ASFD Moves to Protect Historic Furniture Industry Design Assets
Furniture World News Desk on
10/12/2016
The ASFD recently announced the digitalization of their print and video archives. “With a huge thank you to past ASFD president, Arto Szabo, who created and organized our print and video archives for many years, we have now taken the next step in their protection by digitizing them. Thirty-five years of ASFD historical archives are now available and searchable through our web site
www.asfd.com under the archive tab on the navigation bar.” Said John Conrad, ASFD’s Executive Director. Jason Phillips, current ASFD President, added: “It is with great excitement that we announce the archiving of the past 35 years of ASFD and Pinnacle Awards history. This is a landmark achievement by our organization and was spearheaded by our Executive Director, John Conrad. The archive includes clippings, articles, photos and videos of past and current industry design icons. For those of you with a little more gray hair, you may appreciate a trip down memory lane. Check it out on our website today!” This was accomplished through The North Carolina Digital Heritage Center, who works with cultural heritage institutions throughout North Carolina, helping them digitize and share history online. Lisa Gregory, Program Coordinator and Digital Projects Librarian said, “We are thrilled to partner with the ASFD to digitize and add materials from their rich archive to DigitalNC.org. This collection will be invaluable for researchers, and we look forward to seeing how it’s used.”
“It was no problem finding the best possible place to house the physical ASFD archives that we digitized. They are located right in our own back yard! The Bienenstock Furniture Library, the largest furniture specialty library in the world. They will give our archives the same exemplary care they give their entire fine collection of furniture and design specific volumes. Making them available for design students and designers who visit to view them and learn from them.” Added John Conrad. On Thursday, October 20th from 5 to 6pm Board members of both the Bienenstock Library and ASFD along with a representative from the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center and DigitalNC will take part in THE BIG FURNITURE DESIGN HANDOVER at the library located at 1009 North Main Street in High Point, North Carolina. Members of the press are cordially invited to this big event. For the first time in many years the complete physical archives will be on display.
The collection includes many print articles and interviews on the subjects of furniture design, home furnishings design and designers that are not available anywhere else.
More about ASFD: Founded in 1981, ASFD is an international, non-profit, professional organization dedicated to advancing, improving and supporting the profession of furniture design and its positive impact in the marketplace. Professional members specialize in the design of residential and contract furnishings and accessories. Membership includes both American and International professional designers, trade affiliates and associates, professors and furniture design students. Corporate members include suppliers of products and services to the industry and furniture manufacturing companies who wish to support the goals and objectives of ASFD. For more information, visit
www.asfd.com online.