Digitizing Collections: Strategic Issues for the Information Manager (Digital Futures) (Digital Futures Series) [Hardcover]

Lorna M. Hughes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1856044661 | ISBN-13: 978-1856044660 | Edition: 1

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 fully assess 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 to consider when making the decision to digitize their collections. It runs through the digitization process step by step, 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 around the world, and by an extensive list of sources of further information. This key international text offers information managers the benefit of a fully strategic approach to digitization and substantial experience drawn from leading digitization projects. It is also essential reading for managers in heritage institutions such as museums, galleries and local archives, and for students of information science. 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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lorna M. Hughes MA(Hons) MPhil is Assistant Director for Humanities Computing, Information Technology Services, New York University, where she is also an adjunct assistant professor in the Museum Studies program. She has held humanities computing posts at Arizona State University and the University of Oxford, and her special areas of interest are technology and digitization in museums; digital libraries; and the use of digital resources for humanities research. She is involved in a number of international humanities computing organizations and initiatives.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Facet Publishing; 1 edition (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1856044661
• ISBN-13: 978-1856044660
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lorna Hughes is currently Deputy Director of the Centre for e-Research, King's College, London. She has worked in digital humanities and digital collections based jobs for 20 years, holding posts at Glasgow University, Oxford University, Arizona State University, New York University before moving to King's College London in 2005. In 2011, she will move to the National Library of Wales to become the University of Wales Chair in Digital Collections.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very useful text for new digital content managers and creators, November 26, 2009

By 

Debra Schiff "http://hereandthere123.blogspot... (Somerset, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Digitizing Collections: Strategic Issues for the Information Manager (Digital Futures) (Digital Futures Series) (Hardcover)

I've almost finished a course that uses this text as a required book. We have read nearly the entire book, and I have found it to be very useful in understanding what it would take to manage and create a digital collection. It focuses on management aspects as well as technical ones, provides many links and case studies, and is written in very approachable language. For librarians who are looking to expand their work into the digital realm, this is a must-read.

If you have a background in project management, you'll be able to whiz through a lot of it pretty quickly.

Please note that although some of the information is becoming outdated (in terms of costs and some of the newer technologies), there is a very solid foundation that is provided in the text. It is very well researched. The references are good to use for further research as well.

What it covers:
1. Benefits and drawbacks of digitization.
2. Selection management.
3. Intellectual property and copyrights (although I can point you to so many online resources on this now that are more useful).
4. Project management.
5. Technology standards.
6. Metadata (also, there are much better resources on this topic online).
7. Handling and digitizing rare and fragile items.
8. Formats other than "analog."

I hope they develop another edition soon because there are many, many URLs listed in the book, and I'm afraid they might be dead links in the coming years (some already are).

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable resource, September 16, 2004

By 

Artgirl "c'est moi" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Digitizing Collections: Strategic Issues for the Information Manager (Digital Futures) (Digital Futures Series) (Hardcover)

Well written, and extremely informative for anyone who deals with collections management.