Question: It has fallen upon me to start the archives at my church, school, civic organization, etc. How do I preserve and provide online access to important historic material ?
Answer: There are some great resources on “archiving for non-archivists” and Digitization
I. Online
- A Manual of Basic Archival Practices is published by the NC SHRAB (State Historical Records Advisory Board), 2006. Search online to find current version.
- INSURING THE FUTURE OF OUR PAST: A Brief Guide to Selecting or Starting an Archival Program by Boyd D. Cathey. Raleigh, NC: The State Historical Records Advisory Board of North Carolina, 2003, 3rd. edition. Search online. Note: This is an NC-focused publication, published by the State Historical Records Advisory Board of North Carolina (SHRAB of NC). Find your SHRAB by doing an internet search on your state and “SHRAB.”
- Find a local or regional archival organization, e.g. The Society of North Carolina Archivists (SNCA), New England Archivists, etc. They offer professional education, annual conferences, workshops, etc.
- Free information about digitization best practices and the ArchivesSpace content management system from the nation's largest regional membership organization for libraries and information professionals (LYRASIS).
- Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) provides free online resources about preservation and digitization. http://www.nedcc.org/home.php
- NC Digital - Chapel Hill-based organization will digitize for NC organizations (college yearbooks and newspapers, scrapbooks, photographs, videos, and more)
- State Library of NC - Government and Heritage Library - Based in Raleigh, the SLNC will digitize certain publications by North Carolina state agencies, including public universities and colleges.
- Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines - Best practices for digitization for libraries, museums, and federal agencies
II. Book-length resources
- Archival Fundamental Series published by the Society of American Archivists.
- Title: Copyright and cultural institutions: guidelines for digitization for U.S. libraries, archives, and museums
Author(s): Peter B. Hirtle, Emily Hudson, & Andrew T. Kenyon
Publisher: Cornell University Libraries
Year/Publication Date: 2009
- Title: Digital imaging: a practical approach
Author: Koelling, J. M.
Publisher: AltaMira Press
Year/Publicaiton Date: 2004
- Title: A Guide to Preventive Conservation of Photographic Collections
Author: Lavedrine, B.
Publisher: J. Paul Getty Museum
Year/Publication Date: 2003
- Title: Handbook of Oral History
Ed: Charlton, et al.
Publisher: Alta Mira
Year/Publication Date: 2008
