In a move aimed at increasing the sale of prints from its collection of old tax photographs, New York City is exploring a deal with Google to digitize part of the collection in exchange for the right to use the images on the company’s searchable maps.
The pictures that would be digitized are from two series of straightforward 35-millimeter photos taken of every building in the city for taxation purposes. The first set, in black and white, was taken starting in the late 1930s, and the second set, in color, in the 1980s.
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“Sell more pictures,” said Brian G. Andersson, the city’s commissioner of records and information services. “That’s what we’re hoping to accomplish.”
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However, the proposed deal, which will be reviewed by the city’s Franchise and Concession Review Committee on Wednesday before formal negotiations can begin, is already being criticized because the city has proposed contracting directly with Google rather than seeking competitive bids from other companies.
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