Valuable current information about digitizing is also available on the Web to provide additional background and examples of scope, organization, design, and cataloging detail. As you become involved in your projects, we strongly recommend consulting the information sources listed in Attachment 12 . Planning Your Project Determine why you wish to digitize your collection. The best reason to digitize involves improving access to your unique collections. This offers increased ability for the public to use them and for better preservation from decreased handling of the originals.
Many institutions also seek public visibility that digital collections can generate.
If this is your primary reason, you might only establish a simple Web site with just a few examples of your holdings. It is critical that you establish guidelines for the scope and content of both your immediate work and a long range plan. You should begin by asking yourself questions about why you are undertaking your project. See Attachment 2 . Equipment and Software Effectively selecting computer hardware and software is essential for a successful project.