Rewritten paper - based on previous presentation

1. Digital Libraries: Successfully designing, developing and implementing your
digitization strategy
Presented by
Beatrice Adera Amollo
Head of Library & Resources
Australian Studies Institute, Nairobi Kenya
December, 2012

3. Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1
KEY TERMS, PRINCIPLES AND LEGAL ISSUES ................................................................... 3
Digitization.............................................................................................................................. 3
Library portal........................................................................................................................... 3
Digital repository vs. Institutional repository.......................................................................... 3
Digital Library Management System ...................................................................................... 3
Digital preservation ................................................................................................................. 4
Access rights............................................................................................................................ 4
Metadata .................................................................................................................................. 4
THE DIGITIZATION STRATEGY........................................................................................... 5
DESIGNING & DEVELOPING THE DIGITIZATION STRATEGY.......................................... 7
PROJECT PLANNING............................................................................................................... 7
Objective of digital collection or digitization.......................................................................... 7
Type of project: ....................................................................................................................... 8
The target audience.................................................................................................................. 8
Preliminary assessment............................................................................................................ 8
Fund raising........................................................................................................................... 11
Legislative framework........................................................................................................... 12
PRE-DIGITIZATION ACTIVITIES............................................................................................ 14
Digitization tools and resources ................................................................................................ 14
Training Requirements.............................................................................................................. 16
Metadata for user access ........................................................................................................... 16
Who is responsible for metadata creation?............................................................................ 19
IMPLEMENTING YOUR DIGITIZATION STRATEGY.......................................................... 20
DIGITAL CONVERSION........................................................................................................ 20
Document preparation ........................................................................................................... 20
Scanning pages ...................................................................................................................... 20
Formatting and editing........................................................................................................... 21

4. Creating a searchable database.............................................................................................. 22
Making digital library accessible........................................................................................... 23
POST DIGITIZATION................................................................................................................. 24
Quality Control.......................................................................................................................... 24
Review and Evaluation of the Digitization Process .............................................................. 24
Testing Access....................................................................................................................... 24
Continuity of digital collection. ................................................................................................ 25
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 26

5. 1
INTRODUCTION
Digitization is the process of taking traditional library materials that are in form of books and
papers and converting them to the electronic form where they can be stored and manipulated by a
computer (Witten & Bainbridge, 2003 cited in Kamusiime & Mukasa, 2012). The United
Nations (2011) describes it as the process of converting analogue items, such as a paper records,
photographs or graphic items, into an electronic representation or image that can be accessed and
stored electronically. It involves translation of data into digital form (binary coded files for use in
computers). Scanning images, sampling sound, converting text on paper into text in computer
files, all are examples of digitization (Lopatin, 2006.)
Borgman (1999) summarises the definition well. She defines digital libraries as ‘a set of
electronic resources and associated technical capabilities for creating, searching and using
information’.
The common components of the above and other existing definitions of the digital library are:-
Organized information collection
Electronic or digital form
Preserved information
Online access
A digital collection consists of digital objects that are selected and organized for ease of their
discovery, access, and use. Objects, metadata, and the user interface together create the user
experience of a collection.
According to National Information Standards Organization (NISO), a good digital collection:
is created according to an explicit collection development policy.
is curated, which is to say, its resources are actively managed during their entire lifecycle.
is broadly available and avoids unnecessary impediments to use. Collections should be
accessible to persons with disabilities, and usable effectively in conjunction with adaptive
technologies.
is interoperable.

6. 2
is sustainable over time
respects intellectual property rights
has mechanisms to supply usage data and other data that allows standardized measures of
usefulness to be recorded.
integrates into the users own workflow
Collections should be described so that a user can discover characteristics of the
collection, including scope, format, restrictions on access, ownership, and any
information significant for determining the collection’s authenticity, integrity, and
interpretation.
Most libraries today are hybrid libraries. They have both physical and digital collections, and
provide services both digitally and in a physical library place
Digital libraries:
Improve and widen access to a library's collection. While as one copy of a document in
hard copy format can only be read by one person at any given time, the electronic version
can be accessed by multiple users at the same time.
Increase longevity of information material: Since the information is electronic, damage
and loss is greatly reduced.
Encourages and facilitates resource sharing amongst libraries: Digital collections can be
shared or transferred over the electronic network. It saves money and time. Users do not
have to move from one library to another to look for information. They can access
collections of different libraries from one point.
Ensure standardization and conformity amongst libraries.
Reduce duplication of work: With improved access and to a wider library collection,
researchers and scholars can effectively review work that is already done by most of their
peers.

7. 3
KEY TERMS, PRINCIPLES AND LEGAL ISSUES
Digitization
Some materials in a digital library are 'born digital'; that is to say they were created, and are
always used, in digital form. But much digital library content has to be created by a process of
digitization. Digitization is converting print-on-paper resources to digital form, usually by
scanning.
Library portal
This is sometimes confused with digital library. A portal is an interface to all the digital
information resources available in the library to the users. It is a 'gateway' that gives access to
the library's own digital collections and to material from other library collections, or web search
engines.
Digital repository vs. Institutional repository
A digital repository is just an organised store of digital information items while an Institutional
repository is more specific. It is a special kind of digital library and is managed by an
organisation to make all its own digital materials available.
For example, a university library might run a repository for all the articles and reports written by
the university's professors. Because the materials in this kind of repository are freely available to
anyone, they are sometimes called 'open access archives'.
Digital Library Management System
A digital library management system (DLMS) is a kind of software system which provides the
functions for creating and managing a digital library collection, and providing services for the
users’ service. DLMSs usually allow specialized software to be added to meet particular needs.
Such systems may be sold by commercial suppliers, or may be built around standard repository
software such as Greenstone, DSpace, EPrints, Fedora or WebAGRIS. These five are free, open

8. 4
source systems for managing digital libraries and repositories. It takes some programming
knowledge to set and customize most of these open source software.
The library can buy a commercial software package, if funds are available, and if there is a
reason to do so; for example, if other cooperating libraries use it, and for the sake of consistency.
CONTENTdm digital library software and ExLibris DigiTool commercial repository software
are two examples.
The other alternative is to write or develop own software, one that is tailor made for the library.
This is a major task that may not be worthwhile, since free and open source systems can be
modified to suit the library’s specifications.
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is a freely available software and Windows based Ms Access and
Excel have been used in creating and managing digital collections.
Digital preservation
Digital preservation involves all the activities undertaken to ensure that digital information is
maintained for as long as it is needed. The digital information should remain available in its
original form for the stipulated time.
Access rights
In the digital library, contents are usually licensed and different users may have access to the
same materials. There is need for controls to monitor usage and counter misuse so that there is
fair use of the authors’ intellectual output. Librarians need to make sure that users have access to
information which they are entitled to and no more.
Metadata
Metadata is data about data. It is the information about information resources. This includes:-
description of the item i.e. physical description (format, size) and subject or topic
author, title, publisher, date of publication

9. 5
preservation or archiving information; and
access information and copyright
THE DIGITIZATION STRATEGY
Before one embarks on a journey, they must be clear about the purpose of the trip, where to
board the plane or train, how much luggage they will need or are allowed to carry and the
destination. In the same way, a library must be clear about the objectives and resources for an
effective digital library. There must be a strategic plan and framework to help map the digital
project activities to the overall and final target.
Ayris (1998) asserts that the library must be clear about why it needs to digitize and answer the
following questions before embarking on the plan. If the answers are mostly negative, then the
digitization project cannot take off. The questions are:
Are the material to be digitized substantial enough to warrant digitization, and do they
posses sufficient intrinsic value to ensure interest in digitization?
Will access to the information be enhanced or usage levels increased as a result?
Are the goals to be met agreeable and in line with the overall objectives?
Are rights and permissions for electronic distribution securable?
Does current technology yield images of sufficient quality to meet stated goals?
Does technology allow digital capture from a photo intermediate?
Can the project get sufficient funding? Are the costs reasonable and within the target
financier’s capability?
Does the institution have sufficient expertise in project management?
Is the overall organisational and technical infrastructure adequate?
If the project team is confident and is able to affirm and address the above questions, then the
digitization strategy can be formulated.
A digitization strategy is a plan that is theoretically and practically laid out by the organization or
library, using available and required resources for the creation of an effective digital collection.

10. 6
Digitization is a strategy that should be undertaken as part of the parent organisation’s overall
information management programme. It should not be a stand alone, library initiative. The
digitization strategy must be aligned to the digital project objective that is directly connected to
the overall organizational mission and goals.
A carefully planned strategy is necessary since digital projects are extremely complex. Digital
projects can be expensive and if not well managed can lead to greater expenses than necessary.
The strategy must factor in all the requirements for the project to succeed. Effective project
management that includes managing budgets, staffing, workflow, determining technical
specifications and metadata creation is necessary.
Given the scale of the physical information material, the digitization exercise will need the most
cost-effective and efficient complement of approaches and tools to achieve the long-term
preservation of and access to the information material.
The digitization strategy is therefore based on the digitization process. The United Nations
(2011) outlines four key phases that we will focus on and map against the three elements of the
digitization strategy – design, development and implementation.
The phases are:
1. Project planning
2. Pre-digitization activities
3. Digital Conversion
4. Post Digitization
In formulating the digitization strategy, the design, development and implementation stages are
factored within the four phases. The project planning and pre-digitization activities will be
outlined in the design and development section of the strategy. The digital conversion and post
digitization fall under the implementation stage.

11. 7
DESIGNING & DEVELOPING THE DIGITIZATION STRATEGY
PROJECT PLANNING
When determining what and how items should be set for digitization, there are a number of
critical planning issues to consider before commencing the actual digitization exercise.
According to Lopatin (2006), digital projects can be extremely complex, and effective project
management – including planning, managing budgets, staffing, workflow, determining technical
specifications, and metadata creation – is vital for a successful digitization project.
Objective of digital collection or digitization
When contemplating the digitization project, the project leader and organization must agree on
the main goals or purpose of the digitization exercise. They must have answered the initial
questions to justify digitization within the library and the organization as a whole. The key
objectives will stand out as the main guiding principle upon which all the planned activities are
carried out within the project timeframe. The library or project team must settle on any or all of
the following as the objective or reason for the digitization project.
(i) For effective use of limited physical space
There might be a lot of information, but very little storage space. Digital records can be stored
on electronic storage devices and thus reduce the need for physical space while also ensuring
that they are secure and protected from intrusion or damage.
(ii) For improved information access and sharing
Digitization and increased use of digital information improves information sharing by allowing
access to digital information on web sites, information management systems. The library may
be driven by the need to provide better access to its users. There is also efficient dissemination
of information through emails and other forms of online communication.
(iii) For preservation
Information material is preserved when digitized as it reduces the handling of original hard
copies. Access of digital information is guaranteed over a longer period of time, as opposed to

12. 8
the print edition which is subject to poor handling and misuse that leads to wear, tear and loss.
The organization or library may undertake digitization simply to preserve its fragile materials
Apart from the three common objectives above, others may include:
(iv) To add value to the information collection or resources
(v) To support educational and research activities, if it is an academic or research
institution.
(vi) To fulfill strategic mission and goals of the organisation
Type of project:
The type of digital project must also be established as this will influence the strategy that is
adopted. There are different types of digital projects, namely:-
Special and Archival collections
Reformatting content from other non-print resources
Born digital projects
The target audience
Apart from the type and objective, the strategy must be clear about who the digital
collection is targeting. The team must be clear about its primary audience, and probably
the secondary audience, particularly if there will be no restrictions to the public to access.
The primary audience for a university digital collection could be Scholars, university
students and lecturers. The secondary audience would be anyone with access to the web,
including the general public. The project must place all this into consideration.
Preliminary assessment
– of bulk of the project, resource requirements and stakeholder studies
A value assessment needs to be conducted in order to establish the justification for a digitization
project. The purposes or expected benefits of the digitization exercise will form the basis for
establishing a value assessment for the digitization. This will help the project team determine
whether to proceed or not with the digitization plan. A table showing expected impact or benefit

13. 9
and the prevailing conditions that would necessitate such an action, like the one below can be
included in the plan.
Expected benefit Prevailing condition
Improved information
access and sharing
The information material are accessed frequently and
used constantly within the organization or library. The
print copies can be accessed by one or limited persons at
any given time.
Preservation and
Protection of
information
The information in the materials have historical and legal
value or are still active or semi-active but in a fragile
condition.
The materials contain vital information that requires
protection and preservation as stipulated by the
institutional or national law.
Reduction of printed
information material
Less storage space
requirement
Information material storage costs outweigh the benefit
of keeping physical resources of temporary value.
The storage space is minimal or fast running out.
The organization is implementing an information system
that will facilitate access or retrieval of digitized
information from the library.
If the information materials are frequently accessed and used, digitization will ensure that there
is better information sharing and ease of dissemination. Materials that are in danger of damage
due to aging or their fragile nature are best candidates for digitization. A digital master copy can
be created and copy made available for access to ensure their preservation.
The library must also estimate the bulk, type and source of material to be digitized. The amount
will help the project team estimate the amount of time, staff and equipment requirements. The
information collected may be tabulated as shown in the table below.

14. 10
Table 1: Example of a preliminary digitization materials assessment for an organisation
Department Types of
information
generated/stored
Size/Volume Purpose & target
users
Access/user
controls
Research &
Development
Research papers,
articles, reports,
conference papers,
etc
X X Restricted -
Internal
Documentation
Unit
Subscription – back
files, Researchers
profiles, Theses,
dissertation
X X Public –
approval
required
Library X X X Open
The library might have very little control over how fast material will be received from other
organizational departments, as opposed to what is readily available within the library’s
jurisdiction. Thus, the need to sell the digitization strategy at all levels, from the top, middle and
bottom.
The digitization assessment will entail assessment of the users and stakeholders. The table below
shows different methods that can be used to gather the required information. A stakeholder study
that entails collecting data from the target users, creators and contributors of the digital collection
should be conducted to establish the expectations and needs of these groups from such a project.
This will also be a platform for the library to educate and inform them about the purposes of
digitization, the expected benefits for the individual, the library and the organization.
Methods of assessment
Interviews
Administering of questions through
questionnaires
Workshops for all stakeholders
Meetings with management staff

15. 11
During the assessment stage, the library should garner sufficient support from the parent
organization and the contributors to ensure growth and sustainability of the digital collection.
Fund raising
Fund raising and mobilization of support for implementation and sustainability of digital projects
It is a known fact that budgets are perpetually stretched thin in libraries. Therefore, anything that
will require a major chunk of library resources is a challenge that requires major preparation.
Digitization is expensive, particularly when unique materials are involved. Although some
people might think digitization is much like photocopying, that's not the case. In digitization of
hard copy material, sometimes there is need to prepare the material before digitizing. The
material may be fragile and need to be conserved first to minimize damage during scanning.
Hughes (2004) warns that “there are no short-term cost savings to be realized by digitizing
collections”. Digital initiatives require a high start up costs and digital environment is not static.
Data migration is not a “once-in-a-lifetime” thing, but rather its ongoing. As is known by now,
digitisation is time consuming, labour and resource intensive. This means that the library or
project team might have to go out of its way to ensure that the project succeeds. It may require
more than the usual number of library staff to finish the work in reasonable time. Additional
temporary or casual staff may have to be recruited to assist in the exercise.
These costs, combined with chronic budget constraints, force institutions to make choices about
what to digitize first. The entire exercise is gradual and may have to stretch over a lengthy period
of time.
For example, text that is keyed in or OCR (Optical Character Recognition)-generated, character
accuracy will be the conventional measure of quality. Character accuracy is vital if the
information is to be disseminated as it is, without distorting meanings and context. Although
some OCR software generates confidence scores that predict the likelihood of errors being
present on any page, human comparison of the digitized output to the source, or manual keying
of the entire page a second time may have to be done to ensure accuracy. Thus, the process of
scanning, converting to editable text and proofreading require a lot of time.

16. 12
The project team may have to get additional funding, out of the usual budgetary allocation in
order to achieve its goals. Ways of raising the required capital for the necessary resources have
to be outlined in the strategy or plan.
Some of the ways of fund raising would include:
1. The institutional budget
a. Present proposal that will convince the management of the benefits of the digital
collection
2. Private or public donor agency
a. Here, the library will have to draft a proposal using the donor’s prescribed format.
3. Library budget
a. Use allocated library budget to build the collection is there is sufficient staffing
and basic equipment. This is rare.
4. Foundations – public and private
5. Stakeholders’ contributions
a. If the stakeholders are convinced of the advantages of the digital collection, then
they can all contribute towards its realization. This will also depend on the type of
library and the guiding principles of the parent organization.
Legislative framework
One of the main issue in digitizing a library collections or items is that of copyright law. Before
beginning the digitization process, librarians have to consider whether or not the digitized
material will violate copyright and intellectual property laws. (Yan, 2004). They need to take
into consideration whether or not the material to be digitized is protected by the copyright law, or
whether it is in the public domain. Works in the public domain can be used freely without
seeking permission or paying royalties or fees.
Many institutions struggle with the question of whether it is permissible to digitize and index
protected materials for preservation purposes only. Current laws can be unclear on whether it is
allowable to digitize rights-protected materials for preservation purposes, even if there is no
intention to publish the content.

17. 13
If the material to be digitized is not in the public domain, and if copyright exceptions are not
applicable, the library will need to obtain permission from the copyright holder to digitize the
material. Lopatin (2006) warns that tracking down the copyright holder(s) and coming to an
agreement with them can be a very difficult and time-consuming process.
One member of staff or project team can be assigned the responsibility of confirming material
copyright. Hughes (2004) says that this person will be responsible for clearing copyright,
including identifying and contacting the copyright holder(s) and even documenting all the steps
taken.
After an institution mounts a digital project on the web, the institution needs to manage the rights
to the digital objects.
Other ways that institutions protect their digital material include:
Inserting banners or captions into the image, usually along the border of the
image.
Use of watermarks that involve the use of inserting of marks or labels into
the digital content in a subtle, or transparent, way
Use of low resolution images which have inadequate detail that would
enable copying.

18. 14
PRE-DIGITIZATION ACTIVITIES
The project team should examine and address requirements for information material sorting,
classification, metadata requirements, digitization, information security, and disposition that will
be required to support digitization efforts. The following must be factored into the strategy and
included in the plan for execution.
Digitization tools and resources
Digitization process as seen above requires additional and specific resources. Tools and
resources such as scanners, imaging software, a storage solution and staff are mandatory. The
team must consider these when budgeting and assessing the available resources.
Tools required for digitization include:
Digital scanner;
Imaging and scanning software;
Electronic record keeping system;
Electronic records storage device, server;
Records management programme with file plan, retention schedule and metadata schema.
Before the equipment is acquired the team must decide how the information will be used. Will
they be solely for access via the web, for hardcopy publication, or perhaps for detailed
examination by scholars. Low-resolution images are sufficient for web use, but high-resolution
images are required for publication or detailed study. (Eileen, 2004).
The main equipment for converting print to electronic is a scanner and digital camera. The type
of scanner chosen will depend on the document type and volume of records. Scanning and
imaging software and file type (PDF, JPEG etc) will also depend on the system to be used and
the user needs.
Yan (2004) noted that there was a trend toward using mounted digital cameras rather than the
famous flatbed scanners. However, over time different types of scanners have been produced for

19. 15
the market. Libraries are however constrained by restrictive budgetary allocation that may not
give librarians the luxury of purchasing hi-tech scanners for the library. Since most libraries are
cash strapped, we will assume that you have a flat bed (fig 1) scanner for the job. The flat bed
may be slow, but with proper planning will help the library convert a sizeable number of
documents within reasonable time.
Figure 1: Flatbed scanner
Figure 2: Figure 2: Overhead Scanner
If on the other hand, the library has the opportunity to choose and acquire a new scanner, then
the following specifications should be considered:-
1. Pixel size of the frame. For example, 7000 pixels x 7000 pixels.
2. Non-interpolated resolution. Interpolation refers to the process of "estimating" the value
of a pixel, determined by the color values of surrounding pixels. The higher the
interpolation, the better.
3. Dynamic range. This is the ability to capture detail in highlights and shadows.

20. 16
4. Bit depth. Most software processes up to 24 bit depth, but many scanners can capture up
to 48 bit depth.
Training Requirements
The human resources or staff is particularly necessary to perform such responsibilities as
scanning, performing quality control, and creating the metadata. To ensure that all members of
the project team or staff are well versed with the digitization processes, a training programme
should be developed. The training of all staff will ensure that the project proceeds smoothly and
it will give the project leader a chance to answer any questions and address any fears by project
members.
The digitization training programme will include the following:
Overview of the digitization initiative, its size, timeframe, purpose and desired outcomes,
project manager
How to use the digitization hardware and software
Digital image formats
Proper handling techniques to avoid damage to the information material
Classification scheme for organizing images and other digital objects
Maintaining the material in their original order
How to identify and process records containing sensitive information
Digitization documentation requirements
How to identify and process records that require specialized digitization techniques, such
as photographs or large format items
The standards and procedures to ensure quality control
Metadata for user access
Yan (2004) contributes that there is need for widespread standardization for improved
information access in and between different libraries. A library that is preparing to digitize
should develop rules and standards specifically for the processes it intends to use.

21. 17
Standardization ensures interoperability between cooperating libraries. Metadata standards and
guidelines are commonly sought when planning digitization projects. Metadata is structured
information associated with an object for purposes of discovery, description, use, management,
and preservation. Lopatin (2006) adds that good metadata creation is important for representing
information about an object such as structure, creators, format, and technical information. Thus,
the creation of metadata is considered a major component the digital project.
Different types of metadata include (i) Descriptive metadata which helps users find and obtain
objects, distinguish one object or group of objects from one another, and discover the subject or
contents. This type of metadata focuses on Dublin Core (DC) which is `one of the most active
and accepted metadata standards used in more than 20 countries, (ii) Administrative metadata
helps collection managers keep track of objects for such purposes as file management, rights
management, and preservation and (iii) Structural metadata documents relationships within and
among objects and enables users to navigate complex objects, such as the pages and chapters of a
book.
Apart from Dublin Core, other commonly used metadata include, Resource Description
Framework (RDF), Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), and
Standard Generalized Mark-UP Language (SGML) and its descendents Extensible Mark-Up
Language (XML) and HTML. The MARC standard has been used as the standard interchange
format in representing catalog records electronically. (Yan, 2004).

22. 18
Table 2: Example of some basic metadata elements for an information item
METADATA
ELEMENTS
OBLIGATION
Identifier Mandatory
Title Mandatory
Subject Optional
Description Optional
Creator Mandatory
Date Mandatory
Addressee Mandatory for email, Optional for
other records
Record type Mandatory where applicable
Relation Mandatory where applicable
Function Optional but highly recommended
Aggregation Mandatory
Language Mandatory
Location Optional
Security & Access Mandatory
Disposal Mandatory
Format Mandatory
Preservation Optional
Source: United Nations, 2011
The two metadata schemes that have been primarily developed to accommodate digital resources
are:-
i. metadata object and description schema (MODS)
ii. metadata encoding and transmission standards (METS).
MODS was developed by the Library of Congress to provide an alternative between a simple
metadata format with a minimum of fields and little or no substructure such as Dublin Core and a
very detailed format with many data elements having various structural complexities such as
MARC 21 (Guenther and McCallum,2003, p. 12). MODS is a descriptive metadata scheme.

23. 19
METS is an XML document incorporating different types of metadata – descriptive,
administrative, structural, rights and other data needed for retrieving, preserving and serving up
digital resources” (Guenther and McCallum, 2003, p. 14). An increasing number of libraries and
archives are implementing METS for a vast variety of digital library projects.
The digitization strategy must include details on the metadata and vocabulary sets to be used for
the digital project. The metadata standard(s) to adopt and what levels of description to apply
should be made within the context of the main purpose for creating the digital collection, the
available resources, the users and intended usage.
Examples of metadata-based access tools include library catalogs, archival finding aids, museum
inventory control systems, and search utilities such as Google.
Who is responsible for metadata creation?
At the creation stage, metadata about an object’s authors, contributors, source, and intended
audience is usually provided by the original authors. At the organization stage, metadata about
subjects, publishing history, and access rights are recorded by catalogers or indexers. At the
access and usage stage, evaluative information such as reviews and annotations could be added
by the user.
National Information Standards Organization (2007) states that the creators of digital objects
should be encouraged to embed as much metadata as possible within the object before it is
shared or distributed.

24. 20
IMPLEMENTING YOUR DIGITIZATION STRATEGY
DIGITAL CONVERSION
Digitizing information starts with images of pages, progresses through raw character recognizing
to corrected text, and finishes with assigning descriptive data for easy retrieval. Each step
provides more utility but at additional cost. (Berger, 1999)
Below are the steps to take when dealing with any information that is in hard copy. Born digital
material is handled differently as it requires less work to add to the library’s digital collection.
Document preparation
remove pages from their bindings;
trim each page so that no rough edges are left;
mend rips and tears with acid-free binding tape;
Registering documents to keep track of them.
A record of the documents must be kept for reference whenever the need arises. The register
helps to show who is handling what and how far the library has gone in the digitization project.
Scanning pages
To scan a document, place it face down on the scanner platen, or put the pages into the sheet
feeder. If you have a sheet-fed scanner, cut the book open (easy and neat if you use a printer's
cutting machine) to get individual sheets you can feed through the scanner. If necessary, you can
rebind the books later.
Before scanning, the library has to set parameters to be applied on all the documents. This will
ensure uniformity.
Figure 3: An example of defined parameters

25. 21
The scanner usually comes with software for converting image to text. This will help with the
conversion from image to editable text.
Formatting and editing
The scanned image can be saved as a PDF (Portable Document Format) file using Adobe
Acrobat; or GIF (Graphical Interchange Format) or JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
file. The format of saving is determined at the planning stage. However most people prefer to
save the images as JPEG since JPEG can be uploaded as HTML and furthermore, JPEG retains
more information as it compresses an image. JSTOR uses GIF files to display the textual images.
Images should be scanned at the highest quality possible to not only have a good quality copy to
archive, but also to ensure that with improvements in technology, the scanned copy would not
become obsolete.
It is preferable to scan and save all documents first before embarking on the editing. A file
structure should be created to save the images. Directories with their sub-directories should be
set up for each series or volume of documents. For example, each page scanned can be named
individually (i.e. Thes_12010-1p22), all pages in a document can be saved together in a folder
(i.e. Th2010-1) and all issues would be saved together in a volume folder (i.e. Thes_1). This
logical progression will make it possible to keep the order intact, even when an individual page
is missing and has to be scanned at another time. The scanning should be in chronological order.
When editing images, blemishes must be removed from the pages, the height and width of the
images have to be standardized and the images must be blurred or sharpened as necessary. Photo
imaging software applications, such as Paint Shop Pro and some versions of Adobe Photoshop
can be used to do this work.
Optical Character Recognition Software (OCR) is then used to edit text versions of the images.
OCR is the process whereby a computer program "reads" the text from an image of a document
and converts it into ASCII text. The use of optical character recognition is ideal as it converts
scanned pages of text into electronic text, which enables full-text searching.

26. 22
PDF files are favorable as most academic users are accustomed to them and already have
Acrobat Reader; if not, the Reader is free and easy to install. Acrobat uses an efficient
compression scheme and provides a user-friendly means of navigating through documents. It
also automatically sizes each page for viewing and printing. (Anonymous, 2004)
Figure 4: Diagrammatic representation of process – from single hard copy to digital copy
Creating a searchable database of the text, filing structure;
The structure of work involved in creating the searchable database will be determined by the
DLMS that the library decides to adapt for its collection. Regardless of the system adapted,
certain action must be taken in order to make the digital items searchable and accessible to the
target audience.
For the digital content to be searchable, accurate metadata must be assigned to each item. The
library must agree on the standards to use in this exercise. The digital content and meta-data

27. 23
about physical content must be contained, controlled, and understood in order for the basic
functions of content management and content preservation to occur.
Metadata can be assigned at the point of editing and formatting or collectively afterwards. The
order is determined by the staff beforehand. Creating searchable database of the digital content
will then be possible once the metadata has been created.
Many institutions, including large universities, have created their own databases using such tools
as SQL and MS Access. MySQL is an open source database that has become popular in
nonprofit environments. Many libraries have also used FileMaker Pro, a cross-platform relational
database application from FileMaker Inc.
FileMaker Pro and MS Access require experience with relational databases. They are not as
scalable as SQL, i.e., they become sluggish and start to break down at about 70,000 records.
FileMaker Pro is cross-platform, whereas MS Access works only in a PC environment.
Making digital library accessible.
The final stage is migration of the digital collection or database to the web, to allow for remote
or wider access. At this stage, it is important to note that user-friendliness of the system is
important. Therefore, the online version must be searchable, should have a minimum of side-to-
side scrolling, should load fairly quickly and the pages need to be clear and easy to read.
Some of the features may be embedded in the system and so the library staff might have little
control over the extent to which they can configure the user interface. For instance, the
navigation mechanisms of Greenstone are good and easy to use. The user can move through a
document page by page, or jump ahead or backwards by clicking on a page number. Variations
of the "Next page" and "Previous page" buttons also exist to facilitate navigation.

28. 24
POST DIGITIZATION
After all the material is digitized, the project team will not ‘close shop’. As stated elsewhere
digitization process is an on-going activity since new information is acquired or generated every
day. The strategy must therefore include activities that have to be undertaken after the digital
library is established. The post digitization activities derived from the United Nations (2011)
standards are discussed in this section
Quality Control
Quality control measures include periodic testing and cleaning of scanning equipment, imaging
calibration and verification of authenticity. The details of the quality control measure will depend
on the digitization tools, such as the software, scanners and the digital management system.
Quality control measures for checking digital images should be applied throughout the process,
preferably by an assigned team member who can chart any errors. The process include checking
individual files for any errors in arrangement, imaging or classification. For large volumes,
random sampling (5% to 10%) can be applied.
Review and Evaluation of the Digitization Process
As in any other process it is productive to review the digitization process and evaluate how
effective it has been. This is an opportunity to identify any redundancies, inefficiencies or
problems in the process and revise and enhance the process accordingly. Any changes to the
process must be reflected in an updated training programme.
Testing Access
It is important to test retrievability of and access to digital images that have been captured into
database, server or some other electronic storage system. A retrieval exercise involving a sample
of digitised records should suffice.

29. 25
Continuity of digital collection.
The digital library should not be static. The collection needs to be updated, upgraded and
expanded with time. The initial phase is the hardest. The library should set regulations for
continuity of the digital collection.
In the case of the academic library, staff, students and scholars have to be put on board and be
part of the digitization project. The importance, benefits and use of the digital library must be
communicated to them through memos, newsletters, seminars and workshops to ensure that the
collection continues to be current and relevant.
Some guidelines set by the parent institution to support the digital library will go a long way in
ensuring that the collection continues to grow, consistently. For example, the following policies
can be set to ensure continuity:-
(1) Library users contributing own literally works, must put them in electronic format. For
example, in the university, theses or dissertations can be submitted in PDF format.
(2) Documents must be stored electronically.
(3) Documents must then be made accessible online.

30. 26
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Ayris, P. (1998). Guidance for selecting materials for digitization. Joint RLG and NPO
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Berger, M. (1999) Digitization for preservation and access: a case study. Library Hi Tech. 17(2),
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