Record what is known
A useful catalogue entry distinguishes a confirmed title, creator and date from an estimate or an unknown. It records the holding institution and the source of the description. Do not fill gaps with attractive guesses. Future readers need to know which details are established and which still require research.
Respect the custodian's conditions
Digitisation does not automatically make material free to reproduce. Ask the responsible institution about permissions, cultural sensitivities and access restrictions. Some material may be appropriate for supervised research rather than unrestricted publication. A project should make those conditions clear before it invites people to download or share files.
Plan for continued access
Agree on file storage, backups, descriptive records and who will maintain them. UNESCO's Memory of the World programme offers a starting point for learning about documentary heritage. For a local project, work with qualified custodians and conservators rather than treating a quick upload as a complete preservation strategy.
