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Authorizing the Commissioner of Records and the Procurement Commissioner, on behalf of the City, to execute a multi-year concession agreement with Ancestry.com in connection with the digitizing, indexing, and public access and search of City of Philadelphia Department of Records vital records, all under provisions set forth in the concession agreement substantially as set forth in Exhibit A to this ordinance.
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THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. City Council of Philadelphia finds the following:
A. The City of Philadelphia Department of Records maintains stewardship of the City Archives, which houses one of the nation's most significant municipal genealogical collections comprising approximately 20 million historical records reflecting Philadelphia's rich heritage.
B. City Archives' genealogical collection represents among the most highly accessed materials in the collection and constitutes an invaluable resource for residents, researchers, and individuals worldwide seeking to trace their family histories and understand Philadelphia's role in American immigration and urban development.
C. The current accessibility of these historical records is limited primarily to in-person research with only limited digital availability through legacy computer systems, which restricts public access to these important historical documents.
D. Digitization of the entire genealogical collection would enhance public access, ensure long-term preservation of irreplaceable historical documents, and demonstrate Philadelphia's commitment to innovative public-private archive partnerships.
E. Following a competitive public bidding process, the City has determined that Ancestry.com possesses the technical expertise, organizational and online infrastructure, and proven track record necessary to safely digitize, index, and host the complete genealogical collection.
F. Ancestry.com has agreed to bear all cost...
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