Programs and Initiatives

DCAPS administers several programs and initiatives that support of preservation and access of digital collections for teaching and research. Programs and initiatives currently include:

Cornell University Library Digital Collections Program

The Digital Collections Program aims to support collaborative and creative use of resources through the creation of digital content of enduring value to the Cornell community and scholarship at large. The application process does not require any expertise — all you need is a good idea as the Library’s visual resources team will guide you through the process. See our project archive.

Cornell University Library Preservation Initiative

Digital Consulting & Production Services, in partnership with CIT and other Cornell stakeholders, led an effort to determine audiovisual preservation needs campus-wide. Cornell University has vast holdings of unique audio and video assets vital to its mission “to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge…” These include lectures by luminary figures (Nobel laureates, heads of state, writers, artists and more) as well as original source recordings essential to research in biology, linguistics, art and beyond. The results can be found in the final report (PDF). If you have audiovisual collections and materials that need preservation support, please contact dcaps@cornell.edu.

For more information, please read the AV Initiative FAQ

Digital Preservation Fund (internal)

The Digital Preservation Fund will be available to selectors and curators to digitize items from their collections that are unique and at risk — rare, fragile, deteriorating, or frequently requested by faculty, staff and library patrons. The fund is primarily intended for the preservation of important content. Projects may be done in-house or outsourced, depending on the nature of the material. For questions about the fund, or to apply, please contact dcaps@cornell.edu. See past Digital Preservation awards.