RIS ID
93074
Abstract
The digital environment is growing rapidly, through ubiquitous and increasingly powerful personal computing devices, and the demand for information to be accessible. Libraries and archives, as traditional providers and storehouses of content, are adapting to this changing environment by adopting new and innovative digital content delivery mechanisms to unmask their special collections. In 2012, the University of Wollongong Library implemented a comprehensive digitisation program for its unique archival and research collections. Film, photographs, documents, artworks and audio are being made available online through several platforms and delivery tools in combination, complementing the increasingly important role played by the library in supporting research, education, and community engagement. The implementation of a Digital Collections Portal has channelled Australian and international audiences to the library's digital content. Open access to collections is a key library goal, with success measured in part by the amount of material made available and the number of times it is downloaded. With a focus on building collections, prominent issues such as format shifting, metadata production, and methods of open communication have been resolved as the library develops expertise and knowledge in managing an embedded digitisation programme.
Publication Details
Daly, R. & Organ, M. 2014, 'Embed and engage! Delivering a digitisation program at the University of Wollongong Library', Australian Library Journal, vol. 63, no. 3, pp. 220-237.