DESIDOC Bulletin of Information Technology , Vol. 25, No.1, January 2005, pp.

19-26
© 2005, DESIDOC

Securing the Future of Information: Digitisation and

Preservation of Documents in e-Format
Alka Bansal, Vinod Kumari, Ashok Kumar, and
Dr Mohinder Singh

Abstract
Computers waved a (magic) wand and the whole process creation, access,
delivery and preservation of information changed for the literary, scholarly,
artistic, scientific and domestic community. Computers transformed the analogue
world in to the digital world of 0 and 1. Digitisation came as a most wonderful and
welcome tool in hands of libraries, museums, archives, societies, publishers, and
others for preserving billions of paper/analogue documents in digital format for
retaining their original look as well as with a point of view of their future relevance
and potential. Preservation is the activity of protecting something from loss or
danger. Digital preservation includes the preservation of print and non print
material in digitised form for effective, efficient and purposeful use.

Any library can’t digitise all its resources. What should it do? What should it
preserve? Why should and for whom should it preserve? How this ever changing
digitisation scenario is putting a pressure on librarians/archivists, etc. This paper
is making an attempt to seek answers to these questions. This paper also
explores the concept of preservation by digitisation, the need of digital
preservation, and the problems of digital preservation. How digital preservation
activities are being carried out by DESIDOC for its publications: Defence Science
Journal, DESIDOC Bulletin of Information Technology, PST Series, etc., are
described. A detailed case study of development of database of negatives of
photographs taken at various events, being developed by DESIDOC by use of
various software like MS Access, Corel Draw, PhotoShop, etc., is discussed.

1. INTRODUCTION advancement - a change for the better; and

for progress in development. Digital
History is the conscience of our present preservation includes the preservation of print
society. Those who fail to understand the past and non print material in digitised form for
may repeat its errors. These are good effective, efficient and purposeful use.
justifications for preserving historic sites and
monuments. As far as documentation and We have come a long way from
desktop publishing is concerned the ‘preservation or retrieval’ to ‘preservation for
computers make it easier to create, edit, retrieval’. ‘Preservation or retrieval’ was a
preserve and finally retrieve records of our phase when books were chained and kept in
intellectual. locked shelves to preserve them from loss,
damage, theft, fire, etc. Then came the time
Preservation is the activity of protecting when the concept of ‘use by all’ came in.
something from loss or danger. Preservation Books were no longer chained in. But they
can be done for betterment, improvement,
DESIDOC Bulletin of Inf Technol, 2005, 25(1) 19
were not all that secure, or fully utilised, § To store cultural/intellectual heritage
because the libraries still have not many § To make it accessible throughout the world
copies of those books which could satisfy
their readers or were theft-proof. Twenty § To retain the content and format of the
years ago, paper filing and capturing document
documents on film were common § To store from the point of view of their
preservation methods. Computers came and contemporary relevance and potential
suddenly changed the world of libraries, not
§ Capability to digitise the analogue records
only in terms of information access by means
is there
of computerised cataloguing but also full text
was being made available on the desktop. § Media can stay longer
Desktop computers have enabled the § Retrieval is easier.
capture, processing and dissemination of
much more information than was ever 3. PROBLEMS WITH DIGITAL
possible. In this form the documents were
PRESERVATION
considered not only secure as their original
version could not be changed, but also the § Different digitisation groups use different
retrieval was easy, fast and efficient. It was formats for preservation
called ‘preservation for retrieval’. § Different documents are dependent on
Now the question arises why should a software used to create them
librarian digitally preserve material. What will § A platform independent version is required
happen if every library starts conversion and for retrieval by all
preservation of all its material in digitised
form. Is it possible? If yes, will it be worth the § Sharing of these documents at different
platforms is difficult
effort, the labour, the cost and the time? Why
should a library preserve something that is § It is useful to store documents in a format
accessible at some other place with 24X7 that can download from the internet for
availability, even if it owns those resources large use, hence browsing through internet
(for example should it digitise the back capability should be there.
volumes of journals). In our view it should be § Technology used today may become
the responsibility of the publishing agency to obsolete tomorrow.
take care of it, i.e., digitise them and make
them available at a lower cost or at no cost to 4. BEGINNING A DIGITISATION
libraries because they will have the necessary PROJECT
infrastructure for conversion and it will be
used continuously. That way they can Any digitisation project will require careful
maintain standards in their products, hence planning, designing, implementation, and
1
uniformity will be maintained. In a way, evaluation. Paul Conway describes what
libraries’ efforts to digitise will be saved and decisions are to be taken while preserving of
publishers who by and large depend on documents.
libraries for their sale will have libraries
4.1 Why Digitise and Preserve
dependent on them even for future.
There must be a clarity regarding why
2. NEED OF DIGITAL libraries want to digitise and preserve
PRESERVATION material. May be accessibility to other
sources/services is a long term solution than
§ To maintain the look and feel of the original
investing its own resources which are
record manpower, machine, money, time, etc.
§ To update the document
The library has to consider the aspect if it
§ To make use of the record later on wants to market the digitised product or just
for free use by all or by its own users. The
20 DESIDOC Bulletin of Inf Technol, 2005, 25 (1)
library has to consider the purpose of which will lead to direct visualisation and
conversion of its collection in digitised format recognition of photographs. A detailed
such as—social cause i.e., providing description has been given in detail later on.
information free of cost; for making money by
marketing; to save duplication of efforts; to 4.4 How to Digitise and Make
help others to create their own products; or to Access?
up date the product.
Careful studies, and experience is
4.2 For Whom to Digitise and required for conversion and preservation of
material. The following points are to be
Preserve? considered while digitising and preservation:
Library has to decide who is the target
§ What equipments are to be used?
audience? For example DESIDOC digitises
and maintains a full text database of defence § Which software is needed?
related newspaper clippings which is § What standards are to be followed?
operational on DRONA (an intranet of DRDO)
for use of its scientists. News items and § What is life expectancy of storage media
editorial from 17 Indian newspapers published and access media.
in English and Hindi language are covered in As the storage media and access software
this database. Clippings database is updated can become obsolete with time and
daily online. A total of 2049 clippings were advancement in storage and communication
added in the year 2004. technology, decisions regarding the longeivity,
Library also has to take a consideration and capability of the media is to be taken care
regarding patrons’ change in preferences and of.
will the preserved documents be useful for
those other than target audience? 4.5 How Long to Preserve?
The project team has to decide the
4.3 What to Digitise and Preserve? duration of use of the digitised information
Not all the information/documents are whether it is for long-term (access to digital
needed to be digitised or can be digitised information indefinitely) or medium-term
which are available in the library. Selection (access to digital materials beyond changes
regarding the right content for the right user at in technology for a defined period) or
the right time is must and it includes defining short-term (access to digital materials either
value of information to be digitised, for a defined period of time while use is
recognizing it, and then deciding to address predicted but which does not extend beyond
its preservation needs in most appropriate the foreseeable future and/or until it becomes
way justifying the cost of a inaccessible because of changes in
2
migration/conversion. technology).
Librarians and archivists have to choose As we know a chain is as strong as its
which books, articles, photographs, films, and weekest link. Quality control in reproduction
other materials are to be converted from from printed to digitsed media largely
paper or film into digital form. Decisions depends on the limitations of
regarding the continuing value of digital files, capture-and-display technology. The primary
with future storage and access systems are to goal of preservation quality is to capture as
be taken by project leaders. For example much intellectual and visual content as is
DESIDOC has taken an initiative to convert technically possible and then present that
the negative of photographs of scientific and content to readers in ways most appropriate
technical tests and experiments done by to their needs. The organisation of the
DRDO, technology products, award content in a digital document must take full
ceremonies of DRDO, and various other advantage of its capablities and make the
events/ceremonies in to digitised images search of information for users easier. During
DESIDOC Bulletin of Inf Technol, 2005, 25(1) 21
conversion it is must to make sure that files an important activity of DESIDOC for
are not altered accidentally or intentionally. publishing these regular as well as special
Responsibility to create and maintain publications of DRDO.
structural indexes and bibliographic linkages
within well developed and well understood 5.1 Defence Science Journal
database standards to be shared across A full text database of the articles
platforms, systems, and international
published in Defence Science Journal has
boundaries is on the shoulders of the project been developed which is the first in house
team which ensure access to a preserved developed full text database of a premier
item or collection. DRDO publication which provides value
4.6 Who Will Preserve? added searches like author, title, keyword,
etc. The database covers areas of Defence,
Many people in an institution fulfill many Military technology, Electronics, Food
roles. An organisation has to identifying who Science, Physiology, Nuclear Medicine,
can control which facet of digital technology, Psychology, etc. The articles can be
and which trends can be influenced and by accessed by a large number of users via
whom. DRONA (DRDO Rapid Online Network
Access). The database is also available on
5. EFFORTS OF DESIDOC CD along with user friendly retrieval software.
TOWARDS DIGITISATION
Development of digital libraries has
5.2 Popular Science and
changed the way the traditional libraries Technology (PST) Series
operate. The main focus of the libraries has Full text of thirteen volumes of PST series
shifted to making the full text of information published by DESIDOC, are digitised, edited
available at the desktop of the users. and redesigned to convert it into hypertext.
DESIDOC has initiated the process of The complete series is transformed into
developing ‘Digital Library’ and undertaken a e-book form and is available on CD.
number of activities. Digitised versions of
full-text of Defence Science Journal 5.3 Digitisation of DESIDOC
(1950-2004); Newspaper Clippings Service
Patrika (2000-2004); DRDO Science Bulletin of Information
Spectrum 2004; Popular Science & Technology
Technology Series (13 issues) were DESIDOC has made efforts to digitise the
developed. full text of the papers included in each issue
DESIDOC, being a central publication of DESIDOC Bulletin of Information
agency of DRDO brings out large number of Technology (DBIT) for uploading on DRONA
regular and special publications to (Intranet of DRDO) and on internet site (as
disseminate current information on various per policy). The typesetting of the text of DBIT
research and development activities being is being done using the Corel Ventura
carried out by various DRDO labs/estts to the Software. It supports the html formatting.
outside world. Following steps are taken for each chapter of
each issue to make html file or pdf file and
The regular publications, such as Defence
upload on internet and DRONA.
Science Journal, Technology Focus,
DESIDOC Bulletin of Information Technology, 5.3.1 How to publish to HTML
DRDO Newsletter and DRDO Samachar have
Corel VENTURA lets automatically map its
undergone various changes in terms of
tags to HTML tags. To publish to HTML the
coverage, quality and timeliness. Large
following steps are to be followed:
number of special publications were also
brought out to meet occasional needs of the 1. Open ventura file, Click File, Publish As,
labs/estts and DRDO HQrs. Digital printing is HTML.
22 DESIDOC Bulletin of Inf Technol, 2005, 25 (1)
2 . Type location where to save the HTML
file and name it in Main HTML Document text
box.
3 . Specify the range of the publication for
conversion:
m Publication
m Current Chapter
4 . Enable the Launch Browser check box to
open browser
5. Click the Publish button.
We can create a hyperlink within Figure 2. Creating a prn file
publication to link to another part of
publication or to link to another document on
the web. If we are creating a hyperlink to
another part of the same ventura publication,
then we need to create a marker. A marker
acts as a target for the hyperlink. We can
insert the same marker in different locations
in our publication.
5.3.2 Creating a pdf File of Full Text of
DBIT
PDF files can be downloaded, viewed, and
printed from several different platforms with
the page layout and typography of the original
document intact. First of all a prn file of a
paper (figure 1) is created using ventura Figure [Link] a pdf file
software (figure 2) since we are using ventura
for publishing the DBIT.
Then adobe distiller software (figure 3) is
used to create the pdf file. Figure 4 shows the
pdf view of the paper. Then the files are
uploaded on internet and DRONA.

Figure 4. pdf file of the paper

5.3.3 Creating an HTML File from
PageMaker File
PageMaker creates HTML pages using a
subset of the style tags available in the 3.2
version of the HTML specification; it exports
some but not all browser-specific tags such
Figure 1. Paper of DBIT in Ventura software as Netscape Navigator extensions to HTML.
DESIDOC Bulletin of Inf Technol, 2005, 25(1) 23
 HTML uses a limited set of named text 5.3.4 Creating pdf File from
formats which are conceptually similar to PageMaker Document
paragraph styles. PageMaker automatically
PDF files can be viewed in web browsers
converts copies of imported graphics
using the Acrobat Reader 3.0 plug-in. To
(whether inline or independent) to GIF or
change PDF options:
JPEG. Shapes drawn with PageMaker
drawing tools are not exported, with the 1 In the Export Adobe PDF dialog box,
exception of horizontal lines which become click PDF Options.
horizontal rules in HTML. 2 If a table of contents, an index, or
Page Layout: Using HTML tables, hyperlinks etc., are included in a PageMaker
PageMaker can approximate multi-column document, we can set options in the
page design, including elements outside Hyperlinks section as follows:
margins, text and graphics that span columns, m Select Preserve Table of Contents links
and text wrapping around graphics. to add a hypertext link between each
To assign a page as an HTML page: entry in the table of contents and the
page to which the entry refers.
1 Choose File > Export > HTML.
m Select Preserve Index Links to add a
2 In the HTML Export dialog box, click hypertext link between each entry in the
New. index and the page to which the entry
3 Enter a document title refers.
4 Select Assign PageMaker Pages to (For the Destination Magnification option,
define a page or range of pages to be select an option from each pop-up menu to
exported as HTML tell Acrobat at which magnification and
position it should show a page when opened
5 Click Done and return to the HTML
by a hypertext link from a table of contents,
Export dialog box
index entry, or internal hyperlink)
6 Click Document, and do the following:
m Select Preserve External Links to
m Navigate to the location where to store include the hyperlinks you specified to
the HTML document to and Name the external URLs—that is, to destinations
document. outside the current publication or booked
m Select Save Images into This Folder to publications. This option is unavailable if
include images from the publication you did not define this kind of hyperlink in
7 Click OK. At this point we are only the current publication or booked
defining a target location, not actually saving publication.
the HTML document. 3 If we have created a TOC or index in
8 To open the HTML document (once the PageMaker document, we can set options of
Bookmarks.
export process is complete) in a web browser
or HTML editing application such as Adobe 4 Click OK and pdf file will be created.
PageMill, click View HTML. Then click the
Application icon to open a dialog box to 5.4 Digitisation of Negatives of
specify which browser or HTML editor to use Photographs
to open the exported HTML file. The As we have earlier discussed the
application selected will open automatically negatives of the photographs taken at
when the export process is complete.
different occasions at various DRDO Labs
9 To generate the HTML, click Export and hqrs are being digitised and a database
HTML; otherwise, click Done. is created and maintained at DESIDOC. The
procedure being followed is discussed below:

24 DESIDOC Bulletin of Inf Technol, 2005, 25 (1)

(a) First of all the negatives are scanned with
the help of Umax scanner and Magicscan
software (figure 5 & 6)

Figure 6. Setting for scanning of

negatives
technology, tech test, person, etc.),
Figure 5. Scanning of negatives thumbnail image, negative number,
placement of negative, type of photograph
(digital, 35 mm, 70 mm), name and rank of
(b) Each negative gets converted into a digital
person in the photograph, date on which
image which is visible on screen and a
photograph is taken, venue where the
unique classification number is given to
photograph is clicked, album no., file name,
each of these digital images which has an
CD number, key words, etc., are created in
identification with the corresponding
the database. Each record contains a
negative of that photograph. Each image is
thumbnail image which by clicking gives the
improved/edited using Adobe Photoshop
original size of the photograph (a
software.
hyperlinking facility is provided) alongwith
(c) A database has been created using MS complete information regarding the event
Acess software (figure 7). Various fields through the fields mentioned above. Key
such as identification number, name of the word searching facility is included in the
laboratory, event, category (function,

Figure 7. Database of negatives images

DESIDOC Bulletin of Inf Technol, 2005, 25(1) 25

 database. Search can be performed from in use of technology. Not only conversion but
any of the fields. preservation is must which again requires
(d) Whenever a demand is received, a search deep knowledge and decision making
is performed then the original size of the regarding storage media, life expectancy of
photograph(s) can be seen and medium, file type for future use with such
photographs can be printed either digitally changes in digital scenario and integrity of
on photographic paper using printer or original documents. DESIDOC has taken an
through negatives in traditional way. initiative in this direction which is providing
fruitful results by serving its users.
5.5 Newspaper Clippings Database Though it has put lot of new
To keep the top management abreast of responsibilities on shoulders of us as library
latest developments that have relevance to and information professionals, it has
Defence R&D, defence technologies, defence transformed and improved our status and
policies, DESIDOC provides a daily improved our services and sources to better
newspaper clipping service. This service serve our patrons.
includes the scanning of Indian newspapers
and magazines. Clippings are selected, REFERENCE
marked and arranged on the following topics 1. Conway, Paul. The relevance of
of interest: Ministry of Defence, DRDO, preservation in a digital world.
National security and defence policy, science [Link]
& technology, International news, and other 2. Lynch, Clifford A. The integrity of digital
news items on defence science and information: Mechanics and definitional
technology. issues. Journal of the American Society
The clippings are also scanned and hosted for Information Science, 1994, 45,
on DRONA for online access by other DRDO 737-44.
labs/estts. This database contains 11,927 3. [Link]/craft/employ/capture/course/
records at present. Special issues are also course/[Link]
brought out.
4. Buckland, Michael K. Information as
6. CONCLUSION thing. Journal of the American Society for
Information Science, 1991, 42 , 351-60.
Digital products have made the life of
librarians easier as searching is faster and 5. [Link]
they require less storage area. Definitely the 6. Digital presentation: An introduction to
digital image conversion requires a lot of the standards issues surrounding the
efforts, understanding, and long standing deposit on non-print publications.
institutional commitment with the excellence [Link]/[Link]

Contributors: Smt. Alka Bansal , Sc ‘C’, Defence Scientific Informatgion and Documentation
Centre (DESIDOC), Metcalfe House, Delhi - 110 054
Smt. Vinod Kumari Sharma, Sc ‘E’, DESIDOC, Metcalfe House, Delhi - 110
054
Sh. Ashok Kumar, Sc ‘E’, DESIDOC, Metcalfe House, Delhi - 110 054
Dr Mohinder Singh, Director, DESIDOC, Metcalfe House, Delhi - 110 054

26 DESIDOC Bulletin of Inf Technol, 2005, 25 (1)