We’ve shared a lot of community stories exemplifying how the repository can bring new life to old works, but one Digital Commons customer recently discovered another benefit of digitizing archival collections. Last month, the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Library published a blog on the Legal Information Preservation Alliance’s website about their experience digitizing a number of historical legal documents.
Richard Vaughan, Acquisitions and Serials Control Librarian, wrote:
“In addition to making these documents available online for the first time, the process has provided us with an opportunity to improve the organization and conservation of the original materials. As each item goes through the digitization process, we clean the item, remove old staples, repair any damage to it that is repairable, and insure that the item is being stored in an appropriate conservation quality container. At the same time we consider whether the item needs to be transferred to a more appropriate location in our collection or if changes or additions are needed in its cataloging.”
Vaughan is confident that the impact of the historical works will be much greater now that they’re online, and is very pleased with the additional benefits the digitization process produced.
“…the originals are in better shape than they were before the project started and will be handled less – all ensuring these important documents will live a longer life.”
For more information about using Digital Commons to showcase and preserve historical collections, contact our Consulting Services team at support@dc.bepress.com.
A historic document from Indiana University Maurer School of Law Digital Commons