Innovative Digitization and 3D Preservation: New Developments at ASU’s CCDR Collections

This presentation highlights recent advancements at the Cross-Cultural Dance Resources (CCDR) Collections at Arizona State University, emphasizing innovative digitization strategies and collaborations enhancing archival accessibility and preservation. Following our initiative presented at the Arizona Archives Alliance Summit, we detail our latest developments in digitizing rare dance materials using Amazon Web Services for secure cloud storage and advanced cataloging. We also showcase a pioneering project with the ASU Library Makerspace, employing 3D scanning and printing technologies to digitally preserve and reproduce culturally significant masks from the CCDR Collections. Additionally, we discuss our collaborative internship program with the Knowledge River Program, partnering with MLIS students from the University of Arizona to foster inclusive, community-focused archival practice. This session will discuss challenges, successes, and future directions for libraries and archives seeking to implement digital innovations for cultural heritage preservation.

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Shan Chuah is a dance anthropologist and curator of the Cross-Cultural Dance Resources (CCDR) Collections at Arizona State University, recognized as an American Treasure by the White House Millennium Project. Shan is committed to interdisciplinary collaborations, emphasizing community-driven archival practices. Her research integrates ethnochoreology and feminist embodiment theories, and she advocates for greater accessibility and preservation of dance archives.