What is the digital archive?
You may think that digital archives belong in a library or museum building, and they are only for academics who bother to search through them. Digital collections with robust metadata (a fancy word for a catalog description) exist in national, university, and public libraries and archives, and consist of millions of digitized books and newspapers, magazines and other periodicals, family history records, images, videos, and even websites. Believe it or not, most people on this planet are digital archive curators who own huge collections of mostly born-digital materials. These hundreds of photos of what we had for breakfast, videos of our cats and dogs, favorite memes, and even gifs make our digital collections. Our devices are full of items, but clearly, we do not want to preserve them all – after all, who needs 15 different takes of your mate in a funny pose?
Who needs a digital archive?
Institutions
Many cultural organizations like libraries, museums, and archives, as well as churches and religious societies, professional associations, and media groups have recognized years ago the potential of an online archive and make their collections available. Public institutions mostly provide free access, some make you pay for viewing or for re-using.
The main aim is to preserve the original items and bring knowledge to a wider audience. It is also a great marketing tool to promote and advocate. The collections vary and it is truly impressive to be able to view the Medieval manuscripts, the 19th-century photographs, archival censuses, early sound recordings, and other historical documents just like that!
The biggest institutions such as the Library of Congress or the British Library have been adding to their digital collections for years, but easy access to technology means that even local initiatives such as the Upper Silesia Genealogical Association makes digital items available online.
Companies and incorporations
Many private companies use various digital systems that provide back-up copies in the cloud. However, there are many still in the analog era, and prefer pen and paper. Also, the modern records may be created digitally but old staff documents, pensions, and company agreements are still in print. It is a good practice to have a digital copy. In case of fire, flooding, or other damages, there will be a cyber copy safely stored on a server.
Individuals
We spend a lot of time creating our digital content and it is always worth having a spare copy. Can you imagine losing all the photos when kids were young? Yes, there are providers giving you this option and it is certainly useful. A good digital archive is not just about the numbers, it is also about creating good-quality content that you and your family would like to access and live through the memories. It is about curating special collections that can be organized by theme, time, people, etc. It can be mundane but so worth it!
Our old photos and documents, even family memorabilia like crockery, can easily be preserved digitally. It is easier to share them with relatives and creating a digital collage may inspire your grandchildren to search for their ancestors. It can turn into a project for the whole family or group of friends.
What next for your digital archive?
If you would like to create a digital archive but do not know where to start, you may wish to hire an expert. I would be happy to guide you through the process with useful guidelines and practical tips. If you are interested, make an appointment here or drop me an email to dorotawalker@gmail.com.
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Article for information purposes only.