How Do You Digitize Archival Materials?

Introduction to Archival Materials

Archival materials are the cornerstone of our collective memory, encompassing a diverse array of resources such as historical documents, photographs, audio materials, and video files. These materials often include unique items like glass plate negatives, manuscripts, and other related materials that capture moments, voices, and stories from the past. Because archival materials are frequently fragile and sensitive to environmental factors, they require careful handling and specialized preservation techniques to ensure their longevity. Digitization projects play a crucial role in safeguarding these valuable resources by creating digital files that can be accessed by researchers and the public without risking damage to the originals. By digitizing photographs, audio, and video materials, organizations not only protect the physical items but also make them more accessible for future generations, supporting research, education, and discovery across a wide range of subject areas. However, it is important to note that in-person archives and non-digitized sources can provide exclusive insights within a specific subject area that online resources may lack, making access to specialized or unique materials essential for comprehensive research.

“Digitizing” any physical material is the act of creating a digital copy that can be displayed on desktop and portable devices, resulting in a digital form of the original material. For paper documents, this generally entails scanning. For video or audio materials, digitization requires encoding it into a digital format that can be played on any phone, computer, or tablet. Digitizing archival materials democratizes access by enabling remote, 24/7 access to fragile, rare records while protecting originals from damage.

Most institutions seeking to digitize archival materials have a few fundamental goals:

Capture materials: Preserve the materials as they are today before any further degradation can occur.
Safeguard digital files: Store digital files securely on the cloud for future study and analysis.
Improve accessibility: Ensure everyone who is approved can access the materials wherever they are.
Facilitate access: Make archival materials available in digital form for easier use.
Enable simultaneous use: Allow multiple users to access the same materials.
Protect physical items: Prevent damage to originals caused by future handling.
Enhance transparency: Make materials easier to share and distribute.
Assign metadata: Metadata—descriptive information about each digital file, such as title, creator, date, and subject—helps categorize and relate materials efficiently, creating hierarchical relationships with related materials.

Libraries play a central role in digitization and preservation efforts, serving as repositories and facilitating access to digital collections. Take this opportunity now to learn more about developing a digital preservation strategyand Soutron’s end-to-end solutions, take our 10-minute digital preservation readiness checklist to see where to fill in the gaps, and measure your success with our 5 minute digital preservation scorecard.

The process to digitize materials generally requires:

Step 1: Planning and Organization
Create a plan and organize the documents, cassettes, discs, photographs, or any other materials you need to digitize.
Step 2: Identify Fragile or High-Value Items
Identify fragile or high-value items that may require specialized equipment or a conservator’s review before digitization.
Step 3: Remove Damaging Fasteners
Remove damaging fasteners like staples and paper clips before digitizing materials.
Step 4: Careful Handling
Handle fragile materials with care on a clean table, using gloves, and avoiding ink near archival materials.
Step 5: Digitization
Scan documents and photos and use any necessary converters to digitize audio or video files.
Step 6: Apply Metadata
Apply desired metadata to those digital files.
Step 7: Create Database Record
Create a record in your Soutron database.
Step 8: Upload and Attach Files
Upload documents and images with full metadata (multiple versions can be added to a single record).
Step 9: Store Hardcopies
Prepare and safely store hardcopies of all digitized materials.

After these steps, digitized content can be managed and accessed more efficiently, supporting both preservation and research needs. It is important to adopt standardized technical specifications to create production master files that are viable for future use.

The process, especially the early steps, can vary greatly based on the materials being digitized.

For example, if you were attempting to digitize wax cylinders, you’d likely have to embark upon a detail-oriented process of:

Physical assessment of each cylinder
Note taking on imperfections
Temperature acclimation
Careful cleaning with the proper tools
Choosing the right stylus for the cylinder
Running the wax cylinder through whatever device is best suited for your needs
Putting the audio from the device through a preamp with the output going into a computer for encoding
Properly packaging and storing the physical wax cylinders

Employing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technologies allows researchers to search within documents, quickly locating keywords and phrases.

Digitization can be time consuming depending on the age, fragility and rarity of the materials you need to archive. A business that just needs to scan documents or a law firm that needs to digitize taped depositions would take a a different approach compared to historical organizations that may want to digitize centuries-old photographs or documents. A survey of archives users revealed that 42.7% preferred online access to archival materials, highlighting the demand for digitized content to facilitate research.

The tools you might use to digitize archival materials vary depending on the type of media. There are many USB to composite or cassette converters, but the specific method an organization uses may vary based on the quality they’re seeking, the condition of the physical media and the various production standards they want to apply or maintain. Understanding the form and structure of the original materials is important for proper digitization and accessibility. For photographs and documents, aim for a minimum resolution of 600 ppi to achieve good digital output quality. The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative standard should be used to record essential information like title, creator, date, and subject for archival materials. It is also recommended to consult the Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials for detailed, industry-standard guidelines. Following industry benchmarks like the Preservation Guidelines for Digitizing Library Materials from The Library of Congress can minimize the risk of damage while ensuring high-quality digital outputs. Uncompressed, open formats like TIFF for images or WAV for audio should be used to save unedited master files to prevent data loss over time.

Multiple variations of materials might be required, such as a preservation master, production master and produced formats for end-user consumption. Depending on the purpose of the archive, an organization may need to associate multiple separate files with a single record. Organizations should seek guidance on best practices and standards for digitization to ensure quality and consistency. The Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative (FADGI) provides a framework of standards and best practices for digitization, ensuring that institutions meet or exceed these guidelines for various media types. High-resolution images and audio/video files are created during the digitization process to maintain preservation quality, which is essential for both access and long-term preservation of fragile materials.

Digitization Standards and Specifications

Digitization standards and specifications are fundamental to the success of any digitization project involving archival materials. Adhering to recognized guidelines, such as those set forth by the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative (FADGI), ensures that digitized materials meet high standards for quality, consistency, and long-term accessibility. For example, when digitizing glass plate negatives, institutions must use precise capture methods and high-resolution digital imaging to preserve the fine details and historical value of these fragile materials. Similarly, digitizing audio materials requires specialized equipment and techniques to produce digital files that accurately reflect the original recordings, often resulting in the creation of preservation master files in formats like WAV for audio or TIFF for images.

Metadata creation is another critical aspect of the digitization process. Comprehensive metadata—including information such as title, subject, and copyright notice—not only documents the provenance and context of each digital file but also facilitates access and discovery for researchers and users. By maintaining detailed metadata, organizations can ensure that digitized materials are easily searchable and linked to related materials within the collection. The use of preservation masters, alongside production copies for everyday access, helps maintain the integrity and quality of the digital files over time. Ultimately, following established digitization standards and specifications supports the preservation, accessibility, and ongoing value of archival materials in digital form.

Selection and Prioritization

Selecting and prioritizing archival materials for digitization is a strategic process that directly impacts the effectiveness and reach of digitization projects. Institutions must carefully evaluate their collections to determine which materials should be digitized first, considering factors such as the physical condition, rarity, and research value of each item. Materials that are at risk of deterioration or are frequently requested by researchers often take precedence, as digitizing these items can both preserve them and provide immediate benefits to users.

Incorporating digitization into an institution’s broader strategy involves assessing user needs, available resources, and the potential for online access. Tools like finding aids, collection guides, or inventories are invaluable for identifying and prioritizing materials, ensuring that the most valuable or vulnerable items are addressed early in the process. Institutions must also weigh the cost and effort required for digitization against the anticipated value and impact of providing access to digitized materials. By thoughtfully selecting and prioritizing archival materials, organizations can maximize the benefits of their digitization efforts, making their collections more accessible and useful for researchers, students, and the public.

Planning Digitization Projects

Successful digitization projects begin with thorough planning and assessment. Organizations must first evaluate the condition and significance of their archival materials to determine priorities and the most appropriate capture methods. Selecting the right digital imaging techniques is essential for producing high-quality digital copies that accurately represent the originals. Metadata creation is another critical step, as it ensures that digital files are well-organized, searchable, and easily linked to related materials within a collection. Planning should also account for the resources required, including staff expertise, equipment, and budget, as well as any copyright or accessibility considerations that may impact the project. Incorporating digitization into an organization’s broader strategy helps facilitate access to archival materials and provides better access to digital content for users. Creating a preservation master—a high-quality digital copy—serves as the foundation for generating production masters and other derivative files, ensuring that the value and integrity of the original materials are maintained throughout the digitization process.

Learn more about developing a digital preservation strategyand Soutron’s end-to-end solutions, take our 10-minute digital preservation readiness checklist to see where to fill in the gaps, and measure your success with our 5 minute digital preservation scorecard.

The Process of Adding Records

Record and metadata creation in a Soutron database is straightforward and can be customized based on organizational requirements.

For example, if you wished to add an item to the online archive, you can include a collection reference, title, subject, terms, contributor, extended description, condition notes, various date fields such as reference dates and date the item was digitized. You can also add digital object URLs if you are adding references or comments hosted on a trusted 3rd party source or attach documents to the record.

Multiple files can be attached to a single record. At this point you can add a copyright notice or set permissions for access to the documents you’re attaching. You can also manage security separately for each document you’re attaching to a record and choose whether the document is confidential, restricted or open access.

A finding aid can also be created to help users navigate the collection and locate specific digitized materials, providing detailed guides and links to digital content within the archive.

What Makes Soutron Archive Management Solution the Ideal Organizational Tool?

Soutron’s platform can help your organization meet all your primary digitization goals.

Adding records is easy and intuitive
The software is compatible with a variety of data exchange formats (CSV, XML, MARC) and allows for the inclusion of rich metadata
You can set your own hierarchical relationship between entries
There are a variety of security and control features to limit the accessibility of records
The search functionality is easy to use and can be customized based on the needs of your company or the end users
Adding and updating fields, record and content types is completely under your control and simple to apply
All content stored within Soutron Archive is fully backed up

The platform supports providing access to digitized materials through online access via search portals and other means, such as social media platforms, ensuring flexible and comprehensive access options.

Organizations that want to see in action should contact us for a free online demonstration.

Providing Public Access

One of the primary objectives of digitization projects is to provide public access to digitized materials, thereby expanding their reach and impact. Organizations can facilitate better access by creating online content, such as digital exhibits or searchable collections, making these resources available to users around the world. In addition to online access, digitized materials can be made available in a reading room or other dedicated physical spaces, allowing users to interact with digital content in a controlled environment. Open access and public domain materials can be shared freely, while other items may require restrictions or a copyright notice to manage usage rights. Tools like finding aids are invaluable for helping users locate and access specific materials within a collection, enhancing the overall research experience. By digitizing and providing access to archival materials, organizations support research, education, and public engagement, ensuring that valuable resources are available to a wider audience through a variety of means.

Challenges and Considerations

Digitizing archival materials presents a range of challenges and considerations that organizations must address to achieve their goals and serve their users effectively. The process can be resource-intensive, requiring significant investment in time, expertise, and infrastructure. High-quality digitization demands specialized knowledge and equipment, and ongoing preservation of digitized materials is essential to prevent digital degradation or loss. Organizations must also consider the cost and effort involved in maintaining both digital and physical collections, as well as the need for robust metadata and file management systems. In some cases, analog formats like microfilm may still play a role in a comprehensive preservation strategy, offering an additional layer of security for valuable materials.

It is important to note that digitization is not a substitute for preservation; it is a means of copying original materials, and the digital resources created must also be preserved over time. Digital files require continuous management and migration to new formats to ensure they remain readable and accessible as technology evolves. Digital preservation requires active maintenance to combat hardware and software obsolescence.

Despite these challenges, digitization remains a powerful tool for making archival materials more accessible and supporting research and education. By carefully planning and allocating resources, organizations can overcome obstacles and ensure that their digitization projects deliver lasting value to their communities.

Conclusion and Future Directions for Online Content

Digitization has fundamentally transformed how archival materials are preserved, accessed, and shared, opening new possibilities for research, education, and public engagement. By creating high-quality digital content and robust metadata, institutions can provide better access to their collections, supporting a wide range of users and research activities. However, successful digitization projects require ongoing attention to quality, metadata creation, and preservation to ensure that digitized materials remain accessible and valuable over time.

Looking ahead, the future of online content in archives will be shaped by trends such as open access, the expansion of public domain materials, and collaborative digitization initiatives. Developing and maintaining digital infrastructure—such as comprehensive databases and user-friendly online platforms—will be essential for providing seamless access to digitized materials. Institutions may also explore innovative approaches, including microfilm digitization and crowdsourcing, to enhance their digitization projects and reach broader audiences.

Ultimately, the goal of digitization is to facilitate access to archival materials while ensuring their long-term preservation and continued relevance. By embracing established standards, investing in digital infrastructure, and exploring new technologies, organizations can ensure that their digitization projects deliver lasting value to researchers, users, and future generations.