Raleigh, NC – NC LIVE is proud to announce the addition of four new digital resources: three collections from Gale Archives Unbound: Introduction to US History and 330 ebook titles on North Carolina history from Arcadia Publishing. These four permanent collections with unlimited user access were made possible through funding from an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant. They offer critical learning resources on our national and state history in honor of the United States’ semiquincentennial.
“We are thrilled to provide resources that connect America’s foundational history with the heritage of our own North Carolina communities,” said Claire Leverett, Executive Director of NC LIVE. “These collections arrive at the perfect time to support America 250 programming and empower students and local history researchers across the state to engage with our past.”
Gale Archives Unbound: Introduction to US History is a three-part primary source collection that brings together more than 1,500 historical titles and over 250,000 pages of content in three modules: the American Revolution, Slavery in America, and the Civil War. Curated by leading historians, these collections provide students and researchers with direct access to essential documents, firsthand accounts, government records, speeches, letters, and contemporary publications that illuminate pivotal moments in U.S. history. These collections were selected for their relevance to high school and undergraduate student curriculum, historical significance and user-friendly digital formats that make primary sources accessible to everyone.
“Primary sources give us the opportunity to explore history through the voices and perspectives of those who lived it, helping to develop critical-thinking skills that are essential for navigating today’s world,” said Jason Shilt, Vice President of Sales, Cengage/Gale. “We are proud to partner with NC LIVE to expand access to Gale Archives Unbound: Introduction to US History, giving students, faculty, researchers, and patrons across North Carolina greater access to the firsthand accounts and historical evidence that bring the past to life. As communities commemorate America 250, we hope these collections encourage deeper exploration of our nation’s history, spark meaningful conversations, and inspire a lifelong curiosity about the people, events, and ideas that continue to shape our future.”
Additionally, NC LIVE will add 330 ebook titles from Arcadia Publishing to their HomeGrown Ebooks Collection. These titles have unlimited, simultaneous use, which means any library patron can access them instantly without a waitlist. These titles represent some of the most popular topics in local history from around North Carolina and span geographically from Building the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Outer Banks, stopping in many historic locales in between. In total, the collection features dedicated historical coverage for 130 unique cities, towns and regions across the state. These ebooks were chosen for their popularity and their applicability to local history research and educational programming for North Carolinian students. By capturing stories and photographs from a variety of locations across the state, this collection ensures that communities from every region can engage directly with their own local history.
“As someone who grew up in North Carolina, I am over the moon that Arcadia was able to help NC LIVE make this unique collection available to patrons statewide,” said Christen Thompson, Director of Digital Strategy, Arcadia Publishing. “In a state as geographically and culturally diverse as North Carolina, there will always be more history to learn and more stories to tell that illuminate the state as it is now and how it can be in the future. From the pictorial histories in our iconic Images of America series to the meticulous research by North Carolina historians, we are thrilled to bring North Carolina history to as many people as possible and applaud the work of NC LIVE as they seek to do just that.”
The addition of these resources to NC LIVE is part of the consortium’s ongoing effort to expand access to high-quality educational resources to users across the state. Through NC LIVE, all North Carolina residents, including higher education students and faculty, can seamlessly access these collections via NC LIVE or their library’s website.
“These are rich resources, filled with historical photographs of North Carolina people and places and records and documents important to the history of the United States,” said Michelle Underhill, Director of the Library of North Carolina, a Division of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “Now, they are freely available online to all North Carolinians through public and academic libraries through NC LIVE. With your library card, they can be accessed anywhere there is internet access.”
This grant is made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS260837-OLS-26).
About NC LIVE
Founded in 1997, NC LIVE is North Carolina’s statewide library cooperative, supporting over 200 public and academic libraries through a collaboration between the University of North Carolina System, NC Community College System, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, and all public libraries through the Library of North Carolina. NC LIVE provides all residents with 24/7 access to premium online resources that drive education, economic development, and quality of life. Its massive digital collection includes more than 1.8 billion full-text articles, ebooks, streaming videos, small business support and career-building tools.
About Cengage and Gale
Cengage, a global edtech company, supports learners, educators, patrons, and institutions across more than 100 countries. With products serving nearly 16 million digital users across the Higher Education, School, Work, Public Libraries and English Language Learning markets, we’ve built a learning ecosystem that connects education to employment. We combine trusted content, AI-powered insights and scalable digital platforms to power learning for every future and drive meaningful outcomes at every stage of the learning journey.
About Arcadia Publishing
For over 30 years, Arcadia Publishing has reconnected people to their community, their neighbors, and their past by offering a curbside view of hometown history. Composed in a unique pictorial format with over two hundred vintage images and accompanying captions, Arcadia books animate the cherished memories, people, places, and events that define a community.