Learning is part of everyone’s life, especially when you have committed to lifelong learning. There are many ways you can work on expanding your knowledge on specific topics and one of these is to check historical documents. Learning about history means you know when it is repeating itself, but you also get the chance to learn more about our ancestors and their way of living. But, if you want to go beyond reading from history books, you could check historical documents. Preserving documents is essential, as these are some of the most crucial ones.
To preserve documents means ensuring they are accessible to a wider audience. Digital preservation means that researchers, scholars, and educators can access them without going physically to the archive where they are stored. As many of them are fragile, it also prevents their deterioration. There are a lot of unfortunate events that can happen, such as fires, so to archive documents digitally is the solution. It is clear that there are many benefits of the digitization of historical documents. But you may wonder how to preserve documents. Or what is digital archiving? You’re in the right place. Here we will discuss more about digital preservation systems, archival preservation scanning, and digitizing old documents.
Assessment and Selection
The first step you need to take when you are digitizing historical documents is to identify which ones need to be archived. You will notice that not all are as essential as others. For example, you might want the Declaration of Independence to be stored safely. Also, other historical documents or records about a place are crucial too. Preserving historical documents might seem easy, but you need to take into consideration a lot of details. For example, the icloud storage subscription you have is limited. So, you have to assess the documents and select the ones you add to archival digital storage. If your icloud is full, you can free up some icloud storage. And optimize your storage solutions as part of your document preservation documents.
Digitization
Once you have selected the files you want to preserve as documents, you should proceed to the next step. You should use high-quality scanners or digital cameras to create digital copies of the documents. Preserving historical documents is not only about selecting the most crucial ones. But use high-quality tools so that you do not alter them. When you add files to the digital record storage, you need to make sure the resolution is sufficient to capture all the details. You might also have contact with more delicate documents. In this case, consider consulting conservation experts to minimize damage during digitization.
Metadata Creation
Scanning digital documents is a part of preserving them. But you have to manage archival digital storage. So, make sure you establish a standardized system for organizing and cataloging metadata associated with each document. What should this metadata include? The title, author, date, subject, and any relevant historical detail. This will make it easier to find it in your archive.
Storage
You will keep your physical copies in one place and the digital ones online. It is essential to store both of them in secure environments. For example, the physical ones should be stored in a climate-controlled environment as this helps you prevent degradation. They are sensitive documents and some of them are hundreds of years old, so to prevent their loss you need to make sure they are in an environment where the humidity and sunlight are controlled. Even though digital copies do not need specific environments, you should use redundant storage systems. Do regular backups to safeguard against data loss.
Digital Preservation Standards
Preserving American historical documents is essential, and it ensures wide access to documents. Yet, you must adhere to established digital preservation standards. For example, you could check the ones outlined by the Library of Congress or the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). They have quite a lot of experience when it comes to this topic, so these standards ensure the longevity and accessibility of digital assets.
Access Control
Even though one of the reasons for preserving American historical documents digitally is to ensure that those interested have access to them. This is awesome as it supports the process of expanding the knowledge of many researchers and scholars. Yet, you should install access control mechanisms. Access to sensitive or copyrighted materials should be restricted. The accessibility for researchers, historians, and the public should be ensured, but you also need to control access.
Data Migration and Format Migration
Even though you now scan the documents and store them online, you need to make sure the digital formats you use are updated. You should assess these to prevent obsolescence. Doing this periodically is the solution you are looking for. Migrate data to newer storage mediums and file formats to maintain compatibility with evolving technology.
Collaboration
Collaborate with other institutions, libraries, and archives to share resources and expertise in digital preservation efforts. This collaboration could turn out to be a fruitful one. It can help you pool resources and avoid duplication of efforts. Maybe you can also learn some tips and tricks from those who have already done this. Or expand your knowledge about this topic.
Final Thoughts
Learning about American history goes beyond the classical books you can find online or historical classes you can start. Researchers, scholars, and educators would love to have access to historical documents, without going to museums or archives. So, if you had instant access, it would be easier to prepare your lessons, support your research, or expand your knowledge. Yet, when selecting, scanning, and storing historical documents online, you need to follow some rules. You can check them online to make sure you preserve the documents, and you ensure restricted access and control. Collaborating with museums, libraries, and archives can help you expand your knowledge and learn more about this process.