Indiana University Libraries Film Archive Digitizes 197 Historic Educational Films, Now Available Online

From Indiana University:

From a woodchuck in doll clothes to a defense of the Korean War, 197 newly digitized films from the Indiana University Libraries’ educational film collection capture numerous aspects of American life from the 1940s through the 1980s. Covering topics as diverse as microbiology, filmmaking, pioneer life and drinking responsibly, these IU-produced 16mm films, originally intended as instructional materials, now offer a readily available primary source for historical and cultural insights. The films can be viewed online through digital streaming from the IU Libraries Film Archive.
[Clip]
The ongoing digitization project, which has prioritized 16mm films at the greatest risk for deterioration, has invested several years and more than $35,000 in preserving these historical films in digital format. The IU Digital Library Program has now made these films available to the public and searchable through an online interface. Drop-down menus describe featured topics, places, creators, genres and years of production, while a search function scans film titles and descriptions for keywords.
[Clip]
The IU Libraries Film Archive will continue to digitize films from its collections of more than 55,000 film reels. The archive contains one of the most extensive collections of historic educational films in existence, with more than 48,000 films intended for classroom use. The archive also houses the Bradley Film Collection, one of the largest personal film collections ever assembled, several films of which have also been digitized by the IU Libraries.

Access the Collection
Read the Complete Article

Filed under: Digital Collections, Digital Preservation, Interactive Tools, Libraries, News