Special Aspects of Digitization for Archiving and Preservation

This paper describes a pilot project done by the National Informatics Centre, Bangalore, under the guidance of the Secretary, Kannada and Culture Department, to digitize the collection of information source materials available with the State Archives, Gazetteer and Archaeology Departments. The Historical Records Section (HRS) in the Archives Department houses documents in various sizes, dating from the 18^th century, in the form of files, folders, maps, manuscripts etc., in Kannada, English, Konkani and other languages. Many of the documents are hand written Karnataka Gazetteer Department publishes District Gazettes in Kannada and English. Single copies of some gazettes dating back to pre-Independence days have to be preserved for posterity. District gazettes contain authentic information are frequently referred to by the Government. Archaeology Department has many museums, archaeological sites, monuments etc. under its control, showcasing Kamataka's rich heritage of art and culture, as priceless treasures in stone, wood, metal etc. For the pilot project covering all Departments, the creation of catalogues with digitization using current technology is discussed. Issues and challenges faced are mentioned. Future projects and the impact of the digitization and creation of information systems are briefly discussed.