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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2007
Contact:
, Austin Public Library, (512) 974-7528
Fax: (512) 974-7442
Austin Public Library Goes Interactive During SXSW Interactive Festival
with Austin’s First-Ever Multimedia History of the City of Austin
The groundbreaking ‘Austin Past and Present’ interactive documentary means free museums, movies, music and more all over town-The Austin Chronicle-March 1, 2007
 Beginning Friday, March 9, 2007 all Austin Public Library locations will have available the first-ever multimedia history of the City of Austin, Austin Past & Present. Over 300 public access computers at 22 locations across the city will have the Austin Past & Present interactive documentary available to customers of the library. Austin Past and Present is a comprehensive documentary that chronicles Austin’s past, via a computer presentation. Rich with historic photos, film, and audio recordings from over 160 other archival collections, including the Austin History Center, Austin Public Library it features 300 slide shows comprising 1600 images and accompanying stories. All of these stories and videos are accessible simply by clicking a computer mouse through a user-friendly interface that uses interactive timelines and maps to bring Austin’s history to life. Austin Past and Present is not a website, but a disc-based software application.
During the SXSW Interactive Festival March 9-13, the Austin Past & Present will be on display at the Austin Convention Center, and the DVD version of the project will be available to festival goers at the SXSW store. For home use the DVD sells for $24.95. Proceeds from sales support the Austin History Center Association in its mission to serve the Austin History Center. Funds generated by the project will help the Austin History Center to continue its mission of preserving Austin’s history for future generations. The DVD is currently available for sale at Book People Bookstore on 6th and Lamar and at the City store in the new City Hall. The two-disc set may also be ordered the web at www.austinpastandpresent.com.
Additionally, in the coming months the Austin Past and Present (APP) will be exhibited in kiosks at the Austin City Hall, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and the Austin Convention Center. The Austin History Center at 9th and Guadalupe Streets presently has the APP kiosk on display in the lobby. Additionally, students throughout the Austin Independent School District will learn new and fascinating things about their community while they use this project in combination with original curriculum that is aligned to state standards.
We invite all our SXSW guests and others to stop by any of our 22 library locations and click on the Austin Past & Present Icon displayed on the public access computers and experience Austin from its geologic formation to its current urban skyline and walk away with a little piece of Austin’s past and present. For additional information about Austin Past & Present visit www.austinpastandpresent.com or call the Austin Public Library at (512) 974-7400.
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