Digitizing Collections: Strategic Issues for the Information Manager

Description

Written by leading international experts in digital library development, each book in the Digital Futures series examines in detail some of the key strategic and practical issues facing libraries and other cultural institutions in the rapidly expanding world of digital information.

The proliferation of developments in digital technology makes choosing the right method of digitizing resources an increasingly complex process for information organizations. This technology is a key way forward in the twenty-first century, but it is important to develop a strategy to assess fully the costs and benefits of going ahead with a digitization project, and to know when it is the right or the wrong time to do so.

This book presents information managers with all the strategic and practical issues. It runs through the digitization process step by step, and outlines the different techniques available to deal with a wide range of library resources, and explores the opportunities offered by a collaborative approach to digitization. Fully case and evidence based, the text is supported by examples of digitization projects carried out in various types of libraries from around the world.

Part 1 Strategic decision making
1 Why digitize? The costs and benefits of digitization
Introduction
The potential of digitization
Digitization in libraries, archives and museums
Advantages of digitization
Integration of technology: a case study of an incremental approach
The impact of digital collections on institutions
New economic models
Conclusion
Selecting materials for digitization
Introduction
Developing institutional policies on selection for digitization
Assessing collections
Existing projects
When is it advisable notto digitize?
Conclusion
3 Intellectual property, copyright, and other legal issues
Introduction
Copyright
Works in the public domain
Exceptions to copyright: library and preservation copying and fair
use
Getting permissions to use copyrighted materials
Potentially sensitive materials
Caretaking online content
Managing copyright of digital materials
Managing or restricting access
Conclusion
4 Project management and the institutional framework
Introduction
When to digitize: cost considerations
Staffing and human resources factors
Risk management and project planning
Conclusion
5 The importance of collaboration
Introduction
Making partnerships work
Collaborative models
Support organizations
Conclusion
Part 2 Digitizing collections
6 Project planning and funding
Introduction
Developing a project plan
Prototype projects
Developing cost models; project budgets
Finding funds for digital collections
DIGITIZING COLLECTIONS: STRATEGIC ISSUES FOR THE INFORMATION MANAGER
VI
Developing grant applications
Evaluating requests for proposals
Developing the proposal
Sustainability
Conclusion
7 Managing a digitization project
Introduction
Other sources of advice
Project planning and technology
Managing the digital workflow/digitization process
Equipment
Images: technical details
Formats and technology standards
Quality assurance and quality control
Management of digital assets
Metadata
Standards and best practices for digitization
Preservation of digital assets
Conclusion
8 Digitization of rare and fragile materials
Introduction
Digitization and preservation
Special collections in the digital age
Developing digitization policies for rare and fragile materials
Case study: the Smithsonian Institution (www.si.edu/)
Protecting originals: technology solutions
Case study: brittle books
Good practice for the digitization of rare and fragile materials
Staffing issues
Outsourcing
Equipment and methods
Light exposure during scanning
Metadata and standards
Delivery issues for specialist materials
Conclusion
CONTENTS
VII
9 Digitization of audio and moving image collections
Introduction
The value of audiovisual collections to scholarship
Audiovisual formats
Advantages of digitization
Challenges
Sources of expertise
Digitizing audio and video
Post-capture processing
Setting up a digitization centre
Audio: a preservation concern
Metadata
Case studies
3-D objects and artefacts
Conclusion / 253
10 Digitization of text and images / 255
Introduction
Managing the digitization of text
Handling
Technical issues in text digitization
Mark-up and metadata
Digitization of image collections
Usage of image archives
Technical issues in image digitization
Where to set up the imaging project?
Case studies