A digital collection of World War II love letters is now available through the Nashville Public Library. The collection includes more than 200 letters written between 1942 and 1945 by William Raymond Whittaker and Jane Dean, who had strong ties to Nashville through education and work. The letters were found in a family home and donated in 2016 to the Metro Nashville Archives, which now manages the materials. The correspondence shows how the couple began their relationship at Meharry Medical College and continued to communicate after military service separated them. Archivists state that the collection helps preserve personal history from a major global conflict and offers insight into daily life during wartime America, including the effects of segregation and military service.

The digital exhibit explains how archivists carefully organized, scanned, and described each letter to make the collection accessible while protecting the original documents. Staff members report that modern digitization tools allowed the archive to present the materials without damaging fragile paper. The project also faced challenges, such as limited background information and the lack of living relatives, which required close study of the letters themselves. Library officials note that online access allows students, educators, and researchers around the world to explore the collection and better understand social history during the 1940s.