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Texas A&M University Archives, like most archives and special
collections in the United States, has reached a crisis in terms of
storage and retrieval of photographs and documents. the
Archives currently houses more than 75,000 historical photographs
in various collections and files. These varied collections
represent a rich and valuable historical resource illustrating
almost every aspect of the University's storied past.
Here are found triumphs in agricultural and
engineering research, the foibles of student life, glorious
moments in sports history and simple pictures of faculty and staff
members who devoted their lives to building a school.
Manuscript collections hold photographic verification of nearly every
subject imaginable.
These photographs are an invaluable collection and need
an effective way to manage them and preserve them. While some
of the Archives' photographs are arranged in subject files to aid
the researcher, no comprehensive index or location guide exists to
aid students and professional scholars in the search for visual
documentation. Other photographs remain almost unknown, and
thus unused, buried in obscure collections of
correspondence.
Searches are a "hands-on" experience and
the user must handle the photographs in their quest. The
very act of handling the materials while searching through the
files gradually destroys the photographs. This is especially
true of old documents and photographs that have become fragile
over the years from age and use. Some of our heavily used files
are quire literally wearing out. Before long, valuable
historical materials will be damaged and lost to future
generations.
The Motorola Archival Imaging Project was created in
an attempt to save the visual heritage of Texas A&M and
provide a rapid retrieval of information for our students and
faculty. This project, led by Dr. David L. Chapman '67 and
Gayle Heath '85 and developed by A&M seniors Chris C. Thompson
and Kendra Dick, is on the cutting edge in computer hardware and
software.
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The effects of this one application have led to
other possibilities in document storage and may even change how
the University Archives processes its material in the
future.
At the heart of the system
are five workstations linked to share data. The system, as
designed by the Archives, is simple and easy to use. To
start the process, photographs are put into the system on a
flatbed scanner which "reads" black and white or color
documents as large as 8 x 14 inches. Similar to a copier,
the scanner converts the photograph to digital information which
is stored on the computer's hard drive. During the scanning
process, various changed can be made to improve the resolution of
the photograph. Certain shades can be de-emphasized to
reduce the yellowing which affects most photographs and attributes
such as sharpness, contrast, brightness and cropping can be used
to produce a better image. Once the photograph has been
stored, other changes can be made by reconstructing the missing
parts or electronically brushing out marks and scratches.
All of the basic functions of a photographic lab are at the
disposal of the Archives computer operator.
Once the digital images are recorded, they are placed
in electronic files on optical (laser) disks. Here they are
cataloged by photographer, donor, collection, and size, etc.
In addition, the Archives can add descriptions for individual
photographs. A researcher can then find a particular
photograph by these attributes or any word used in the
description. For example, someone seeking photos of the
A&M mascot can ask for "a picture of the first
Reveille" or something broader like "photos of all the
Reveilles." The computer will then single out
photographs of Reveille I or list the photographs of all the
Reveilles. Specific images can then be viewed on the computer
screen. When individuals locate a desired photograph, they
can easily obtain a computer printout (black & white or
color). Should they need the original photographic print,
the computer index quickly locates the original photographic print
from among thirteen thousand linear feet of file folders and
boxes. The imaging system's comprehensive index markedly decreases
the time spent searching for photographs and eliminates the need
to handle each print.
Motorola's gift is paying rich dividends, but further
funding will be needed to reserve the Aggie legacy. The
Texas A&M University Archives has become a leader in the
development of archival imaging systems. The knowledge
gained will assist other archives around the nation in developing
their own systems, but more importantly this project will preserve
and make more readily available the visual images of A&M's
past. |
