Northern Illinois University Libraries have been awarded with a $575,000 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The funds will be used to investigate affordable digital preservation soutions for university libraries, according to a press release.

“Digital preservation aims to ensure long-term access to everything from photographs taken at a university sporting event to university meeting minutes to the research work of faculty members,” said Lynne Thomas, curator of Rare Books and Special Collections for NIU Libraries, in the press release.