Universal Archive

What will we provide for the Archives?
An easy solution to displaying and generating revenue from their digitally held images.

• The ability to display their images in an individual room environment. Linked directly to the archive’s web site. Without the need to set up or overload their own website with the complexity of image display techniques.
• A service associated with the images which will include providing authorised hard copy of the images at full resolution or providing the images on CD in digital format. Universal Archives will place in storage the original full resolution image files on our off-line server. These will be used to generate prints or CD’s (with the archive’s advance authorisation).
• Software to prepare the images for inclusion with their collections which will enable text description and definition of an area to be used to show the full resolution.
• A mobile high resolution digital camera service with book handling facilities. Which will visit the archive and capture the required documents under the supervision of conservation. These images will then be placed in the collection.

What will the reader see?

• The site will be set up as an archive like environment with a central reception area for readers who have accessed the site via a general net inquiry. They can then navigate to the archive of their choice.
• From the archive’s own web site there will be a direct link to the individual room of the named archive. In this room will be a display of all of the images from the archive in thumbnail format. Selecting a thumbnail will then display a low resolution image. Further selection will call to screen a small area of the image in full resolution. The area used to demonstrate the full resolution can be defined using the preparation software, or left to Univeral Archives to select. Additionally at the thumbnail and reduced resolution stage the reader will be able to view the descriptive text alongside the image.
• The reader will then be able to access other rooms in the archive or place an order for an individual image, or a whole collection.

How will we achieve our aims?

• Universal Archives will need the inclusion initially of 5 archives to work with us on the layout of the site so that we can present an environment which is both achievable and adapted to the needs of the archives and the reader. If you are interested in participating in the creation of this resource please contact us by e mail at the address below.
• We intend to fund this resource by charging an annual fee to all archives with a room. This fee should be around £500 per annum. For this the archive will obtain a dedicated room with space for an initial 200 images, and our own easy to use preparation software. Updates to the room will be made from CDs and a fee of £1 per image will be charged.
• Revenue will be generated for the archives via hard copy and or CD. We anticipate that we will charge £45 per A1 print reducing for smaller sizes and £10 per image on CD. 50% of this revenue will be sent directly to the archive . These charges may be revised after consultation with the participating archives.

If you are interested in the development of this project and wish to be involved at the start, then we will offer a permanent discount of 25% on site charges after the first year. As it is vital that we cover our costs so that this can become a long term resource on the web.