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Amplifying Access:
SOHO Expands its Free Online Library of Publications
May/June 2024
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Guiding SOHO's philosophy of raising awareness through education is our practice of sharing information widely and freely. We believe that the more people are educated about historic preservation and our cultural heritage, the better they understand their importance and value. This commitment aligns with our dedication to accessibility, as in other areas, such as keeping our membership dues low and by offering our programs and events for free, by donation, or at a low cost to ensure broad access and participation. One exception is ticketing for our annual People In Preservation awards ceremony, due to rising catering expenses.
Since SOHO's inception in 1969, a chief goal of our mission has been to educate and raise public awareness. Initially, knowledgeable architectural historians and passionate old house enthusiasts shared the fascinating stories behind hundreds of San Diego buildings and numerous historic neighborhoods. Then came more than 50 years of historic home tours, exhibitions, and publications.
SOHO issued its first home tour publication in 1970, within a year of its founding. Since then, we have published dozens more tour and workshop booklets. We offer all these booklets online as downloadable PDFs.
Now, in celebration of both National Preservation Month and SOHO's 55th year, we are taking another significant step by making all our published materials available online for free. In the coming year, we will expand our free offerings to include all our books too, even those still in print. For anyone who wants hard copies of the booklets, these remain for sale in our shops.
The initiative to digitize as much of SOHO's legacy and know-how in educational publications reflects the long-time goal and efforts of our education and communications director, Alana Coons. Over the last two decades, Alana has spearheaded the growth of the organization's publishing endeavors, made possible with the support of a stellar communications team. With a consistent emphasis on substantive content, factual accuracy, and aesthetic appeal, the publications now preserved and accessible via more than 5,800 web pages attest to our ongoing fulfillment of SOHO's education mission.
This online library embodies the vast and invaluable information that SOHO has produced and preserved, while also mirroring the dedication of our communications team. Their knowledge and energetic professionalism have played a significant role in solidifying SOHO's reputation as the foremost authority on architecture history in San Diego. We recognize Alana Coons, Sandé Lollis, Dean Glass, Ann Jarmusch, and Robin Lakin for their exceptional devotion to producing a wealth of valuable and thoughtful articles and publications.
Underscoring SOHO's commitment to accessibility and inclusivity in this digitization project is providing translation services for all our online materials, ensuring accessibility in over 50 languages with just a click.
While we are enthusiastic about sharing our resources, we expect appropriate acknowledgment when our materials are used—particularly where there may be commercial gain or use for others' increased social media visibility. For commercial purposes, such as reproduction of our photographs or ephemera, standard fees apply, consistent with industry norms and practices. We appreciate your understanding and respect for these guidelines.
See all our tour and exhibition booklets available online.
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