By Katie Coyne, The Bookseller
Corbis has opened a new facility
outside Paris that houses an archive of 50 million images.
The Sygma Preservation and Access Facility can be used by
publishers, photographers, researchers, iconographers, historians
and others who work in creative industries.
The Sygma collection documents historical world figures and
events and comprises nine separate collections from the second half
of the 20th century. The 1950s and 1960s imagery includes
photography from Apis, Universal Photo, Interpress, Spitzer,
Reporter Associés and other agencies.
Collections from the 1970s and beyond include the
photojournalism, news, magazines, celebrities and portraits from
the Sygma photo agency, as well as television and movie set imagery
from Kipa, and sporting events from Tempsport.
A dedicated team of archivists at Corbis have been reorganizing
the collection since 2004 and have contacted more than 10,000
contributors. Henry Wilhelm, an expert in long-term
preservation of photographs, advised the project and Locarchives
designed the preservation facility in Garnay.
In a press release announcing the opening of the facility,
Wilhelm said, "If the collection had remained in the uncontrolled,
room-temperature conditions where it had been kept for so many
years, it would have perished before the end of this century."
The 8,600-square-foot facility opened on Friday following five
years' work and features approximately 4.3 miles of shelving in a
temperature and humidity-controlled, airtight environment.
Source: The Bookseller
Related link
Corbis press release
Related story
Feb. 23, 2007: Corbis Finds Home for Sygma Archive
Corbis Completes Move of Sygma Archive
May 20, 2009
By Katie Coyne, The Bookseller
Corbis has opened a new facility outside Paris that houses an archive of 50 million images.
The Sygma Preservation and Access Facility can be used by publishers, photographers, researchers, iconographers, historians and others who work in creative industries.
The Sygma collection documents historical world figures and events and comprises nine separate collections from the second half of the 20th century. The 1950s and 1960s imagery includes photography from Apis, Universal Photo, Interpress, Spitzer, Reporter Associés and other agencies.
Collections from the 1970s and beyond include the photojournalism, news, magazines, celebrities and portraits from the Sygma photo agency, as well as television and movie set imagery from Kipa, and sporting events from Tempsport.
A dedicated team of archivists at Corbis have been reorganizing the collection since 2004 and have contacted more than 10,000 contributors. Henry Wilhelm, an expert in long-term preservation of photographs, advised the project and Locarchives designed the preservation facility in Garnay.
In a press release announcing the opening of the facility, Wilhelm said, "If the collection had remained in the uncontrolled, room-temperature conditions where it had been kept for so many years, it would have perished before the end of this century."
The 8,600-square-foot facility opened on Friday following five years' work and features approximately 4.3 miles of shelving in a temperature and humidity-controlled, airtight environment.
Source: The Bookseller
Related link
Corbis press release
Related story
Feb. 23, 2007: Corbis Finds Home for Sygma Archive
