Why digitize historical materials?
• More people can access and use unique, highly valuable, and often fragile materials • Users can view the materials from any computer connected to the Internet, any time of day • Searchable text allows users to conduct research in ways not possible before • Users gain an understanding of the context of the materials in history through associated supplementary resources such as timelines and historical overviews • Libraries can build “virtual collections” made up of related materials that are physically separated between repositories • Digitized Materials can be used in new and exciting ways for research and instruction when combined with the communications facilities of the Internet Top
