Digital imaging provides us with the first alternative approach to preserving, restoring, and displaying photographic images since the invention of photography itself, over a hundred and sixty years ago. Recently, falling costs associated with mass storage coupled with increased computational speeds have established digital imaging as the preferred platform for preserving our intellectual heritage contained in old photographs, maps, and documents and for projecting this information into the future. For more information, follow the links to our sections on PHOTOGRAPH AND DOCUMENT archiving.

A digital archive is created when high resolution digital image files of scanned originals are cataloged. To insure image integrity, all images are scanned at a minimum of 400 dpi, at about 8X10 inch image size.

"Ready to go to work." This high resolution digital surrogate, residing in a desktop computer's hard drive or on a CD-ROM, can be quickly accessed from among thousands.

While this image is out working for the institution, the original artifact is safe at home, sleeping in the vault.