There are boxes and boxes of historical records in the archive library at my university. A digital copy makes it globally accessible, but the historical artifact can never be replaced.

Taking pictures of pictures... what a novel idea. How do you think mugshots and such get on news television for broadcast? A photo, paper-clipped to a music stand, the studio camera does a close-up, and the control board takes a freeze frame in the control room. Been doing it for dozens of years.