Subject: Re: Photo storage of scans From: Brian Bigler <usemeum@mhtc.net> Message-ID: <1861e9b1-fcd0-e0d4-2d42-bbfadc22c726@mhtc.net> Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 11:14:10 -0500
Hello Bill - thanks for sharing.
So you must have found and easy way to retrieve the stored scanned
images and catalogue them. Are they numbered or retrieved by subject?
Are they entered into a software program such as Past Perfect where you
can pull the image up for a potential on site or off site viewer? Also
where you can enter a subject search to find content?
As much a I embrace digitizing images mostly for preservationwe might
want to keep in mind that their are people who collect the 78, 45 and LP
records simply because they sound better than their copied counter parts
. And then there are cylinder records and wire tape recordings -
that's a whole other subject for retrieval discussion. I still fondly
look back to a talk by Myrna, a lovely woman who once worked in the WHS
photo archive and who discussed the constant need for changing digital
format at a talk on this very subject - in her exact words - "as long as
you have a negative and a light bulb you will always have an image."
And remember if they are scanned in color at least they retain their
original patina. You may also want to scan their paper mounts as this
is part of their contextual beginnings.
Thanks again for adding to the discussion!
Brian
On 5/21/2020 10:38 AM, William Schuette wrote:
> We have to change with the times. When I first began making copies of
> the photo images in our collection, I copied them onto black & white
> film. That format has gone out of date, however, these negatives are
> much longer-lived than digital scans. We store our digital images in
> the .jpg format. That has been around for many years, and I assume
> that anything recorded in that format, will be accessible for a long
> time. When a newer format comes along, I'm sure that these jpg images
> can be converted. In addition to the actual storage of most of our
> photos in acid-free envelopes and boxes, our digital images are stored
> on the cloud, should anything happen to our collection. Should someone
> request an image from our collection, they usually ask for digital
> copies, which we are happy to provide for a price. If they want a
> paper copy, I print them out on my photo printer. However, that hasn't
> happened in the past few years. We survived the transition from 78
> records, to 45 & LP records, to CDs, to digital, and I believe we'll
> survive any photo image storage updates too.
>
> Bill Schuette-- Sauk County Historical Society
>
> On 5/20/2020 6:07 PM, Brian Bigler wrote:
>> I have noted the discussion of photo copyrights and related on
>> listserve.
>>
>> My questions to organizations out there is this: How do you store
>> these images? If they are scans and stored on a computer how do you
>> plan to retrieve them in the future with the rapid change in
>> technology? Already items stored on CDs are a problem and many CDs
>> - even archival ones- are short lived. Other computer devices would
>> prove to be problematic as well - even off site storage may soon be
>> antiquated for future use.
>>
>> A firm believer in hard copy storage to prevent constant updating of
>> equipment I am wondering how many organizations print out quality
>> prints for customer and archival use? If so, how do you store them
>> or impute them on a database?
>>
>> Thank you in advance for your answers.
>>
>> Brian J. Bigler
>>
>> Volunteer Curator - Mount Horeb Area Historical Society
>>