Wellcome Library FAQ, So you want to start a digitisation project?

Q: What is digitisation?

A: Digitisation is the process of taking a physical thing like a document, book or painting and creating a digital surrogate or copy of it by scanning or digital photography.

Q: Why would I digitise something?

A: Digitisation can be used to provide better access to physical materials, it can be used to provide safe access to material that is rare or fragile. Digitisation allows users to use materials in a new way, e.g. by 'zooming' in on details of a painting, or by converting page scans to text so that they can be searched.

Q: Is it easy to digitise material?

A: It depends upon the scope of your project. Digitising small amounts of material for personal use or use within your own organisation may be relatively straight forward. The larger the volume of material, and the more complex its structure or arrangement, the more complex - and expensive - the task and the greater the risk of the project failing to achieve its goals.

Q: So is digitisation an easy way of making material available?

A: No. The process of digitising a large body of material is a complex and potentially expensive process that requires thought and planning. It requires careful identification of the aims of the digitisation project, careful thought as to appropriate methods for digitisation, to create suitable file formats, to manage the digitisation process to ensure that everything is digitised consistently, and then to securely store digital files and provide suitable access to them. For instance, it's difficult to scan a report or large document and to keep the digital 'book' together in a way that allows a user to move easily from page one to page two, on to page nine and then back again.

Q: Is digitisation a cheap way to store what were bulky paper materials?

A: No. Digitised materials require a computer on which to store them, a systematic storage structure and computers and software with which to access them. Access via the web adds another layer of complexity and cost. Typical digitised files can be large in size and even relatively small digitisation projects create their own storage costs. Double the storage will be necessary to back up all files to guard against loss. It is also necessary to implement a management plan to ensure that the digital files remain uncorrupted and are protected against obsolescence and the risk of unauthorised modification.

Q: But isn't digital material easier to use than paper?

A: No. The management of large numbers of digital files and ensuring safe access to them is a complex and potentially expensive task. It requires planning and skilled staff, access to technology and an on going management plan for the digitised material. Paper may be expensive to store but it generally requires no technology to read, is already in a form understandable to humans, is a durable medium and is not prone to format obsolescence, inadvertent corruption or sudden loss due to equipment failure.

Q: Isn't digitisation an easy way to provide access to material?

A: Not always. Providing access requires that digitised materials are structured in an appropriate way. It isn't enough to have files stored on a hard drive to which everyone has access, this risks inadvertent loss, change or corruption. Making material available on a website requires that the site be created, hosted and regularly maintained. Conversely, digitisation could offer access to many more people than could use the physical original.

Q: Does the Wellcome Library digitise material on behalf of others?

A: The Wellcome Library does not provide a digitisation service.

Q: Should I digitise material to preserve it?

A: No. Digitisation is not a cheap preservation strategy. It can double the problem, the paper 'originals' cannot be disposed of and must be preserved, and digitised files also require a preservation management program of their own. The preservation of digital material remains an immature activity that as yet has no easily followed guidelines and no guarantee of success.

Q: If I regularly donate material to the Wellcome Library should I digitise it first?

A: No. Unless the material is already in a digital form, i.e. 'born digital', we would prefer to receive paper copies.

Q: Can I digitise anything and make it available?

A: No. You should only digitise material you own the rights to. Digitising and making available material over which you don't own or have secured the rights to is a breach of copyright. For instance, you cannot scan somebody else's report an put it on your web site without first securing their permission.

Q: Where can I get further information?

A: The Library has produced a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about working with digital material. We will be happy to send you copies of these. Alternately you are welcome to contact Library staff.

Q: Is there someone in the Library I can talk to?

A: Yes. There are two contacts at the Wellcome Library who are available to answer your questions:
Natalie Walters, Archivist - n.walters@wellcome.ac.uk
Dave Thompson, Digital Curator - d.thompson@wellcome.ac.uk
Phone +44 (0)20 7611 8888

FAQ 15 January 2009