Finding information about West Virginia is as close as your computer and as easy as   e-WV.

Ken Sullivan, executive director of W.Va. Humanities Council, and students from Horace Mann Middle School launched a new online reference resource for the Mountain State in ceremonies at the Culture Center on Sept. 13.

e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia, developed by the Humanities Council, is an interactive site showcasing West Virginia’s history, culture, and people. It is enhanced with audio and video, hundreds of illustrations, maps, time lines, and other features.

In keeping with Humanities Council’s mission of service,   e-WV is free and available to anyone with access to a computer and Internet connection.

“Big is the operative word,” said Sullivan, “There are more than 2,000 articles, thousands of points available in the interactive maps, and 10,000 keywords to drive the search process. There are more than 12,000 items in the master time line. This thing is big, and it will get bigger as West Virginians put it to work.”

It is the latest product of the West Virginia Encyclopedia project, which has been underway at the Humanities Council for more than a decade.

The project is best known for its one-volume West Virginia Encyclopedia, which became a regional bestseller after its publication on June 20, 2006.

Based on unique content delivered on a custom software platform, e-WV was developed by Information Research Corp. of Fairmont and Weston. The project received a $150,000 grant from Verizon and planning assistance from West Virginia Library Commission.

For information, visit the Humanities Council, 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston; call 346-8500; or visit www.wvencyclopedia.org. The web-site is hosted by WVNET of Morgantown.