2024 Core Forum

The session will discuss ongoing work to streamline a workflow for preparing collections for digitization. In managing the digitization workflow, preservation staff noted that substantial time was spent on resolving vendor and staff questions caused by lack of sufficient detail in the minimal metadata spreadsheets prepared pre-digitization. At the same time, digitization projects were experiencing setbacks when condition issues with the original material were not addressed early enough in the project. It became apparent that improved metadata and preservation planning would result in a more efficient workflow overall.

Streamlining the workflow has also facilitated goals beyond meeting the requirements for successful digitization. Revisiting pre-digitization metadata creation has helped ensure that this work aligns with digital collections metadata requirements, thereby improving the usefulness of the spreadsheets beyond managing digitization. Revising the workflow also offered a chance to incorporate basic preservation activities and advocate for larger improvements for the original material as part of digitization projects. The poster will discuss the collaboration between departments in Preservation and Cataloging & Metadata Services to improve the digitization workflow as well as how lessons learned continue to revise the workflow.