There are challenges faced by libraries digitizing collections, such as dealing with born digital materials, storage and preservation, web harvesting, and others. Their recent discussion looked at these topics:
- Metadata: Item-level description vs collection descriptions. The challenge is digitizing archival collections at the item or page level when the descriptions are at a collection level. How can we engage scholars to help with the description if the resources are outside the library?
- Process management / workflow / shift from projects to programs. There are challenges to establish workflows to meet different needs. Some are transitioning from projects to programs.
- Selection – prioritizing users over curators and funders. "Many institutions are still operating under a model whereby curators or subject librarians feed the selection pool" even though surveys indicate selection should move towards directly serving the needs of the users.
- Audio/Visual materials. Making these available is a concern because differing levels of interest, high costs, reformatting capacities, and need for accompanying transcriptions.
- Access: are we putting things where scholars can find them. Are collections discoverable from Google or the institution? What are the users' experiences in using the collection?
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