More than a Pretty Picture: Photograph & Digitization Management

Noraleen A. Young CAKeeping History – GSUSASeptember, 2009

Basics

First StepsIdentificationDescriptionArrangementStoragePreservation/ConservationUse

First Steps

Does it fit within the scope of your collection policy?

Where did it come from?Any information on the

container/envelope?Any issues – smell, mold, unwelcome

visitors?

Identification

FormatCabinet cardBlack/whiteColorPolaroid®SlideTransparenciesDigital

Identification

ContentFashion (date those uniforms)Hair stylesCars/buildings

Can you trust what you see?

Description

On the item itselfCataloging systemStandard information

TitleDateCreator/PhotographerDescriptionSize

Arrangement

By type -- print, slide, etc By date – straight chronologicallyBy topic – broad categoriesMix of all three

How do people use the collection?

Storage – hard copy

Economy Removed and into foldersBoxes/filing cabinets

1st ClassBasic identificationSleeve for each imagePlaced in folders and appropriate boxes

Storage – digital

Short term storageLong term storageMetadata

Use

CopyrightReproductionAccess

Preservation/Conservation

Special needs of photographsHandlingFormat identification

Digitization projects

Identify a collection Develop process – use best practices

Resolution Formats Storage Description Access

Scan Quality control

Digitization Projects

ResourcesColorado Digitization ProjectPhoto Sharing -- National

Archives/Library of Congress

Wrap Up

DetailsTime intensiveMany possible uses