NYG&B Digitization Kits

Some organizations hold records that must be preserved on-site at their own location and cannot be sent to an NYG&B Digitization Center. For example, they may have documents that are too fragile to travel or have access restrictions in place. For such materials, the NYG&B provides loaner digitization kits and training on how to use them— all at no cost to the participant—allowing Digitize New York partners to preserve documents right where they are located.

The Program

Organizations interested in receiving a kit must complete a Digitize New York application. Once a project is approved, a loaner kit is delivered to their location. The NYG&B team then provides organizational staff and volunteers with virtual training, recorded tutorials, and documentation to get started. In addition, the NYG&B offers ongoing support, including remote access to all kit equipment to easily review and assist in the preservation work. Partner organizations scan their own records at their own pace, with periodic check-ins with NYG&B staff.

Completed scans are then stored on an external hard drive, with a copy mailed back to the NYG&B for any further enhancing and processing of the images before they are published on the NYG&B website. Partners also retain a copy of all scanned materials for their own purposes. After the scanning project is completed, the NYG&B will arrange for the loaned kit to be returned.

The Equipment

Each kit contains everything needed to successfully scan historical records: