The MHPI Program
Any organization in Maine can take part in the MHPI as long as they have the following:
Access to a collection related to Maine history.
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A group of eager volunteers (or staff, interns, etc.) that are each able to contribute a few hours a week to the project.
- A facility that can host the collection and the equipment safely along with heat, electricity, and a restroom.
If that is your organization, here is what we will do:
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MHPI will deliver the equipment to your facility and provide on-site training to the people who will be operating it. Printed instructions and free telephone support are also provided.
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MHPI will also help your organization set up its own account on the Maine Memory Network (www.mainememory.net) so that you can upload your images and descriptions to this Web-based collection, making them available to anyone in the world with access to the Internet.
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A few months (?) later, when your collection is digitized, MHPI will pick up the equipment and deliver it to the next organization.
Cost: None. However, we do ask that organizations who are able to do so consider a donation to our "replace and repair" fund so that we can keep the equipment operating and up-to-date considering the heavy wear and tear it will endure. Such a donation will help ensure that other groups will also be able to take advantage of the program in years to come.
The digitizing equipment for archival collections is easier and faster than for museums since nearly all of the items to be scanned are flat and few if any camera adjustments are required from item to item.
Museums collections, on the other hand, include a wide variety of items such as paper documents, wall maps, and three-dimensional objects that can vary widely in size and shape. Because of this variation, the equipment must be more versatile, but this versatility slows the process a bit since the settings often need to be adjusted for each item.
For an explanation of the museum equipment available and currently in use, click here. |
