SPEC Kit 325: Digital Preservation · 49
Examples of Digital Preservation Investments, cont.
Asset Type 2
20. Please select one type of digital content. Please briefly describe this asset and its significance for
preservation. N=40
Applications, operating systems, or other
software
Currently the Libraries duplicate all CDROMs and disks that accompany printed
material as a preservation copy.
Digitized special collections Digitized collections primarily from Rare Books and Manuscripts, and Government
Publications, Maps and Law.
Digitized special collections Important primary resources that are unique.
Digitized special collections In a world where many resources are available on the web, digitized Special
Collections are unique offerings for a given institution, and the responsibility of the
holding library.
Digitized special collections Special Collections has approximately 2 million photo-negatives that are being
digitized in small batches for access projects and to meet researchers’ needs.
Availability of access copies of these images reduces handling of the negatives and
is therefore significant for preservation. We anticipate that the digitized versions will
eventually become the preservation copy of these images due to deterioration of
older photo-negatives.
Digitized special collections Text based materials: records, letters, some manuscripts. Materials have been
scanned mostly into image formats with some in PDF format.
Digitized special collections The Archives has digitized many of its special collections, including a few rare books.
These items are significant for preservation due to the uniqueness and fragility of the
physical items.
Digitized special collections The University Libraries has been selecting, funding, and digitizing special collection
materials since scanning began in 1992. See the “Digitized Collections” link on
the Libraries Web home page (www.libraries.psu.edu) for the complete collection
listing.
Digitized special collections These materials chosen for local digitization are usually rare or unique the digitized
copies we store and disseminate to researchers are, likewise, found here and
nowhere else. Often digitization is performed to a very high specification and at
relatively high cost, so preservation is critical to protect our already significant
investment and ensure that future researchers continue to have access to
authenticated versions of the same digital surrogates.
Digitized special collections Without preservation of Special Collections’ digital surrogates, the library will fail in
its mission to make its information resources (especially rare books, manuscripts,
and University Archives) accessible by the widest possible community for the long
term.
ETDs (electronic theses and dissertations) Electronic theses and dissertations submitted by graduate students.
ETDs (electronic theses and dissertations) ETDs represent the intellectual output of the university.
Previous Page Next Page