OPAL Digitization Pilot  

Despite significant progress in creating awareness of the need for and benefits of digitizing library archival and special collections and other unique materials, many libraries still struggle with finding resources to bring these projects to fruition.  Some lack the financial resources; others lack basic knowledge and planning guidance even to know where to start.   

For those libraries for which financial resources are a major concern, there are options for digitizing on a minimal budget.  Using a sub-$100 scanner and free software, an institution can easily scan papers, photographs or other two-dimensional objects, describe the objects in basic terms using a spreadsheet, and send the files to OhioLINK for inclusion in its DSpace-based Digital Resource Commons. 

However, the equipment needed for scanning large-form materials, such as newspapers, and fragile materials, such as books that cannot be opened beyond a 90-degree angle, are quite costly and beyond the reach of small institutions.  In addition, some libraries have found that, while DSpace is well-suited for use as an institutional document repository, it fails to sufficiently support the discovery and use of other digital objects like photographs, newspapers and other archival materials.  

To address these issues in a manner complementary to the digitization initiatives already underway both within OPAL and OhioLINK, this pilot proposal calls for the OPAL consortium to support an 18-month digitization pilot project involving three OPAL institutions, Bluffton University, Defiance College and Muskingum University, and a $25,000.00 budget.  These funds will be used to support the training of appropriate staff and, through a partnership with OHIONET, the purchase of shared scanning equipment, software and workstation to be included in a centralized Digitization Center.  Funds will also be used to support the servers, software and storage to manage and provide access to the digital collections. 

From the E-Resources Task Force Report approved by OPAL Directors on October 1, 2010