Going Digital: Strategies for Access, Preservation, and Conversion of Collections to a Digital Format

Citation

Hurych, J. (2001), "Going Digital: Strategies for Access, Preservation, and Conversion of Collections to a Digital Format", Collection Building, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 36-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/cb.2001.20.1.36.3

This compilation of excellent essays represents a sampler of papers from five different symposia on digital resources sponsored by the Research Library Group (RLG) between 1993 and 1995. The papers continue to offer valuable discussions of issues dealing with digital resources. They also represent the best thinking of leaders in library and informational fields on the issues of digital resources as they relate to collection management. The issues fall into three categories:

1. 1.

   (1) integration of digital resources into traditional library collections;

2. 2.

   (2) the role of digital resources in the preservation of library materials;

3. 3.

   (3) selection of materials for digital conversion.

Authors of the papers in the first part of the book urge librarians to “take charge of digital information sources and organize them as they have done with paper resources”. They also note that, due to the development of new technologies, there has been a shift in collection development philosophy. Rather than collecting materials on the basis of anticipated need, libraries now acquire materials or access to materials that researchers need currently. Since the development of digital resources has definitely changed expectations of scholars and other library users, immediate access is becoming the norm. The papers also discuss economic challenges of digital conversion. Advantages and disadvantages of digital resources are pointed out, as well as the use of digital conversion of library materials for preservation purposes.

The second part of the volume deals with strategies for selection of materials to be converted to digital formats. The papers emphasise the idea that the collection development process must move “beyond the piecemeal, single collection approach to include genres or whole field and discipline concepts”. However, the contributors also recognise that librarians must build upon their experience with traditional formats. Other topics addressed in the book include technological issues, funding, and criteria for selection.

The papers emphasise that decisions for selection should be based not only on the deteriorating physical condition of materials but also on the access and informational value of the materials. All of the papers offer valuable insights into issues involved in digitisation, such as costs, challenges and practical solutions. This important collection of papers should be in every academic and research library.