Digitization and Digital Archiving: A Practical Guide for Librarians(Practical Guides for Librarians)

More and more, library patrons are embracing the ease with which information can be accessed digitally. In an instant, a few keywords can bring patrons exactly what they desire, such as a book or a photograph, rather than going through the much more tedious activity of browsing through shelves, searching for a call number, or, even more daunting, the process of trying to work a microfilm reel. Thus, many librarians in libraries of every size and type are currently working toward making more information available electronically. This process can be daunting, however. Digitization and Digital Archiving: A Practical Guide for Librarians seeks to answer the following common questions:   ·What should be stored? ·Where and how should it be stored? ·How exactly is information stored in a computer? ·Does it really make a difference if one uses a jpg or a tiff file? This book is a comprehensive guide to the process of digital storage and archiving. Assuming only basic computer knowledge, this guide walks the reader through everything he or she needs to know to start or maintain a digital archiving project. Any librarian interested in how digital information is stored can benefit from this guide.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments Chapter 1. Why Use Digital Preservation? Chapter 2. How Do Computers Store Information? Chapter 3. Storing Images Chapter 4. Storing Text Chapter 5. Storing Audio and Video Chapter 6. CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray Chapter 7. Magnetic Tape Chapter 8. Hard Drives Chapter 9. Flash Memory Chapter 10. Cloud Computing Chapter 11. Equipment for Digitizing and Editing Archival Materials Chapter 12. Metadata and Accessing Information Chapter 13. Copyright Law Chapter 14. Problems With Digital Preservation Chapter 15. Putting It All Together About the Author Index

About the Author :
Elizabeth R. Leggett is a freelance technical writer, and has worked in libraries and archives at Centre College, the University of Kentucky, and Murray State University. She also began a local digital genealogical collection at the Calloway County Public Library. Her writing on the topic of digital storage and archiving appeared in the 2012 summer edition of Kentucky Libraries.

Review :
This book looks at various types of electronic formats, hardware and software, and talks about the advantages and problems of using them to store and access information. . . .The text is clear, easy to read, and very well segmented with white space, dividing lines, and section headings. . . .[The book] is of most interest to libraries and archives that are considering or already involved with these kinds of digital projects, librarians with no experience in this kind of activity, institutions supporting LIS and/or archival programs, or community groups that want to try something along these lines. Leggett's book, written for librarians, has value for genealogists. She gives practical and general guidelines needed to create digital libraries that can survive so future descendants may read and enjoy them. . . .This book gives an easy-to-read overview of technical terms. . . .It is useful for personal and library research. Overall, the book is written in a very straightforward and accessible style. . . .It may be of interest to those seeking an introductory guide to IT concepts.