Abstract
Each of the participating libraries--especially their special collections and archives departments--are contributing materials from their collections to this Project. Some of these are local history books and booklets, advertising materials from the Florida Boom, Civil War letters, and other materials that each add to some understanding of Florida's history. Many of these materials are regional or local in scope. This is because as the state universities evolved, a number of them specialized in local and regional history. For example, the University of West Florida has strong collections concerning the West Florida region while the University of South Florida has resources on the Tampa area. In addition, all of the libraries have Floridiana collections so collections will include local as well as statewide research materials. It is important that researchers should also understand that much of Florida's history is that of an emigrant state--people moving to Florida from other states of the Union, especially retirees--and bringing with them family records and papers. For that reason, it is imperative that researchers not only utilize the Florida Heritage Project digitized materials, but also contact individual libraries for further information. Florida's claim to Spanish treasure fades in significance to the historical treasures awaiting in its many archives and libraries!
