Appendix A: Digitization Guides, Standards, and Best Practices
Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS). (2013). M
inimum
Digitization Capture Recommendations.
http://www.ala.org/alcts/resources/preserv/minimum-digitization-capture-
recommendations
Creator:
The Association for Library Collections and Technical
Services Preservation and
Reformatting Section
Date Released:
June 2013
Intended for libraries, these digitization recommendatio
ns focus on technical specifications for
both static and time-based media. Although preservation i
s not addressed, it is suggested that
following these guidelines will prevent the need for re-digi
tization. File naming, metadata, and
storage are also covered.
Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative (FADGI). (2010). The Tech
nical
Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image
Master Files.
http://www.digitizationguidelines.gov/guidelines/FADGI_Still_Image-
Tech_Guidelines_2010-08-24.pdf
Creator:
Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative (FADGI)
–
Still Image Working Group
Date Released:
2009, Revised August 2010
Meant for those working with still images, these guidelines
outline best practices for digitization
of cultural heritage materials. The document focuses on t
he creation of digital raster (master)
files to allow for online access and hard copy reproduction an
d may not be appropriate for
preservation efforts. Image capture, color encoding, digi
tal image performance, workflows,
metadata, file formats, file naming, storage, and quality mana
gement are addressed.
A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections. 3rd Edition
(2007). NISO
Framework Advisory Group.
http://www.niso.org/publications/rp/framework3.pdf
Creator:
National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Framework W
orking Group
Date Released:
December 2007 (3
rd
edition)
Meant for cultural heritage and funding organizations, this
framework reviews the creation of
digital collections, identifies resources that support th
e creation of local digitization practices,
and encourages community involvement in the development of
digitization best practices.
Principles and resources related to collections, objects, m
etadata, and initiatives are addressed.
The NINCH Guide to Good Practice in the Digital Representation and Manageme
nt of
Cultural Heritage Materials. (2002). The National Initiative for a Networked
Cultural Heritage (NINCH).
http://www.nyu.edu/its/humanities/ninchguide/
Creators:
Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute (
HATII), University of
Glasgow, National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Herit
age (NINCH)
Date Released:
October 2002
With the aim of illustrating the importance of adopting
good practice, this guide presents
recommendations for digital representation and manageme
nt of cultural heritage materials.
Meant for a variety of audiences, it covers project pl
anning, selection of materials, rights
management, digitization, text encoding, image capture and
management, audio/video capture
and management, quality control and assurance, distribution
, sustainability, assessment, digital
asset management, preservation, equipment, metadata, an
d sampling. Includes helpful checklists
and other resources.
Institutional Guidelines
BCR: Bibliographical Center for Research (2008).
BCR
’
s CDP Digital Imaging Best
Practices (2008). [updated version of Western States Digital Imaging Best
Practices]
http://mwdl.org/docs/digital-imaging-bp_2.0.pdf
Creator:
Bibliographical Center for Research
’
s Collaborative Digitization Program Digital
Imaging Best Practices Working Group
Date Released:
June 2008 (2nd version)
Intended for libraries and cultural heritage organizations in
the western United States, this
document presents best practices for digital imaging of te
xt, photographs, maps, and graphic
materials. General principles, digitization, hardware, s
oftware, workspace, quality control,
description/metadata, and storage are addressed. This document
is not meant for those working
with audio, video, moving images, over sized materials, bo
und materials, or materials with
nonstandard formats or sizes.
California Digital Library (CDL). (2011). CDL Guidelines for Digital Images.
Version 2.0.
http://www.cdlib.org/services/access_publishing/dsc/contribute/docs/cdl_gdi_v2.p
df
Creator:
California Digital Library (CDL) Digital Object Working Gro
up
Date Released:
January 2011 (2nd version)
Meant for institutions working with CDL, these guidelines addre
ss the preparation of digital
master image files for reprocessing. File formats, compre
ssion, watermarking, cameras, and
thumbnails are outlined, though the document does not cover r
esolution, pixel array, bit depth,
workflow, or quality control. Preservation is not explici
tly addressed.
CARLI: Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois. (2009; 2013).
CARLI
Guidelines for the Creation of Digital Collections: Digitization Best Practices
for
Images.
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/sites/files/digital_collections/documentat
ion/guidelines_
for_images.pdf
Creator:
Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illino
is (CARLI) Digital
Collection Users
’
Group (DCUG)
Date Released:
March 2013
This document describes best practices for the digitizatio
n of images, or two-dimensional, non-
textual materials such as photographs, maps, and paintings.
Recommendations for image quality,
file formats, storage, access, monitor calibration, an
d technical metadata are included.
CARLI: Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois. (2009; 2013).
CARLI
Guidelines for the Creation of Digital Collections: Digitization Best Practices
for
Text.
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/sites/files/digital_collections/documentat
ion/guidelines_
for_text.pdf
Creator:
Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illino
is (CARLI) Digital
Collection Users
’
Group (DCUG)
Date Released:
March 2013
These guidelines address best practices for digitizing text,
including image quality, file formats,
OCR, text encoding, storage, and access. Intended for librar
ies, it outlines digital imaging,
scanning, derivative and access images, file naming, machine-reada
ble text, software,
transcription, digital object creation, and more.
CARLI: Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois. (2009; revis
ed 2013).
CARLI Guidelines for the Creation of Digital Collections: Digitization Best
Practices for Audio.
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/sites/files/digital_collections/documentat
ion/guidelines_
for_audio.pdf
Creator:
Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illino
is (CARLI) Digital
Collection Users
’
Group (DCUG)
Date Released:
March 2013
Meant for those working with CARLI digital collection
s, this document provides
recommendations for digitizing audio such as oral history
and natural sounds. Sample rates, bit
depths, file formats, software, hardware, and workflow are a
ddressed. Background information
on digital audio is also included.
CARLI: Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois. (2010; revis
ed
2013).CARLI Guidelines for the Creation of Digital Collections: Digitization Best
Practices for Moving Images
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/sites/files/digital_collections/documentat
ion/guidelines_
for_video.pdf
Creator:
Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illino
is (CARLI) Digital
Collection Users
’
Group (DCUG) Digital Collections Users
’
Group, Standards Subcommittee.
Date Released:
March 2013
A lengthier CARLI document, these recommendations review bes
t practices for digitizing analog
and born-digital moving images for both preservation and we
b access. Suggestions for technical
specifications, metadata, file formats, web delivery, workf
low, hardware and software are
outlined. A primer on digital video is also included.
Yale University. (2010). Digitization Shared Practices - Still Images Version
1.0
http://www.yale.edu/digitalcoffee/downloads/DigitalCoffee_SharedPractices_%5B
v1
.0%5D.pdf
Creator:
Yale Digital Coffee Group
Date Released:
August 2010
Meant for institutions that are involved with in-house d
igitization, this document provides a
variety of recommendations for image capture, storage, and
preservation. Specifically,
suggestions for working with text, photographs, maps, 3D objects, a
nd graphic materials are
presented, including hardware, software, metadata, quality con
trol, file naming, storage,
recording, and verification. Recommendations for audio, vide
o, 3D modeling, born-digital
materials, prepress matters, staffing, workflow, selection
, and system/network architecture are
not addressed.