Digitisation programme

Overview

The Wellcome Library is currently implementing a digitisation strategy to deliver a large-scale digitisation programme. The programme began in 2007 and has seen the completion of a number of projects. Increasing access to its collections through digitisation, the Library is able to meet user expectations and provide better services, greatly expanding its research potential.

The digitisation programme will:

provide continuous access to significant collections of digitised still and moving images and sound, including detailed and accurate catalogue and metadata records
enable new and innovative research (e.g. programmatic linking of content to other related resources), and content to be re-used in unique and different ways, under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 2.0 licence
ensure that the previous investment in the collection (cataloguing, storage, conservation) is not lost as users make digital the preferred mode
preserve digital content as archive copies as well as for online access.

Digitised content is accessible via the Library catalogue, the Archives and Manuscripts catalogue and Wellcome Images. Some of our projects are being undertaken in conjunction with partner organisations which will increase access potential through other websites and databases. During 2010, the Library will investigate options to implement a new digital library in order to surface larger sets of content.