NEWPORT, R.I., May 6, 2009 — The Digital Ark has launched an e-commerce web site, The Digital Ark Store (http://www.TheDigitalArkStore.com), which offers online sales of historical and cultural images as archival prints and downloadable digital files. These images represent the vast and diverse visual collections of The Digital Ark's clients, which include museums, libraries, historical and preservation societies, photographers, artists, and educational institutions. Every purchase helps support these organizations and individuals in an ongoing effort to digitally preserve their collections and make them accessible to the public.
The Digital Ark Store allows customers to quickly and easily browse, search and purchase thousands of high-quality images of historical and cultural significance. Museum-quality archival prints can be shipped worldwide and are suitable for framing, interior design, gifts and exhibit display. Digital files are available for immediate download and can be used for advertising and for publication in print, multimedia, television, and film/video.
These images represent a sampling of the collections from the Steamship Historical Society of America (SSHSA), Newport Historical Society, Photography + Preservation Associates, as well as photographers including Billy Black, Brian Grogan and Bruce Doyle. The content ranges from architecture and landscapes to parades and events, from ships and trains to racecars and people, and from Newport County to locations around the world. They have been digitized from glass plate negatives, film, prints, maps, paintings, documents, and rare books. The imagery is continually growing in diversity as additional collections are digitized for new and existing clients.
The Steamship Historical Society believes their online digital archive is an example of how historical organizations are using new technologies to broaden their appeal. According to Matthew Schulte, Executive Director, "The world of traditional museums and libraries has changed. The Digital Ark is helping us to capitalize on Web 2.0 technological innovations and build upon Wiki collaborations. We can now provide new avenues to engage people online. Not only can the public view images online and add comments to assist in identifying unknown details, but also they can purchase images and help us fund the digitization of additional collections."
The Digital Ark has spent many years working with cutting-edge hardware and software technologies in high-resolution digital image capture, post-processing and customized database development. The Digital Ark serves as the steward of their clients' digital assets by providing cost-effective and sustainable solutions for digitally preserving and sharing collections online while also generating additional revenue streams. "Small to mid-sized cultural heritage institutions do not have the resources to hire and train staff, and purchase equipment required to maintain state-of-the-art digitizing facilities and manage the back-end technologies of online digital repositories," said Edward Coderre, President, The Digital Ark. "As a turnkey solution, our system greatly facilitates access to, management of and distribution of digital collections."
To browse and purchase images, visit: http://www.TheDigitalArkStore.com
CONTACT:
Diana Coderre
401.619.2258
Email
http://www.TheDigitalArk.com
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