Vongdeuane, Johnny 

Archives in News 

In this CNN news, this new 3D scan technology will help digitize 3D materials in the archive's collections. The archives have other materials besides paper records. Archivists must manage the digital collections, so it does not overshadow the physical collections. Archivists must create “indexes that refer to the contents of a physical collection, in the hope that they will entice researchers away from their computers to travel far and wide to see tangible artifacts. While the Internet boom has made information more accessible and widespread than ever, that very ubiquity also threatens records and artifacts that do not easily lend themselves to digitization — because of cost, but also because Web surfers and more devoted data hounds simply find it easier to go online than to travel far and wide to see tangible artifacts” (Hafner, 2007). 

There are many pros and cons about digitization. Traditional analog materials can last a long time if they are well preserved and rarely used, but archivists want the collections to be used. The handling of the records will eventually cause wear and tears over time. "Digitization would allow much broader access to the contents...without exposing the physical manuscripts to added handling" (Hafner, 2007). Physical records can be easily destroyed when the unexpected happens like war. Digital files will last longer and do not take up physical space in the archives’ storage. Having a digital archive will allow more accessibility worldwide. The “new generation of researchers prefers to seek information online” so “putting collections online, for both preservation and accessibility” will help preserve “history that are at risk of disappearing or being ignored in the digital age” (Hafner, 2007). 

Archivists understand the importance of digitization but the issues for archivists are due to staffing, time and most importantly funding. Most archives cannot digitize everything in their holdings. Larger archives with huge collections do not have the time and staffing to do this, even though they have larger staff because archivists have other duties, they are responsible for. Also, “technology and copyright complications are huge impediments” (Hafner, 2007). For a digitization project, a team might include the archivist, a metadata librarian, a preservation librarian, a subject specialist, a programmer, or systems librarian, and/or a cataloger. Due to the rapid advancement of technology, checking if the software is up to date is necessary. “Working with the IT department is crucial to ensure that researchers can use these materials today and tomorrow. Technical metadata to detail file formats, resolutions, color profiles, and other information identifying a file's type and characterizing its content, it becomes really challenging to provide access to these records. If files are migrated, it is strongly recommended that the original file format be preserved to allow verification of success or other conversion actions in the future” (Prof. Lawrimore). The problem for digitization is cost. “Archivists at the Library of Congress say. Plans to digitize The National Intelligencer, a newspaper published in Washington during much of the 19th century and filled with colonial script not easily recognized by digitizing equipment, eventually had to be put on hold because of the high expense” (Hafner, 2007). 

The archivists' goal is to preserve history and to share it with present and future generations. If digitization will help promote and bring in funding, archivists will do it. Also, funding is required before digitization can be accomplished. 

 

References 

CNN. (2022, February). See how 3D scans could save Ukraine's culture. https://www.cnn.com/videos/style/2022/05/10/backup-ukraine-heritage-sites-lon-orig-na.cnn 

Hafner, K. (2007, March 10). History, digitized (and abridged). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/10/business/yourmoney/11archive.html 

Prof. Lawrimore. (2023). INFO 256 lecture.