Digitization in the Real World highlights 34 cases of digital collection building in libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage institutions throughout North America. This book is written by practitioners for practitioners focusing on lessons learned from small to medium-sized digitization projects. Digitization in the Real World was edited by Kwong Bor Ng and Jason Kucsma.
The book is available in three formats: Paperback | PDF | ePub
Press Release
NEW BOOK HIGHLIGHTS RECENT DIGITIZATION PROJECTS INVOLVING
HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS AT LEADING LIBRARIES AND RESEARCH
CENTERS
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Collected case studies provide important
how-to examples for libraries and other research centers planning to
digitize important collections in the years ahead.
NEW YORK, NY,
[July 29, 2010] — More than 30 examples of successful efforts to
digitize historically significant materials at leading libraries in
North America are profiled in the new book Digitization in the Real
World, published this week by the Metropolitan New York Library Council
(METRO), one of the nation’s leading service providers for libraries and
research organizations. The new book is the first to present case
study examples of small and medium-sized digitization projects, with
information developed by library professionals for library
professionals.
Digitization in the Real World identifies
the specific strategies used by top libraries to digitize a range of
collections in recent years. Examples include recent digitization
efforts at Columbia, Yale, the American Museum of Natural History and
many other leading library and research centers. Case studies include
examples of smaller digitization projects with very limited budgets,
projects involving a range of public, specialty and university libraries
and research centers, and digitization efforts that required
collaboration between multiple institutions.
“Digitization
continues to be a major focus of library organizations in the U.S., and
in many cases practitioners proceed without a clear roadmap to success.
The projects profiled in this book together represent a vital new
information resource and guide for library professionals considering
digitization projects in the months and years ahead,” said Kwong Bor Ng,
associate professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information
Studies at Queens College, CUNY, and co-editor of Digitization in the Real World.
Digitization
in the Real World includes perspectives from library practitioners at
small archives, public and specialty libraries, repositories of unique
cultural and historical collections, and library consortia. Projects
include several examples of working with open source software to build
digital collections. Many case studies highlight the critical role of
collaboration in the success of digitization efforts.
In one case
study, curators at the American Museum of Natural History in New York
review an effort to produce a web exhibit of almost 1000 historically
significant images from the museum’s photography collection. Another
reviews a digitization effort involving a range of materials at Pratt
Institute, requiring management of differences in metadata content and
interpretation. A digitization project at the Leo Baeck Institute
highlights the special challenges in efforts to digitize rare books.
“One
of the key findings in pulling together case studies from all across
the U.S. was the fact that, while all digitization projects are
different, key learnings from successful projects at one library can
provide very effective guidance and support for projects at other
libraries. This book also presents real-world perspectives tailored to
the needs of library professionals, so the guidance is targeted and
specific,” said Jason Kucsma, emerging technologies manager at METRO and
co-editor of Digitization in the Real World.
Digitization in the Real World is available at online vendors including www.lulu.com
(now) and www.amazon.com (beginning in September). The print version
is $60. The full text book is also available for electronic download
for $10.
About METRO
The Metropolitan New
York Library Council (METRO) is a non-profit organization working to
develop and maintain essential library services throughout New York City
and Westchester County. METRO's service is developed and delivered with
broad input and support from an experienced staff of library
professionals, the organization's member libraries, an active board of
trustees, government representatives and other experts in research and
library operations.
As the largest reference and research
resources (3Rs) library council in New York State, METRO members reflect
a wide range of special, academic, archival and public library
organizations. In addition to training programs and support services,
METRO also works to bring members of the New York City and Westchester
County library communities together to promote ongoing exchanges of
information and ideas.