Information Heritage

Cultural heritage is captured in books, photographs, music, and letters stored in museums and libraries around the world, yet many of these historical documents and cultural artifacts are at risk of disappearing. EMC is dedicated to supporting the efforts of organizations and individuals to preserve and protect these pieces of history.

Digitizing efforts not only prevent these pieces from disappearing, but often increases access for students, academics, and others who are interested in exploring these items. Since 2007, we have provided more than $20 million in products, services, and financial assistance for digital information heritage programs worldwide.

EMC Information Heritage Initiative

EMC's Information Heritage Initiative partners with cultural institutions to capture, store, and share digital images of their priceless collections. We offer financial assistance, hardware and software products, and technical expertise to help preserve the world's heritage and increase digital accessibility for research and education.

In 2011, we partnered with JPMorgan Chase and AT&T Business Solutions to support The King Center Imaging Project, a collaborative effort to digitize, preserve and share more than one million documents belonging to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These include copies of his most famous speeches, such as the “I Have a Dream” speech, his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, and correspondence such as a letter from Birmingham Jail.

The team created an educational website based on the comprehensive collection of Dr. King's papers and audio-visual materials and original documents from other notable civil rights figures and groups. EMC and AT&T donated technology and storage solutions, as well as advisory support. Two EMC employees from EMC’s Storage Managed Services group provide ongoing day-to-day management and support for the project. The King Center Imaging Project’s digitized archive, unveiled on January 16, 2012, is showcased on Center’s website at www.thekingcenter.org/archive.

EMC Heritage Trust Project

We recognize the importance of local preservation projects and, through the EMC Heritage Trust Project, support community-based digital curation efforts. The Project awards cash grants of $5,000 to $15,000 to local cultural institutions, archives, or private collections. New grants are awarded annually through an open application process. The 2011 grantees were:

• Organización Comunitaria Funcional (OCF) Londres 38, Chile
• The General Historic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile
• Tongji University Library – Shanghai, China
• C.B “Bud” Johnston Library, University of Western Ontario, Canada
• The George Boole Papers Digitization Project, Boole Library, University College Cork
• The “Kyrgyz Kitep Borboru” Project (Kyrgyz State Book Chamber), Kyrgyzstan
• The Crimean Tatar Library Preservation Project, Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine
• Aegis Trust of Rwanda

Beginning in 2012, the Heritage Trust Project will be showcased on EMC’s Facebook page, where applicants will submit their proposals. An internal group will judge all proposed projects and submit the seven finalists to the public who will then vote for the top three winners.