Digital Assets

Digitizing our Past

Digital collections make up an increasing amount of what an archive does. As an organization looking to stay at the forefront of the field, the Industrial Archives & Library is no different. Here you will find a mix of work we have created and collections that have been digitized for easier access by the public. In particular, we have concentrated on making available items that are either fragile or are visually based, concentrating on drawings and photographs.

Other items are born-digital, meaning that they originate in an electronic environment, such as digital photos and electronic documents. IAL is constantly adding to its digital collection, so check back often.

How It’s Done

Materials are digitized either in-house or outsourced to vetted vendors. IAL ensures that materials are digitized with best practices. IAL utilizes an industry-leading program called Preservica to manage digital assets and ensure their long-term access and security. Low resolution copies, called access copies, are available online, while high resolution copies are safely stored. Metadata is captured so that no information about the resources are lost.