Reformatting at Cornell has evolved over the past two decades. The Reformatting Unit now consists of only the Brittle Books Replacement operation.

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Microfilming

The microfilming segment of this unit was disbanded over a period of time during the 1990’s as digital imaging technology became the norm. The Reformatting Policy provides details about the process.  From 1987 to the mid-1990’s, the Preservation Unit actively pursued a program to microfilm the most significant and endangered parts of the Cornell University Library. These include Southeast Asian languages and history, Peruvian literature and history, British Rule in India, the Fiske Icelandic Collection, the Dante / Petrarch collections, the Witchcraft Collection, and Medical Archives (in New York city). Over 30,000 volumes were produced with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the New York State conservation program. Film is available to local partons and to researchers worldwide via interlibrary loan or purchase. All preparation and inspection of the microfilm took place in the reformatting unit. The actual filming was outsourced.  All national standards for production of preservation microfilm were followed.  The master (camera) negatives are stored at Iron Mountain/National Underground Storage Facility, the print negatives are stored at the Library Annex storage facility, and positive copies are held available in the various libraries.

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Digital Imaging

Cornell University Library’s, then Department of Preservation and Conservation, was a pioneer in the creation and management of digital images, and since early in 1990, has produced large numbers of digital images, conducted ground-breaking research, and been involved in several programs of education and training. In 2002, the Digital Consulting and Production Services (DCAPS) was formed into a separate unit by assembling a group of experts and appropriate equipment.DCAPS, is designed to plan, create, and manage digital resources on a cost-recovery basis. For example, several grant-funded projects were managed by the staff of DCAPS. Among the project completed so far are: the Samuel May Anti-Slavery Pamphlet Collection, the Collection of Political Americana, the Andrew D. White Architectural Photographs Collection, Historical Mathematics Monographs, the International Women’s Periodicals, and Project Euclid. DCAPS is concerned with: digitizing instructional and research materials; processing images including the conversion of images to text, reformatting files, creating archival and Web versions of images; obtaining copyright clearance; organizing digital resources; developing digital publications that are Web-accessible; devising metadata solutions.

More reformatting policies available.

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