Key Factors for consideration in selection materials for digitization

We evaluate digital projects on a case by case basis. There is no one formula for this process and we welcome open discussion on potential digital projects and collaborations. The below provides some important key factors to consider when assessing a digital project potential. Please feel free to contact us at cds [at] rice [dot] edu with any questions.

Research support

• Define target audience

• Evaluate patron demand or interest 

Nature of collection

Material content is permanent - As a digital archive, content submitted to Rice's institutional repository (http://scholarship.rice.edu/) is intended to be permanent. For materials that are dynamic in nature alternative solutions may be more appropriate such as Owlspace, Connexions or departmental web sites

Any of these:

• Materials will encourage new or existing scholarship and research

• Materials support institutional directives

• Materials are unique and not duplicated elsewhere

• Collection provides potential for collaboration with outside communities or institutions

• Online collection improves or enhances access to materials

• Pre-existing collection is at risk due to media obsolescence or fragility of carrier (e.g. conversion of sound recordings from Reel to Reel tapes to digital audio formats)

Rights and Access

• Identify any special access conditions (such as donor restrictions)

• Verify materials are free and clear for public sharing

• Provide appropriate rights statement (may wish to reference Creative Common License)

Description - Gather basic information as to the quantity, scope and content of materials

Feasibility

Technology

• Suitability of file formats – digitization best practices recommend using non-proprietary and well established file formats. However, the Rice Digital Scholarship Archive will support bitstream preservation for any file type.
• Identify any technical or structural needs in order to render materials online (e.g. special software needed to view the files, style sheets to transform XML data to HTML)

Economics

• Identify any funding or resource support needs for digitization work

References:

• A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections. 3rd edition. NISO Framework Working Group. Bethesda, MD: National Information Standards Organization, 2007. http://framework.niso.org/

• NINCH Guide to Good Practice in the Digital Representation and Management of Cultural Heritage Materials. III Selecting Materials: An Iterative Process, Ross, S., I. Anderson, et al. Washington DC: HATII, University of Glasgow and National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage (NINCH), 2002 (pp. 38-60) http://www.nyu.edu/its/humanities/ninchguide/III/

• Selecting Research Collections for Digitization. By Dan Hazen, Jeffrey Horrell, Jan. Merrill-Oldham. Council on Library and Information Resources, 1998. http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/hazen/pub74.html