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Web site to provide link to rare Franklin writings
Jan. 17 marks the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin -- statesman, inventor, diplomat, creator of wise sayings and the man whose mug graces the C-note.
To help celebrate the three-century mark, an Internet "portal" or search engine will debut Monday devoted to Franklin's writings. The Web site can be accessed at www.ben.clusty.com. The project was created by Pittsburgh-based software engineering company Vivisimo and is being supported by the National Science Foundation, Commonwealth Libraries, the Carnegie Science Center and the Sen. John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center.
"This portal will open access to some of the most fascinating works of Ben Franklin within the state library," says M. Clare Zales, Pennsylvania's deputy secretary for libraries. "It provides a wonderful opportunity for students of all ages to learn about this famous American."
The site will provide access to many of Franklin's writings, including his "Pennsylvania Gazette" newspaper, which contains a description of his "key and kite" experiment showing that lightning is static electricity. Many of Franklin's writings are held in the state library's rare book collection in Harrisburg.
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