Basic digitization workflow

Introduction


  • Digitization project teams should understand and agree to the basic "flow” of processes that will be repeated until the project is complete.

  • Digitization workflows involve repetition and require constant attention to quality control. See Appendix A of the Digitization Handbook for more information on quality control.

  • This page outlines a basic digitization workflow. Detailed workflows for specific types of material are described in other sections of the Digitization Handbook.

Digitization workflow


Digitization workflows can be organized into four areas of activity:

ActivityDescription
Prepare material for digitization
  1. Identify physical material to be digitized
  2. Retrieve material from storage
  3. Assess material and determine physical preparation requirements
  4. Prepare physical material for digitization
Create digital "master" files and "access" copies
  1. Digitize material according to applicable technical specifications for "master" files
  2. Generate "access" copies according to the applicable "normalization for access" rule defined in the Libraries' Preservation Action Registry
  3. Quality control
  4. Return material to storage
Disseminate "access" copies
  1. Fulfill Archives Document Delivery Requests
  2. Determine right to disseminate online via Libraries' website
  3. Conduct a privacy assessment and copyright assessment, if applicable
  4. Contact the rights holder and request a copyright consent form, if applicable
  5. Upload files to appropriate system (AtoM, DSpace, etc.)
Backup data and delete temporary files
  1. Determine storage location
  2. Connect to storage
  3. Upload files
  4. Delete temporary files on local storage
  5. SMA Scan Master 0: Delete job from the Job browser window in Batch Scan Wizard and delete temporary images in the capture directory.
  6. Complete project wrap up procedures

Digitization workflow diagram