Atlanta, GA, — July 15, 2010 — LYRASIS partners with Creekside Digital, specialists in document digitization, to address members’ needs for expanded microfilm scanning services.

LYRASIS’ Mass Digitization Collaborative enables members to digitize books, serials, and newspapers for a low fee. Initially, the focus of the Collaborative was providing book scanning options. Now, in response to increased requests for scanning newspapers and books on microfilm, LYRASIS is broadening its focus and digital partnerships to afford members extended microfilm scanning services, in addition to optional encoding services. “We are thrilled by the opportunity to offer our preservation-quality microfilm scanning services to LYRASIS members through the Mass Digitization Collaborative,” said Jim Studnicki, President, Creekside Digital.

“While we will continue to leverage the expertise of The Internet Archive for book scanning, our partnership with Creekside Digital enables us to provide affordable, high-quality microfilm scanning and related text encoding services that follow relevant standards, such as the National Digital Newspaper Program guidelines,” commented Robin Dale, Director of Digital & Preservation Services.

LYRASIS member, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) participated in a pilot project to ensure member satisfaction with Creekside Digital’s conversion services. “We are working with Creekside Digital to digitize a collection of microfilmed Indianapolis newspapers. The project is not yet complete, but thus far their services have far exceeded our expectations, when it comes to communication and quality of work. We have received samples of the microfilm and we are satisfied with the results. Creekside Digital has gone above and beyond to address our questions about microfilming and the digitization process,” said Jenny Johnson, Digital Initiatives Project Coordinator, IUPUI University Library.

About Creekside Digital
Founded in 2006, Creekside Digital specializes in providing archival-quality digitization of microfilm as well as bound and oversized books, newspapers, and documents and manuscripts. For more information, please visit www.creeksidedigital.com.

About LYRASIS
Created in April 2009 by the merger of PALINET and SOLINET and joined shortly thereafter by NELINET, LYRASIS is the nation's largest regional membership organization serving libraries and information professionals - providing opportunities for networking and collaboration, offering innovative solutions, and significant cost savings through group purchasing for products and services. For more information, please visit www.lyrasis.org.