Federal agencies digitization guidelines initiative

The Web site for the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative recently became publicly accessible . The initiative is intended to establish a common set of guidelines for digitizing historical materials. The initiative has 2 working groups: the Still Image Working Group will focus its efforts on books, manuscripts, maps, and photographic prints and negatives and the Audio-Visual Working Group will address standards and practices for sound, video, and motion picture film. Participants include the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art, the National Technical Information Service, the Smithsonian, the U.S.G.S. the GPO, Voice of America and others. A press release providing additional information is available.