What Is Metadata?
By Digital Archivist Mary Eggleston In our data-driven society, metadata has become a frequently used term, but do you know what it actually is? The process of weeding out the differences between data and metadata can be confusing. Bruce Schneier explains it best in his book Data and Goliath, “Data is content, and metadata is […]
Crashing Through the Surface
By Junior Digital Archivist Alyssa Voss At Anderson Archival, the term surface has a slightly different meaning than it does in most industries. The word surface is typically defined as “the outer layer of something.” While that remains true, in the archival community, it also refers specifically to the number of surfaces requiring a scan […]
Why Outsource? Digitizing In-House vs. Outsourcing
By Team Lead Andrea Glazer It can be tempting to see the photocopier in the corner of your office and imagine digitizing your collection over time, if only to avoid the costs associated with finding a vendor to handle it. However, in-house digitization is rarely that simple. Digital preservation is no longer the future of […]
Digitization of Museums: Transforming Experience in the Digital Age
By Team Lead Marcia Spicer Museums have always been regarded as the interpreters and caretakers of history, science, art, and culture. Immersing oneself in historical artifacts and knowledge can create impressions that last a lifetime. Witnessing displays of historical artifacts firsthand allows patrons to experience history in ways that static exhibits alone can’t convey. Digitization […]
Curated Clips: Sneaking a Peek at Our DT Versa
Mark and Amy Anderson take us on an after-hours tour of Anderson Archival’s new DT Versa wide-format scanner.
Experience Stories Worth Celebrating
By Operations Manager Marcia Spicer Regardless of the audience, every museum, historical society, or specialized library knows they have a story worth telling. That’s why they’ve taken countless hours, dollars, and coordinated effort to form. In collections, we often see decades of dedication and work spearheaded by a single individual or a small group who […]
Partnering for Success
By Team Lead Marcia Spicer How many times have you encountered good work that didn’t quite meet your needs? I recently spoke with an organization that just concluded work with a digitization vendor. The vendor performed high quality digitization work—I can confirm. However, the manner in which the files were delivered made them essentially unusable […]
Exploring Family History Worry-Free
POW belt buckle. Image provided by Christopher Parrish and used with permission. By Team Lead Marcia Spicer While much of the country braced for a pre-Christmas polar vortex and snowstorm, I got to speak with Christopher and Molly Parrish via Teams from our respective homes. The Anderson Archival team has fond memories of digitizing their […]
A Gift to the Future: 3 Goals of Digital Heritage and the Archives Showcasing Them
Why are collectors, organizations, and institutions bringing their collections into the digital age? What makes the effort and cost of digital conservation worthwhile? As users, we can’t know the primary driving force behind the digitization of some of the most impactful collections on the internet, but at Anderson Archival, we’ve seen countless motivations for digitization. […]
Reconnecting with Corporate History Through a Functional Archive
What do local historians and corporations around the country have in common? One answer: a passion for historical corporate legacy. St. Louis-based Guarantee Electrical Company has been lighting up communities since its inception in 1902 to power the 1904 World’s Fair. Over a century later, Guarantee continues to impact not only the St. Louis skyline […]
