This chapter discusses the experiences of creating a medium-sized
digital collection of the earliest photographs from Colorado State
University’s Historic Photograph Collection. The entire collection of
500,000 photographs chronicles the history of Colorado State
University, the city of Fort Collins, and Rocky Mountain National
Park. Digitizing the first phase of this vast collection included
capturing 5500 images from glass plate negatives, 750 images from
magic lantern slides, and 7500 images from gelatin nitrate prints.
These formats were chosen because they are the oldest and most
fragile. The project was not without challenges, including utilizing
untrained staff and students, coping with equipment problems, and
creating avenues of communication to more than 40 people involved
in the creation of the collection. This chapter will discuss these
challenges and how we worked to resolve them.