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MPLA archives going digital
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Posted on Sep 11 2004
The Marianas Public Lands Authority is going digital to boost its archiving system.
Warren Villagomez, manager of the MPLA archiving division, said the agency is now reviewing proposals from various individuals and companies interested in providing digital imaging services to MPLA.
MPLA chair Ana Demapan-Castro said the winning proposer will provide MPLA the computer program, but the agency’s personnel will eventually take over the archiving system.
The project entails the conversion of MPLA’s paper, photographic, and other physical materials into digital format. These would include maps, titles, and board meeting records, among other things.
Additional documents on the selection of materials for digitization, the process of describing and indexing the digitized materials, and digital library access mechanisms are also being planned.
MPLA noted that digital imaging allows identical reproduction quality from copy to copy. Other advantages are that digital images are easily linked to textual descriptions and catalog records, and can be manipulated easily as opposed to photographic means. Further, access to documents is greatly improved via standard Internet technologies and through other similar applications.
“In this day and age, the board finds an immediate urgency in preserving MPLA’s files and maps by using today’s advanced technologies. Many of our office’s files and maps have deteriorated over the years,” Demapan-Castro said. “However, with digital images, such will not deteriorate physically or chemically over time.”
About $25,000 has been allocated for the digital archiving project, she said.
The RFP was issued on June 11, following the unanimous approval by the MPLA board of directors of the creation of an archiving division that would take charge and facilitate the entire project, as well as maintain and digitize the agency’s future files and maps.
