Weathering The Storm – Protection & Recovery Of Local History Collections

In the face of extreme weather events due to climate change, many of our partners have faced natural disasters, including floods and derechos right here in our hometown. Libraries, museums, and cultural institutions across the country have taken note, and have learned that creating a comprehensive disaster recovery plan is essential. However, the difference between […]

Beyond Black & White: Digitizing In Grayscale Or Color

At Advantage Archives, we continually evaluate our digitization methods, focusing on improving quality while maintaining affordability for our partners. As technology has evolved, so has our approach to digitizing microfilm, newspapers, and historical documents. While many of our earlier projects featured bitonal images, technological advancements, strategic partnerships, and reduced costs have allowed us to refine […]

From Shelves to Screens: Why Libraries are Embracing Community History Archives

The Challenge of Accessing Physical Archives In our fast-paced world, time has become one of the most valuable resources we possess. It is a precious commodity that, once spent, can never be regained.  In the context of libraries and institutions housing historical records, time is particularly crucial. The process of searching through physical archives can […]

Guest Blog Series: Find Better Genealogy Results With Abbreviations

Kenneth R. Marks is the founder of The Ancestor Hunt, a comprehensive resource dedicated to assisting individuals in the exploration and discovery of their ancestry and family history. With a passion for genealogy that shines through his meticulous work, Marks has transformed The Ancestor Hunt into a cornerstone for amateur and experienced genealogists. We are […]

The Importance of Consolidating Your Digital Archive Collection into a Community History Archive

Having all of your digital content in one spot creates a holistic view of your community’s past. The Community History Archives platform was designed to provide your community with a freely searchable archive that has no reoccurring fees.   Accessible and Searchable One of the most significant benefits of consolidating your digital archives into a […]

Preserving Memories and Enhancing Research: The Importance of Digitizing School Newspapers

At Advantage Archives, we understand the profound value of community history. School newspapers, often an overlooked treasure, form a significant part of this rich tapestry. As we move further into the digital age, the need to preserve these documents becomes increasingly crucial. Here’s why digitizing your school newspapers not only safeguards your community’s history but […]

Unearthing the Distinction: Graveyards vs. Cemeteries

Genealogy has been an important pursuit for centuries. One of the key sources for genealogy research has been church records, which often include information on births, marriages, and deaths. These records have been critical in helping people trace their family histories and understand their place in the world.

Church Records: The Importance of Access

Genealogy has been an important pursuit for centuries. One of the key sources for genealogy research has been church records, which often include information on births, marriages, and deaths. These records have been critical in helping people trace their family histories and understand their place in the world.

Preservation Is Every Bit As Important As Access

  Preservation Is Every Bit As Important As Access Digitizing your microfilm holdings and other documents of historical interest will unlock history by bringing it out of the drawer and putting it at your fingertips. However, access is only ½ the equation. Before you embark on a digitization project, you need to evaluate the risk […]

Planning To Digitize? Use A “3 Legged Stool”

Planning To Digitize? Use A “3 Legged Stool” When evaluating how to approach making your microfilm or other historical printed content available digitally, plan for the best balance of quality and quantity that allows you to maximize the available funds, We all know that preserving our cultural heritage often falls to local communities and groups, […]

Microfilm At War: From Communication To Preservation

Microfilm At War: From Communication To Preservation Before email, there was V-Mail, and before that… pigeons, and eventually spies…and even pigeon spies. Today, microfilm is the unanimously agreed upon “preservation medium” for archivists around the world, but did you know about its storied military career? When you hear the word “microfilm”, I am guessing you […]

Making Old Newspapers Searchable: Microfilm & OCR

The Paper Problem: With the newfound ability to assemble content and produce pages quickly and efficiently, existing papers increased their circulation numbers substantially. The demand for the paper on which to print the news inevitably grew as well. This created a need to use a less expensive paper stock to match the increased production rates. […]

Making Old Newspapers Searchable: The History of Printing

Until the first part of the 19th century, the composition and typesetting were accomplished by painstakingly placing each individual letter into a “galley” by hand. The galleys were then placed into a “chase” that was the size of the final page. Since each letter was placed individually, there was no method for standardization or uniformity.If […]

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