Digital Library Programs for Libraries and Archives: Developing, Managing, and Sustaining Unique Digital Collections - Softcover

Purcell, Aaron D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0838914500 ISBN 13: 9780838914502

Publisher: ALA Neal-Schuman, 2016

Synopsis

Planning and managing a self-contained digitization project is one thing, but how do you transition to a digital library program? Or better yet, how do you start a program from scratch? In this book Purcell, a well-respected expert in both archives and digital libraries, combines theory and best practices with practical application, showing how to approach digital projects as an ongoing effort. He not only guides librarians and archivists in transitioning from project-level initiatives to a sustainable program but also provides clear step-by-step instructions for building a digital library program from the bottom up, even for organizations with limited staff. Approachable and easy to follow, this book

• traces the historical growth of digital libraries and the importance of those digital foundations;
• summarizes current technological challenges that affect the planning of digital libraries, and how librarians and archivists are adapting to the changing information landscape;
• uses examples to lay out the core priorities of leading successful digital programs;
• covers the essentials of getting started, from vision and mission building to identifying resources and partnerships;
• emphasizes the importance of digitizing original unique materials found in library and archives collections, and suggests approaches to the selection process;
• addresses metadata and key technical standards;
• discusses management and daily operations, including assessment, enhancement, sustainability, and long-term preservation planning;
• provides guidance for marketing, promotion, and outreach, plus how to take into account such considerations as access points, intended audiences, and educational and instructional components;  and
• includes exercises designed to help readers define their own digital projects and create a real-world digital program plan.

Equally valuable for LIS students just learning about the digital landscape, information professionals taking their first steps to create digital content, and organizations who already have well-established digital credentials, Purcell's book outlines methods applicable and scalable to many different types and sizes of libraries and archives.

About this title

About the Author

Aaron D. Purcell is a professor and the director of special collections at Virginia Tech. He previously served as university archivist at the University of Tennessee. His research includes donor relations, the early Tennessee Valley Authority, and the McCarthy era. He has written six other books on a range of archival and historical topics and published numerous articles in journals.

Review

"Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation." --Library Bookwatch

"Purcell's knowledge of digital library programs and experience in the field comes through in the depth of information provided and in the organization of the book. The large practical component makes this book especially valuable for new project managers." --Voice of Youth Advocates

"Purcell approaches the digitization of collections as an ongoing effort, and provides a framework for librarians to properly do so ... A tremendously helpful resource for those individuals who are digitizing their collection for the first time, or for those who are adding to their current digital collection." --American Reference Books Annual

Edition details

• Publisher: ALA Neal-Schuman
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0838914500
• ISBN 13: 9780838914502
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256