What the 2020 Plan States: “Digitization Lab: Develop a full-scale, full-time Digitization Lab, in which library personnel digitize materials and objects on a daily basis, and also offer high-end digitization services to users and allied groups.”

What’s Happening: The Digitization Lab is now fully in operation with two oversize scanners (one of which can also scan transparencies up to 12.2” x 16.5”), one full-size scanner that can also scan transparencies, a document scanner, a 360-degree photo capture unit, a station for audio cassette digitization, and an upcoming station for VHS tape digitization, funded through a Summer Innovation grant.  Over 2.5 FTE employees work in the lab, along with several student assistants.  Current projects include the McCann Ozarks Folk Music Collection, the Oscar Carter Collection, the Route 66 Oral History Collection, the OzarksWatch Magazine Collection, the Missouri State University Historical Photograph Collection, the Cheryl Burnett Lady Bears VHS Collection, the Milton Rafferty Slide Collection, and the “Country Classics: Stories Behind the Songs” Collection. The lab is working with a multitude of formats, including audio cassette tapes, glass plate and film negatives, 35 mm slides, VHS tapes, documents, printed photos, and more.