Saving and Sharing the AGS Library's Historic Film Collections II: Acetate Negatives and Motion Picture Film

FAIN: PW-51087-12

University of Wisconsin, Madison (Madison, WI 53715-1218)
Ewa Barczyk (Project Director: July 2011 to March 2014)

The digitization, creation of metadata, rehousing, and cold storage of 35,000 cellulose acetate photographic negatives and 60,000 linear feet of motion picture film that document the world's vistas, landscapes, streetscapes, flora, fauna, and humans as they appeared, worked, lived, and modified their environments; 31,000 images would be mounted on the Internet.

The American Geographical Society Library (AGSL), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, seeks funding to support phase II of its film preservation project first begun in May 2010 as NEH PW-50572-10. The current funding is enabling the AGSL to re-house, digitize, create metadata, publish on-line and preserve in cold storage its extensive collection of cellulose-nitrate negatives. Phase II would support the same process for the AGSL's equally extensive and valuable safety film collection of approximately 35,000 images, and digitize and make available approximately 60,000 feet of unique and important motion picture films in 16mm and 35 mm formats.