My Final Photo Collection Donated

The following is a summary of a Columbus Dispatch story about my donation to the Westerville History Museum at the library.

Retired Photojournalist Donates 2 Million Images to Westerville Library

Westerville, Ohio – Gary Gardiner, an 81-year-old retired Associated Press photographer, has donated about two million photos to the Westerville Public Library. The images, part of his 20-year “My Final Photo” project, chronicle daily life, events, and growth in Westerville since 2004.

Now housed at the Westerville History Museum, the donation also includes Gardiner’s journals, digital camera, and articles from his local news site, Westerville News. The library calls it its largest gift since acquiring the Anti-Saloon League archives.

Gardiner, who began the project after retiring and surviving a near crash, said it became a way to “make more, better, and different photos” of the city he lives in. He will assist the museum in organizing the collection with full contextual data.

Direct link to the Dispatch story. Requires a subscription.
Readable version at archive.today
Museum’s news release

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