Digital Preservation and Access of Agricultural Materials

Historians and researchers depend on institutions to preserve the records and documents of the past. As the land-grant institution, Colorado State University (CSU) joined in a national, multi-phase National-Endowment-for-the-Humanities-supported grant project to identify and preserve significant materials documenting the history of the agricultural and rural life of the state. This article outlines the history of the grant project, details the challenges and successes of the digitization phase at Colorado State University Libraries, provides usage statistics, and offers a basis for emulation by other institutions by providing an example of a successful preservation and digitization project at a large public university.