Patrick & Callie,

I think both of you are correct in certain areas.  And, I think some information may have been taken out of context.  I would like to address Patrick's concerns and explain a little on what my museum does with its "problem children'.

First, Patrick, I believe Callie was expressing concern that you might only be preserving the printed copy of the digital 'negative' and not preserving the digital file too.  If this is the case, I do agree with her that it should be done - to whatever ability your institution can accomplish - whether it be an external hard drive that's backed up to making archival gold CDs for each image/accession.  Let's face it, not only does each institution have differing ideas on this fairly new material, but we all have differing financial and experiential strengths and weaknesses.  That's why we're all on this List-serv, isn't it?  To learn from, and gain strength from, one another?  I, for one, could not have improved my knowledge of fabric preservation, learned why NOT to use commercial Tyvek, and figured out where to start on my museum's policy creation without this group!

Now, I would like to share what works for my institution and welcome any who would like to share their experiences with this conundrum - on or off list.  My contact info is below.

As a staff of one, I operate, direct, and curate a museum that is fortunate to include more recent historical events in our mission.  And since the current image-documenting device is the digital camera or video camera, I therefore actually do have to accept such digital image files into our collection.  That being said, I think we can agree in this instance that the digital image IS the original, or in other words, the modern-day equivalent to a physical photographic negative.  In this case, I do accept digital files that originate 'out-of-house'.  I also put a smaller copy of the file (resolution wise) into our PastPerfect database (naming the file with the accession number AND "PastPerfect copy" in file name) and keep the original 'digital negative' (named with accession no. and "Original" in file name) in a separate, password-protected drive, which is backed-up to a server regularly.  A color copy is printed - from the original digital negative file (marked with the accession number and 'preservation copy') is put in our photographic print storage area.  I realize this may seem like a lot of 'double work' and duplicate files, but each has its specific use.  The PastPerfect & preservation copies are used for inquiries, most researchers, 'light' print work, and in the instance of the printed preservation copy, an extreme back-up in case we lose everything [knock on wood].  The original digital negative is intended, per the draft collections policy I'm writing, to be used only for making copies associated with detailed print work.  That is, a digital copy is made of the original file and saved to another location.  That copied file may be manipulated for print.  In this way, since most cameras are automatically set to create JPG files (one of the file formats that can lose file information each time you manipulate it), any lossy data (loss of digital information) is mostly negated.

However, more and more, I have been getting offers of people wanting to donate scans of their original historical photographs, slides, and negatives.  I will take these, but explain to donors that the scan they are donating will be for reference only, will not be accessioned into the collection as they are not the originals, and as such, will not be placed on display.  (Note here: my understanding is that if they retain the original, they still retain copyright - or at least the appearance of it.  My museum cannot display anything unless we have full legal rights to the items or have releases for EACH time and location we display it.  It's a policy that has kept us out of any grey areas and so far, is effective.)  During this discussion of donating their scanned images, I also make sure to say "This is a great photograph and I would love to display it someday.  When you are ready to donate the originals - and not a minute before! - we would be pleased to place them into our collection."  This goes a long way toward making the donor realize that we DO want their items (in speaking with many donors, they think we just pile it away somewhere) and getting them comfortable with the idea of eventually donating the originals - but not before they are done enjoying them (another reason they aren't keen on giving the originals away is that they like to pull out their photo albums and pass them around during profession and family reunions/gatherings).  I run a federal museum and law states that once it's ours, it becomes public domain.  I've been thinking about offering to accession the originals and give them scanned copies, but don't know how well that might work for other museums...

Of course, to make matters more complicated, I am in the process of creating a website which requires me to digitize various accessioned images for use.  While I do this, I scan at the highest resolution we have deemed possible for our storage situation (600 dpi for images over 5x7 and 1200dpi for images at or below 5x7).  All images are scanned into a lossless 'tiff' file format using the color system recommended as by the book "Digital Imaging: A Practical Approach", ISBN: 978-0-7591-0446-4.  Then they're saved on - you guessed it - yet another drive that is password protected and regularly backed up to a server.  These images are NOT accessioned, but are considered copies of the accessioned image and are labeled in the file name as such.

I realize that my way is NOT a perfect answer - for example, I am still trying to figure out what to do when data storage technologies change yet again and all of the images need to be transferred.  Heck, it might not be the answer for any of you.  However, this current arrangement hits all of the Museum's scenarios for donation, fits within my scope of knowledge so I don't have to learn another system, and, just as importantly, fits within our budget.

I have faith that we, as professionals, can help each other determine the best answers for our individual institutions' needs.

Very Respectfully,

Terri L Bedore
Curator/Director
USAF Security Forces Museum &
Research Center

1300 Femoyer St., Bldg 10501
Lackland AFB, TX

[log in to unmask]
210-671-0809 office



On Jan 24, 2012, at 12:08 PM, Leary, Patrick wrote:

> I'm sorry to learn that Ms. Stewart finds our museum's procedures "ridiculous."  She is of course welcome to follow her own opinions in these matters.  We've found that accessioning archival prints of both negatives and digital images has worked well for us, and have often had occasion to be glad that the prints were available, just as we've also been glad to have made scans. Of course information about the source, nature, and location of the digital image is included in the catalogue record, and all necessary steps are taken to preserve those images, which are so easily erased or corrupted.
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date:    Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:36:37 -0500
> From:    Callie Stewart <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Accession question re: electronic files
> 
> I respectively disagree.  Yes, digital files do have unique preservation
> issues, but so does everything else in our collections.  Our job is to
> create policies, procedures and storage/migration solutions that meet the
> needs of the objects that we have, whether they be digital or paper.  Why
> would you accession a print made from a digital file if you have the actual
> digital file?  If someone gave you a group of photographic negatives (which
> have their own set of preservation concerns) would you insist on making
> prints to accession instead of accessioning the original negatives?  To me
> that just seems ridiculous.  Eventually we are all going to get born
> digital material in our collections and will have to face the issues of
> dealing with preserving digital media at some point.
> 
> I do agree that it is certainly better to do the scanning yourself to make
> sure that you have the best possible image and to ensure consistency.
> 
> This discussion is very timely for me since we are currently struggling
> with a similar issue.
> 
> 
> On Sat, Jan 21, 2012 at 2:12 PM, Leary, Patrick <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
>> I agree with Audra.  We print out archival-quality copies of all digital
>> images and catalog them just as we would a photographic print; the digital
>> image is, by analogy, the negative, which is stored separately.  I would
>> only add that it is never a good idea to let the donor create the digital
>> image from the original photo.  The original must be loaned -- we use a
>> "temporary deposit form" for this purpose -- so that museum staff can make
>> a scan that is both very high resolution and saved in an uncompressed
>> (TIFF) format, in order to capture as much of the detail in the image as
>> possible.
>> 
>> Given that so many donors are unwilling to part with originals (and
>> because of this, many  of those originals will wind up lost or damaged
>> within a generation or two, if not sooner), we have to be content to make
>> copies sometimes, if the photograph is important enough.  But that doesn't
>> mean having to accession little JPEG files; for us, anything that
>> low-quality doesn't belong in the collection, but is of use only for
>> reference, to be printed out and kept in reference files along with
>> photocopies of clippings, etc.
>> 
>> Patrick Leary
>> Curator, Wilmette Historical Museum
>> [log in to unmask]
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> Date:    Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:26:24 -0500
>> From:    Audra Oliver <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: Re: Accession question re: electronic files
>> 
>> Just a word (OK several words) of caution -
>> If all that is accessioned is a digital file, this part of the collection
>> is at risk.  Digital media degrades over time and also requires migration
>> as the format progresses. That is the hardware and/or software may become
>> obsolete and if files are not migrated, they will be inaccessible.
>> Further, it is my understanding that quality diminishes with each transfer.
>> As bulky and awkward as it may seem, if I regarded a digital image as
>> worthy of long-time retention and wished to accession it, I would make a
>> hard copy.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>>>> Sylvia Bruner <[log in to unmask]> 1/19/2012 3:32 PM >>>
>> Hi Robin,
>> 
>> you have a similar question that I struggled with recently.  Our museum
>> was receiving offers for donation of a "copy" of a historic photograph, but
>> the donors did not want to gift the original.  We cussed and discussed
>> until we finally came up with this:
>> 
>> We now have a Artifact Donation Form, and a Digital Image Donation Form.
>> As usual, our collections committee makes the decision on what items are
>> accessioned, and if they determine the image to be important enough to
>> accession a digital file, then we do.  We do not actually accession any
>> printed material that we generate from that image however.  The Digital
>> Image Donation form specifies that the donor(s) is giving us all rights and
>> title to the copyright so that we may display, print in our newsletter and
>> other materials, and make available to researchers.
>> 
>> It's a little complicated, but I think it is going to work out well for
>> us.  We still always prefer the original photograph or document for that
>> matter, but if we can't have it (and say, the donor is the only person with
>> one and they are not readily available from other sources) then a digital
>> file is a close second.  I would suggest that if you do decide to accession
>> the posters you have printed that you have them printed on acid-free, high
>> quality paper for longevity.  You also have the option of not accessioning
>> anything - are the posters being used for advertisement of a special
>> exhibit?  You might check your collections policies - ours include
>> collecting institutional history - things like special opening brochures,
>> temporary exhibit fliers, auction posters, etc ... but things we have
>> manufactured for use in an exhibit as a prop does not get accessioned -
>> such as a laminate sign showing an old highway (copied from a photocopy of
>> a book!), or a fabric wall hanging that has an enlarged photograph - the
>> photographer is credited with her name in the corner of the hanging, but it
>> will not be accessioned.
>> 
>> Hopefully this doesn't just add confusion to your question!
>> Best of luck,
>> Sylvia
>> 
>> 
>> Sylvia Bruner
>> Assistant Director / Registrar
>> JC Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum
>> P.O. Box 596 ~ 100 Fort Street
>> Buffalo, WY 82834
>> www.jimgatchell.com
>> 307-684-9331
> 
> 
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