Strategic issues for digital projects... …or, what are we doing here?

Strategic issues for digital projects ...

…or, what are we doing here?

Why digitize collections?

Lots of reasons not to!ExpensiveTime consumingIntellectually difficultCan divert attention from other needs in institutions

Why digitize collections?

Digitization is:ExpensiveNeeds lots of storage space, high bandwidth networks, technical supportTime-consuming (slower than conventional photography)

So why do it?

Advantages

Easier access to individual components within items Quick easy access to materials held remotely“Virtual reunification” - allowing spatially separated materials to be brought together for comparison

Two manuscripts which may be by the same scribe “virtually reunified”

More advantages

Images can be enhanced in size, sharpness, colour contrast, noise reduction, e.g Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music (DIAMM)

Conserve fragile/precious originals

Integration into teaching process

Enhanced searchability, including full text, e.g. Forced Migration Online Digital Library

Integration of different media (images, sounds, video etc), e.g Digital Shikshapatri

Issues: Preservation

Theoretically, digitization should be much more robust than analogue preservation media.But…

not yet accepted as a preservation medium, as longevity of storage media not certain - therefore:-

Issues: Preservation

Migration stategy essential, requiring extra costsCareful choices have to be made about image formats, metadata standards etc.It might be necessary to consider using analogue medium for archiving

Computer Output to Microform (COM)

What should you digitize?

Four main factorsAccessInfrastructureConservationFeasibility

Access

Are items in high demand?

Key historical or intellectual content?

Needed in teaching?

Would it reinstate materials currently withdrawn from circulation?

Would improved searching facilities enhance the value of the resource?

Access

Would digitization enhance functionality?

Would users be better able to retrieve information?

Would digitization virtually reassemble a collection?

Would it satisfy requests for surrogates and therefore help preserve the originals?

Infrastructure

Is there available funding?

Will it reduce burden or costs on library?

Could it generate income?

Will it enhance institutional prestige, or kick-start digitization in your institution?

Infrastructure

Will it raise skill levels of staff?Does it have support from scholars, curators and other librarians?Do you have or can you find the necessary technical skills?

Conservation

Can originals be handled safely?

Will it reduce handling of the originals?

Will digitization allow adequate archiving of images, or output to an analogue preservation medium?

Feasibility

Sufficient hardware/software/ storage?

Accurate information on number of items, and preservation questions? Adequate catalogue?

Is project manageable in terms of time and costs?

Would copyright considerations make project difficult?

Collection assessment

How do we decide suitability for digitization?

opportunity-driven: can get the fundingpreservation-driven: want to put away the originalsuser-driven: in response to requestsrevenue-driven: might make some money!

Collection assessment

Can the originals be handled for digitization?Are they catalogued?Are they in copyright?Do other surrogates exist (microfilm etc)?

What now?

We’ve decided why to do it …And we’ve decided we have the capability

So now where do we start?

What’s involved?

The digitization process involvesAssessment and selectionFeasibility testing, costing, and piloting Copyright clearance and rights managementPreparation of materialsBenchmarkingDigital capture

… plus

Quality assessmentMetadataDeliveryWorkflow processesProject management (of crucial importance)Long-term preservation (probably the most costly part of the process)

Purpose of the DF Academy

To help participants understand the strategic and management issues of developing digital resources from digitization to delivery

To give some technical backgroundTo introduce a range of different projects and approachesTo offer on-the-spot advice on potential projects

Topics covered

Planning and managementFund raising and sustainabilityCopyrightKey technical conceptsCreating and delivering textual resourcesVisual and image based resource creation and deliveryMetadata - introduction and implementationImplementing digital resourcesDigital preservation