The Departed: One Library’s Innovative Cemetery Project

For quite some time, public libraries across the country have dealt with having to answer the same overused question: What does the future of public libraries look like in a technology savvy 21st century? Well, to be honest, the future looks bright. Libraries are not only educational institutions that offer a plethora of books, programs, magazines, and databases at no cost; they are a commons, a safe haven “and they are dynamic, versatile community centers”[1] where patrons feel comfortable experiencing everything libraries offer. Technology in libraries is at the cusp of a technological revolution available to the public that is sweeping across the world. So what can public libraries do with such advanced technology? One library decided it would inventory and map out every single grave at a local historic cemetery situated in downtown Pharr, Texas. Pharr is a border town that sits only eight miles north of the Rio Grande.