Kate BoydDigital Initiatives Coordinator University of South Carolina
ASERL MeetingNovember 19th, 2014
Reasons to Digitize Special Collections
American Research Libraries are changing in a digital world• Reference• Circulation• ILL• Cataloging
• Special Collections???• How are Special Collections changing in a digital world?• What is the roll of modern American Research Libraries special collections?• Are your special collections as well organized and available as your general
collections?
Why Digitize - For the Patrons?• 24 hour access from anywhere in the world• New resources for the classroom• More access points through full text searching• New connections to other collections – SCDL and DPLA• No more microfilm readers
For the Library? • New patrons from around the world and all ages (k-12 = future users)• Better access to materials, including AV• New Promotional materials • Faculty and students working on new
projects with your materials• Some physical collection preservation• Additional cataloging and organizing for
repurposing metadata• Funding opportunities for accessibility
Should every library digitize their collections?What are the costs?
For the Donors?
• More access and use of the collections they donate• Ability to give them a copy of their
originals• Naming opportunities with online
collections