Digitization Program (Strategic Initiative)

Status Update January 20, 2012 

• Develop and implement digital repository infrastructure (technology, staffing, etc.)  
•  Develop and implement digital repository ingest requirements.  
•  Develop best practices and workflows for the program.  
•  Set clear goals for digitizing collections to meet donor expectations. 

Project Linked to the Following Strategic Objectives

• #1:   Integrate the Library into the University's Teaching, Learning and Research Mission
• #2:   Improve Discovery of and Access to Scholarly Resources

Project Lead

• Wade Wyckoff (community lead)

Project Members

• Rick Stapleton (Research Collections)
• Dale Askey
• John Fink (IT infrastructure)

Consult with

• Kathy Ball (assessment) 
• Marlene Mastragostino (budget)

Project Scope (work the project will include and not include)

•   focus on strategic approach to content rather than on technical aspects of digitization. 

Project Risks (circumstances or events outside the project team's control that will have a high adverse impact on the project if they occur)

•   Could recommend developments without adequate funding to support them

Obstacles / Constraints (known constraints imposed by environment, management, etc.)

• Equipment:  Need large-scale scanning equipment to support some specialized content (e.g., maps)
• Staffing:  Getting sufficient access to equipment in support of library digitization work.    

Critical Milestones / Achievements (2011- )                           Proposed Dates

• Create guidelines for evaluating proposed digitization projects (Summer 2011)
• Determine workflows (Summer 2011)
• Present proposed digitization philosophy statement to Library Leadership Group (June 2011)
• Conduct digitization / preservation workshop (June 2011)
• Create a marketing and communication plan for McMaster digital collections (Feb. / Mar. 2012)
• Create a process for the McMaster community to suggest digitization targets (2012)
• Create a webpage for McMaster community members to request "digitization on demand" (2012)  

Preliminary Assessment Plan (what quantitative or qualitative tools will you use to determine if you are successful?)

• number of requests coming in through the "digitize on demand" webpage
• number of suggestions coming in from library and community re digitization priorities
• establishment of priorities for future digitization
• creation of a marketing plan 

Status Update May 1, 2011