[PADG:1801] Re: hybrid approach

[Andrew Hart <ashart@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Emily,
The only way we have taken a hybrid approach is with photocopies rather than microfilm.  UNC-Chapel Hill has an ongoing series of digitization projects under the umbrella "Documenting the American South" (http://docsouth.unc.edu/index.html).  These projects are managed by a section in our Collection Development Department with a goal of making searchable texts available to a broad
audience.  Project managers are sensitive to preservation issues but preservation is not the driving force behind our digitization program.

For some of the DAS projects, we have systematically created preservation photocopies of two categories of material.  Materials from special collections were routinely photocopied so digitization staff could minimize handling originals during text encoding, cataloging, quality control, etc.  We began producing copies at high enough quality to retain them after digitization for patron
use, further reducing repeated handling of originals.  We have also copied fragile and/or medium-rare materials from general collections that have a history of patron demand, especially  if they are moved from circulating status to closed stacks and non-circulating status after digitization.

There have been a few instances where we have microfilmed books after digitization, however, they are fairly few in number and do not form enough of a pattern to say anything meaningful about a hybrid approach. Our users, bibliographers, and curators have shown a strong preference for paper rather than film. So our emphasis on treating digitized books has, so far, been on  preservation
photocopies (for printed texts) and conservation.

Once you finish your risk/benefit analysis, I hope you will share your conclusions via this list, an article or a conference discussion.  I'm sure I'm not the only one interested in what you come up with.
Best of luck,
Andy
--
==================================================
 Andrew Hart, Preservation Librarian
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
 CB#3910, Davis Library
 Chapel Hill, NC 27514
 tel: (919) 962-8047
 fax: (919) 962-4450
 email: ashart@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Emily Holmes wrote:

> I have a question for the list related to the use of the hybrid approach in preservation microfilming/digitization. As we've begun to embark on a risk/benefit analysis of the use of digitization for access coupled with microfilming for preservation, questions have come up about cost as well as the methods used by our colleagues out there. The following questions have come up for us:
>
> -How many preservation departments have employed the hybrid approach in their libraries? Are people using it routinely for general and special collections?
> -Are most people generating a hard copy or are electronic copies usually used for access?
> -Is most of the work being done via outsourcing, or are people doing alot of the work inhouse?
> -Have people been more satisfied with digitizing from microfilm or filming from digital items?
> -Have you found the costs to be prohibitive?
>
> I'd appreciate any information you all can provide. Thanks very much -- Emily Holmes
>
> Emily Holmes
> Assistant Preservation Librarian
> Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
> 70 Washington Sq. South
> New York, NY 10012-1091
> Phone: (212)998-2518
> Fax: (212) 995-4583