Indiana county digitizing records for safekeeping

To document the rich history of the United States, many lawmakers are taking the steps to store formerly hand-recorded records on computers. This can ensure the files will remain intact in the event of a disaster, either manmade or natural, and enable easier information management.

In Marshall County, Indiana, county commissioners have decided to store older files on computers, according to ABC-57 News. A lot of the most important county records, including maps and documentation of official appointments, were written on simple pieces of paper, the source indicated, while others were recorded on wolf pelts.

"We really do have a duty to preserve the integrity and history of Marshall County," Penny Lukenbill, the Marshall County Auditor, told ABC-57. As such, $50,000 was set aside to move the files to the computer and publish them on websites to allow citizens to access them for research.

The National Archives and Records Administration explained record scanning is often a lucrative move for local governments, as they would not have to spend money and manpower reproducing and mailing records out to those who request them. 

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