English Digital Project (EDP711S) Unit 4B: Digitization and Preservation

Unit 4B Objectives Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of digitisation projects Describe the importance of preservation and strategies in preservation.

Digitisation Libraries around the world continuously update their collections in order to meet the needs of their users. In addition to updating their collection, libraries must also provide better access to information through the new “information highway.” This can be done through digitisation.

Advantages Digitisation in libraries meets the demand for faster delivery of information. There are many advantages of digitisation in libraries. For example, information can be accessed at any time during the day from any place in the world as long as there are reliable internet services. Another advantage is the preservation of precious resources, ancient texts, and overall cultural heritage. Digitisation prevents ultimate deterioration of books and manuscripts and loss of information. Digitisation creates more book shelf space in libraries. Digitisation prevents deterioration and loss of information. Digitisation provides more security – books can be lost or stolen but digitised materials can remain much longer.

Disadvantages Some disadvantages of digitisation were illustrated in the Introduction: it takes time, and requesting permission and clearance for copyright laws can take many years. In addition, librarians who are unfamiliar with the latest computer technology may be hesitant and uncomfortable toward digitisation.

Limitations Limitations of digitisation may include financial, managerial and technical issues. The availability of an institution’s funds is important when considering whether to digitize or not. Does the library need to hire outside staff to complete the project? Does the library need to train existing staff? In addition is there support from the management of the institution to undertake this large task of digitising library collections? Will the library staff need to “sell” the project to management for approval? Finally, does the library have the technical issues to digitise such as a very large collection?

Digitisation of print materials In 2004, Google began the digitisation of print materials, old books and manuscripts located in special library collections in five major libraries: Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the University of Oxford and the New York Public Library.

A digitisation project When beginning a digitisation project, planning is very important. In a digitisation project, planning includes selection guidelines. This means: What must be digitised and why? (Fragile items and items of high demand are good places to start) What hardware and software requirements are needed? Connectivity – Is the Broadband, wireless, cable connections, dial up sufficient to support the project? Which technical staff will assist this project?

Digitisation Digitisation may be image digitisation, audio digitisation or text digitisation. The materials to be digitised and the form may differ depending upon the purpose, and the mission of the institution or organisation. Digitization requires time, dedication, and very careful work.

Preservation Preservation means taking specific physical materials in the library such as rare books, documents, musical performances recorded on a cassette tape, photographs, or journals and putting these materials in a special place to protect and safeguard them. Remember, paper will eventually turn brittle, cassette tapes may break or films may fade. Excess heat or humidity and overuse tend to accelerate that deterioration. All of this leads to a loss of information. The most common strategy for preserving this information is to ensure the physical integrity of the carrier. This involves stabilising, conserving or protecting the material (Smith, A).

Strategies in preservation: -Limit the number of uses who handle these materials -Provide ideal storage location -Provide ideal temperature for storage

Why preservation is important? -to make the use of cultural resources possible for the future -to create a reliable record of history -access to recorded information from the past is essential (especially in the humanities, as the field explores the nature of humankind and the culture it creates) -for researchers, preservation creates improved communication between colleagues and the sharing of ideas and information (Smith, A).