Hundred-year-old historical archives pose massive challenges and difficulties in processing, such as low-quality images, different scripts, and old language variations. Our accumulation of old records is immensely valuable if we are aiming to build a better future.
Most historical documents such as correspondence letters, journals, photographs, government documents, genealogical, business, and financial records, etc. will vanish someday since they are either printed or written on ordinary paper, which has a limited lifespan and deteriorates over time.
Many countries worldwide are investing in researching and developing solutions to archive these essential documents and utilize the data at its best. So, what exactly is historical archiving, and how does doing so benefit future generations?
Historical books storage
What is historical archiving?
Historical archives are collections of primary source materials that have been preserved over time for their historical significance. These materials include diaries, photographs, letters, films, books, maps, government documents, and other records that offer insight into the past.
Archives can be found in various places depending on the type of document and its age, including libraries, museums, historical societies, universities, online databases, government institutions, and individual donations. Some archives are dedicated to a specific subject or period, while others are broader in scope.
A few examples of NGO historical archives include the National Archives and Records Administration in the United States, Family Search in the United States, the British Library in the United Kingdom, and the Archives Nationales in France.
Our client is sharing about how they archive historical documents in microfilm format
Archiving Historical Records Benefits Future Generations
Preserving historical archives is essential for future generations because they provide valuable information about people, events, geographical locations, and social movements that have defined our societies over time. As such, preserving these archives is significant for a wide range of reasons.
Preserving our cultural heritage
Historical archives play a crucial role in perpetuating our cultural heritage. Documenting the customs, traditions, and practices of our ancestors provides a tangible link to the past that future generations can learn from and appreciate.
Preserving historical archives ensures that future generations can access this information and acquire a good and precise knowledge of it. This helps promote cultural continuity and identity, maintaining our unique cultural heritage for generations to come.
Old documents in microfilm format
Supporting researchers and scholars
Historical records are a critical resource for researchers and scholars as they are a wealth of primary source materials to investigate the past and draw new insights and conclusions.
These records provide researchers, historians, genealogists, and students with first-hand accounts and other primary sources that can be used to analyze, interpret, and acquire a better comprehension of past events.
Preserving these archives is, therefore, essential for supporting research and scholarship, which helps us gain a deeper understanding of our history and culture.
Library open for the public to discover family history by exploring family trees and genealogy archive
Preserving national and global identity
Historical documents are a crucial part of a nation’s collective memory. They represent a nation’s history, culture, and identity. Researching the past enables us to define a nation’s origin and identity, differentiating one country from another.
These documents once obtaining careful conservation can also inspire creativity and innovation. For example, artists, writers, and filmmakers can draw on historical materials to create new works that are informed by our collective past.
Enhancing accountability and transparency
Recording and archiving documents from the past help to hold individuals and institutions accountable for their actions. For example, legal documents, government records, and business transactions can be examined to ensure that laws and regulations were followed and to uncover instances of corruption or abuse of power.
Our client is sharing how they store historical books in their public library
Archiving Historical Documents in The Digital Era
The digital era has revolutionized the way historical archives are stored and accessed. The document can now be digitized and made available online, providing access to historical materials that might be lost or inaccessible to researchers, scholars, and the general public.
This makes it approachable for people to learn about the past and gain a greater awareness of the world around them. Proper digital storage offers significant preservation and protection of historical materials as digital copies can be made and stored in multiple locations to ensure that they are not lost or damaged.
At DIGI-TEXX, with more than 11 years of experience, we are capable of digitizing old materials in different languages: old German, German, Spanish, English, French, Polish, Portugal, Czech Republic, Russian, Italian, etc.
In order to meet clients’ project demand with a massive volume of ancient documents, we combine our core team and crowd-sourced model with up to 3.000 employees on hand, maximizing our processing capacity by up to 15.000 historical documents/ day.
DIGI-TEXX specialist is processing old German documents from the 14th century
Preserving historical archives is essential to comprehending the past, supporting researchers and scholars, making informed decisions about the future, and preserving our cultural heritage for future generations.
By putting effort to secure these archives, we can ensure future generations have access to the rich and diverse history that has shaped our world.
