PROJECT ALEXANDRIA

We are surveying the history of science and technology, with a particular focus on materials that have not yet been digitized.

Our premise is that advances in science and technology may make ideas from the historical record newly relevant or actionable. We are supporting a large-scale effort to identify and digitize these materials across major libraries and archives, with the broader goal of filling gaps in the digital historical record.

We are especially interested in materials that exist only on paper, microfilm, microfiche, photographic media, or in partially indexed archival collections.

• History of science and engineering
• Computing and information technology
• Mathematics and theoretical work
• Medicine, biology, and scientific instrumentation
• Industrial research and technical development
• Technical reports, proceedings, notebooks, drawings, and correspondence
• Microfilm and microfiche collections not available online

We are trying to understand:

• What is cataloged today but has never been digitized?
• What remains only partially indexed or described?
• Which collections are discoverable only through finding aids, card catalogs, local systems, or staff knowledge?
• How are non-digitized microform holdings represented in existing catalogs?
• How could we systematically map the full corpus of relevant non-digitized material?

We would like to speak with catalogers, archivists, librarians, curators, and researchers who know these collections well.

If you work with relevant collections, or can help us understand how your institution identifies and indexes non-digitized holdings, please fill out this form.