Digitisation Policy

Reviewed and updated August 2023 

Approved by Steve Lloyd, Head of Cultural Services, 24 October 2023 

This document will be reviewed and updated in 2026 in line with the Archives Service Accreditation programme.

Lancashire Archives

Inspiring people and communities to explore their heritage; promoting and continuing to collect Lancashire's archives while preserving them for everyone to use and enjoy, now and in the future.

Digitisation Policy

1. Purpose of Policy

1.1 This policy forms part of the suite of policies relating specifically to the collections held by Lancashire Archives. It should be read in conjunction with the Collections Management Policy, which describes the statutory and legal basis for Lancashire Archives, the preservation and management of its collections, the framework of standards within which it operates and the code of ethics followed by staff caring for and working on the collections.

1.2 This policy explains in more detail the approach of Lancashire Archives to the digitisation of the archives in its care.

2. Aim of the policy

2.1 Lancashire Archives' digitisation programme aims to

  • ensure the long term preservation of archive collections which may be at risk due to physical degradation or technological obsolescence.
  • improve access to the archive collections for customers and potential customers in Lancashire and the rest of the world.
  • use the archive collections to inspire and assist learning and intellectual curiosity.
  • generate income for the service where possible and appropriate.

3. Approach to digitisation

3.1 There are three main types of digitisation activity

  • on-demand digitisation of specific archives to meet customer requests for copies, to provide access to at risk archive collections and for use in promotional and educational material.
  • planned in-house projects.
  • work with commercial partners on larger-scale initiatives.

3.2 Our Digital Plan identifies the archive collections or types of archives that we aim to digitise proactively, with an indication of whether this might be achieved in-house or would be better done by working with an external partner.

3.3 Where possible and appropriate, digital copies will be made from existing microform surrogates rather than from the original archives.

3.4 Intellectual property rights and the views of the depositors and owners of the archive collections will always be considered and respected.

4. In-house digitisation

4.1 Digitisation will be carried out by staff and volunteers who have been fully trained in the use of relevant equipment and software.

4.2 An unaltered master copy will be created in tiff or wav format.

4.3 Surrogate copies, typically in jpeg or mp3 format, will be derived from the master copy for the purpose of publication. Any enhancements or other changes will be made to surrogates only.

4.4 Master files will be stored on a networked drive, which is backed up each night, with access restricted to authorised Lancashire County Council staff.

5. Access

5.1 Digitisation on demand allows us to provide customers with copies of archives and to use images of archives in promotional and educational material.

5.2 Images resulting from in-house digitisation projects will be made freely available via LANCAT, Lancashire Archives' online catalogue.

5.3 Sound recordings resulting from in-house digitisation projects will be made freely available on the sound archive PC in our searchroom, and we will consider making them available via LANCAT where possible under Copyright and other Intellectual Property Rights.

5.4 When developing agreements with commercial partners where a charge for online access to the images will apply, we will always aim to secure free access for customers at Lancashire Archives and in Lancashire libraries.

6. Review

6.1 This policy will be reviewed every 3 years.