Secretary of State Alex Padilla has announced that the California State Archives, a division of the Secretary of State’s office, has launched a new Facebook page to showcase California history.

The page is intended to be an educational resource for students and people interested in the state’s history. It is the latest effort to digitize materials from the State Archives and make them available online.

“For 166 years, the State Archives has worked to preserve and provide access to the history of California,” Padilla said.

“Launching this Facebook page will further the Archives’ mission and provide yet another platform to tell the story of California. Like the page for a look at rare photos, original documents, correspondence and other artifacts that illustrate the vibrant history of the Golden State.”

Last month, Padilla announced a new partnership for the State Archives to digitize exhibits for inclusion at the Google Cultural Institute. The first three exhibits highlight the history of California state parks and the California Secretary of State’s office, and showcase campaign materials created by the nation’s first political consulting firm, Campaigns Inc.

In April, nearly 4,000 digitized California trademark images and applications filed with the Secretary of State between 1861 and 1900 were made available for viewing online. The images and documents were the largest digital collection ever assembled by the State Archives.

“Facebook provides another important digital platform to share some of the unique pieces of California history contained in the State Archives’ collections,” said Tamara Martin, managing archivist for public programs. “We are excited to provide the public a new way to view treasures from the State Archives that tell California’s story.”

For information, visit www.facebook.com/CaliforniaArchives.