Digitizing Hidden Collections: Success Stories from Small and Medium-sized Digitization Projects [webinar video]

Although large-scale initiatives receive the lion’s share of the attention when we talk about digitization projects, countless small and medium-sized digitization projects provide invaluable access to hidden collections from North American libraries, archives, and museums. Spurred by the OITP Perspectives paper, “Digitizing Hidden Collections in Public Libraries, (pdf)” this 90-minute webinar aims at sharing success stories, best practices, and the lessons learned to encourage other successful projects.

Panelists include:

• Gwen Glazer from Cornell University Library, 2010 Google Fellow with ALA, and author of “Digitizing Hidden Collections in Public Libraries (pdf)”
• Jason Kucsma from the Metropolitan New York Library Council and co-editor of Digitization in the Real World
• Natalie Milbrodt, Project Manager for Queens Memory Project, discusses her recent work on a collaborative digitization project (.pptx or .pdf)
• Beth Goble and Devra Dragos, Nebraska Library Commission, discusses The Nebraska Memories Project that provides access to important collections held by libraries and historical societies in Nebraska (.pptx or .pdf)
• Erin Kinney, Wyoming State Library, discusses the Wyoming Newspaper Project (.pptx or .pdf)
• Larry Carey, Tompkins County Public Library, discusses the library’s local-history digitization initiative (.pptx or .pdf)

Panelists address the following topics:

• Real-life, practical strategies for initiating and managing projects and how those strategies could be applied more broadly
• Where to find best practices for a variety of digital project needs (conversion, metadata standards, storage, access etc.)
• How to create a successful collaborative project between multiple institutions
• Short survey of initiatives aimed at providing increased access to collections (via portals, directories, etc…)