Established in 1844, Sunflower County takes its names from the Sunflower River that bends through it. Sunflower County sits in the middle of the Mississippi Delta, the distinctive northwest section of Mississippi. Its county seat, Indianola, is famously known for being where legendary blues musician B.B. King was raised. Managing much of the rich history of Sunflower County is the responsibility of the Chancery Clerk.
In 2016, Dr. Gloria McIntosh was elected Sunflower County Chancery Clerk. One of her top priorities was safeguarding the historical records housed in her office which include deeds and deeds of trust, Board of Supervisor minutes, claims dockets, military records and many more.
Preserving land records for eternity
While all historical records in a Chancery Clerk’s office are priceless, deeds and deeds of trust are largely considered the most valuable. As of 2016, all land records prior to 2001 existed in paper form only.
Dr. McIntosh elected to start the digitization process by scanning the most recent books from 2001. Milestone number one was converting all land records to a digital format to safeguard them from natural disasters and further wear and tear.
“There is no substitute for preparedness when it comes to permanent records.”
Land record scanning and indexing process
Revolution Data Systems was selected to perform scanning services in the spring of 2017. Our scanning specialist visited Sunflower County to provide a comprehensive assessment of the record collection. Working in lockstep with Dr. McIntosh, we developed a long-term plan to systematically digitize the collection over a set period to prevent financial stress in the office.
To begin the process, we set up a high-speed scanner onsite in Sunflower County’s record room. A document conversion specialist prepared each document by carefully removing them from their binders and removing staples, clips, and attachments. After the documents were prepped, they were scanned as 300 DPI grayscale images. Digital images were recorded to DVD-R media and delivered to Sunflower County Staff.
“As Chancery Clerk, I wanted to ensure that county records are preserved accurately. After taking office in 2016, the process of records preservation had begun. This was a task that I wanted to continue. Teaming up with Revolution Data Systems has been both rewarding and refreshing. I feel confident knowing that our county records are available and preserved.”
— Dr. Gloria McIntosh, Chancery Clerk
Using the digital images, our team fully indexed the records based on the criteria set forth by Sunflower County. To ensure the records were formatted correctly for import into their CRMS system, we consulted with Three River’s and Mississippi State University’s National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center (NSPARC).
Result
To date, we have digitized nearly fifty years of historical land records for Sunflower County. These records are now protected for eternity in a digital format. Over the course of the next few years, we will continue to scan and index land records until the project is completed giving Sunflower County full access its entire collection in one place.
Have a project in mind? Get in touch by calling 985-888-0091 or filling out the form below.
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