Who is eligible to apply for Digitize New York?
Any organization (e.g., historical society, church, town records office) that possesses records related to New York State. Individuals with New York-related records are also encouraged to apply.
Is there a cost to digitize a project under Digitize New York?
The NYG&B does not charge a fee for digitizing materials at our Digitization Center or for providing organizations with their own digitization kits. For organizations that request them, digitization kits are loaned to them at no cost.
How is this project funded?
The NYG&B is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This project is funded by grants and donations, including funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. If you or your organization are interested in supporting this project, please contact projects@nygbs.org.
Can I send my documents to the NYG&B for preservation directly?
Yes! If you are permitted to temporarily remove documents from their home, we will digitize them at our Digitization Center located at our headquarters in New York City.
What happens after I send my scanned images to the NYG&B?
Our team will examine your images and prepare them for processing using our LIMB editing software. We will then determine how best to integrate them into our online collections.
What is in an NYG&B digitization kit?
Digitization kits contain everything an organization needs to do on-site scanning, including a laptop computer, a Hover Cam camera, a monitor, and all the accessories included. Along with the materials, the NYG&B will provide training on how to use the kit, both by video and Zoom calls.
Who holds copyright after the documents are made available on the NYG&B’s website?
Your organization retains the copyright to all of your original materials. The NYG&B typically retains the rights to use the digital images.
Will my collection be made available to NYG&B members only?
As part of our agreement with an organization, the NYG&B will make digitized materials available as part of our online collections. Organizations can decide whether they want to make digitized records further accessible, which can include adding them to their own online collections.
If I’ve sent my records to the NYG&B’s Digitization Center for preservation, what happens to the physical records after the project has been completed?
Your records will be returned to you when the image capture phase is completed. The NYG&B is able to help re-home documents by request.
How is your project different from records found on sites like Ancestry and FamilySearch?
Digitize New York focuses on local record sets in need of preservation that have never before been digitized and are unlikely to have been preserved online elsewhere.
How can I participate with the NYG&B on a preservation project?
If you would like to participate in this initiative, please submit a project application request. For further questions, please contact DigitizeNY@nygbs.org.