At the National Library, digitization normally results in a document or resource that is accessible at the Library's Web site, and thus on the Internet. Digitization is not an end in itself. It is based on what people need or want. Selection criteria, particularly those which reflect user needs, are of paramount importance. Therefore, the principles underlying traditional collections development still hold true when materials are being selected for digitization, but there are also many considerations related to technical, legal, policy, and resource considerations.
Digitization is one of three important methods of building electronic collections.
The National Library's digitization program continues to focus on selective digitization of reference tools and on thematic projects, with some limited digitization of portions of collections of special interest in Canadian studies. Essential to these ongoing efforts is the need to ensure that the Library builds on strengths, complements existing electronic and traditional collections, minimizes duplication of effort, and works in collaboration with other interested institutions and partners. Full-text searching of documents becomes possible, and hypertext links lead the reader to related items within the text itself as well as to external resources. During the past year, work has continued to maintain and improve these projects. For example, new records for articles in Canadian music periodicals are being added to the CMPI database, and more records have been added to the Index to Federal Royal Commissions.