Educational centers play an essential role as suppliers of information. Therefore, they must consider the distribution of information as a basis for educating society. As a result of the rapid expansion of technology, the distribution of information via technological means has laid the foundation for global masses to easily access information; and, although book digitalization is in an initial stage, libraries around the world have already started expanding their services to incorporate the research of rare and antiquated books, which previously were not easily accessible. Texas A&M University has taken a leadership role in the dissemination of information via technological means by providing the Cushing Memorial Library
(http://cushing.tamu.edu/collaborations/incunables) and the Mexico Center with the most highly equipped laboratories for book digitalization. The Mexico Center's specialized scanner prevents possible damage to documents during the digitalization process. However, the question remains why should we even digitalize rare and antiquated books? Rare books, especially incunabular ones, have an important cultural, historical, and economical significance. For example, during the XVI century, the Spanish Crown controlled the Mexican press; therefore, limiting the number of copies of printed materials, such as imprints. Due to the deterioration and rarity of printed materials from this period, they currently are only found in special collections with limited accessibility and that are secluded from libraries' general resources. The digitalization of rare and antiquated books allows for free access to materials that can be digitalized and distributed in ways that the original versions do not permit, such as electronic distribution. Additionally, since digitalized versions of these printed materials are being created, digitalization preserves them for the global community that is at risk of permanently loosing them. The Cushing Memorial Library established an agreement with the José María Lafragua Library (http://www.bibliotecas.buap.mx/citext-laf/) from the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla for the digitalization of incunabular materials at the Mexico Center. This will allow the contents of these documents, which have been isolated from the public for more than 50 years, to become available to the general public in a digital format that will take any viewer beyond the normal confounds of books. With Texas A&M University's digital library, the university hopes to contribute to knowledge by offering researchers and the general public access to information that was previously unavailable.

"A digital library is not simply a digital collection, but a set of factors that support the complete cycle of research, creation, diffusion and preservation of data, information, and knowledge." Paul Duguid Digitalization Services:

• Suprascan 10000 Cenital Scanner features:
• No contact with the book or with glass
• Low lighting emission
• No heat
• Book cradle ideal for fragile books
• High resolution scanning line via an adjustable camera (6000 x 10000 dpi)
• Fine resolution setting due to the mechanical kit that allows for camera height adjustment
• Adjustable lighting to allow for homogeneous lighting throughout the entire document's surface
• Real time lighting corrections to process the image's non-uniformities
• Lighting to improve the image from bright/reflective documents
• Scanning speed: 30 seconds per page
• Maximum surface size for scanned document: 600mm x 840mm x 150mm(1200mm x 840mm x 150mm in two parts)
• Curveimprovement
• Controlled laboratory
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Limited access
• Storage of documents during digitalization process
• Safety deposit boxes