Digitization of Manuscripts and Rare Documents in Select Institutions Located in Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir: a status report

Abstract

The study discussed in this article is an endeavour to understand the present status of digitization of manuscripts and other rare documents maintained in various institutions in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory. The study is carried out with the help of schedules filled in during the course of interviews with certain scholars and administrators who are at the helm of affairs of such institutions in Srinagar. Although, manuscripts and other rare documents are present in 37 institutions, only 11 have digitized their important collections. Approximately half of the manuscripts and other rare documents have been digitized and the rest are yet to be preserved in the electronic format. For digitization, some funding has been provided by the erstwhile State Government, however, majority of the institutions have received funding from the Central Government to carry out the digitization process. The status report presented in this study is useful in carrying out further research in this area so that the treasure trove is preserved for posterity.