Through a series of strategic initiatives and focused work, the Birmingham Public Library has digitized thousands of items and placed them online on their digital collections page. The site has two dozen different thematic collections, and visitors can browse them by material type (maps, newspapers, etc.) or just scroll down the alphabetically organized list. Amidst these unique collections, there are several that are worth special attention. The first is the archive of the Birmingham Iron Age, which was started in 1874 when the city was a mere 26 months old. Looking over its pages is a great way to get a sense of the pressing issues of the day and the development of this new industrial city. The next collection of special note is the "Buildings in Birmingham". Here visitor can make their way through 299 images that document the transformation of the city's built environment.