Scanathon

A Scanathon is an event the purpose of which is to preserve family photos by scanning them.

The purpose of the scanathon was to test new archival tools for ‘digitisation on demand’ developed as part of the READ project (Recognition and Enrichment of Archival Documents), funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Recently, 56a have attempted to address this through “scanathon” events to digitize and preserve the collection online, as well as building relationships with more formal institutions such as the MayDay Rooms, who describe themselves as an “active repository, resource and safe haven for social movements, experimental and marginal cultures and their histories.”