library holds more than 10,000 park-related books, maps and other park-related materials, including a collection of image negatives spanning from 1920 to 1950. The photographs, which include portraits of American Indians, images of wildlife and pictures of the park landscape, serve as key primary sources for cultural and natural history. The irreplaceable images are aging, degrading — and in high demand.

In 2018, with your support, Student Conservation Association interns gained experience in archival science, while working with library staff to document and digitize more than 6,500 historical images. The newly digitized photos were made publicly available on NPGallery, the National Park Service’s searchable online image gallery, enabling anyone with an internet connection to access images that capture moments and stories from Yosemite’s past.

Your gifts helped the park preserve and share photographic resources that illuminate pieces of Yosemite’s human and natural history.

Completed in partnership with Yosemite National Park and Student Conservation Association.

Paul Rogers

Archivist, Yosemite National Park

Project Notes

Park staff, researchers and the general public will benefit from the online accessibility of the digitized images. Anyone anywhere will be able to search, locate and download images directly from the web.