[PADG:649] Brittle Books and Digitization

[jeanann croft <jeanann+@xxxxxxxx>]

PADG,

I was asked to investigate various approaches to utilizing digital 
technology within a brittle books reformatting program and propose a 
plan of action to my administration this spring.  Has anyone currently 
integrated digitization as part of their regular brittle 
books/replacement program?

If so, can you please answer my questions off-line at jeanann@xxxxxxxx 
and I would be happy to post a summary of the responses to the entire 
PADG list.

1.  How are brittle materials selected for digitization?  Do your 
selectors make the decisions to digitize or microfilm or does 
preservation work with selectors in making reformatting decisions?  Do 
you have a decision tree or policy statement that you would be willing 
to share with me?

2.  Is your preservation staff conducting the bibliographic searching to 
find reprints or existing microfilm or does your collection staff do 
this work?

3.  Are weeding and transferring items to storage or special 
collections, options for brittle books or are these decisions made by 
selectors at another time such as when they review their collections?

4.  Approximately how many brittle items are reformatted digitally each 
year?  Is this work done in-house or are you employing an outside vendor?

5.  If an item is not in the public domain, are you digitizing it and 
storing it off-line?  Or are you utilizing print on demand facsimile 
options?

6.  Do you have any plans for migration of digital material?

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,
Jean Ann


Jean Ann Croft
Preservation Librarian
University of Pittsburgh
412-244-7522
jeanann@xxxxxxxx