Resources, Goals, and Standards: The Basics of Digitizing Archaeological Collections and Legacy Materials

Summary

Digitization, the conversion of an analog item and creation a digital surrogate, is an important collections management tool. Digitizing collection materials can provide engaging images for public outreach and education, improve knowledge of the collection and access. It also aids in the preservation of materials by creating digital surrogates of content. Digitizing material can rescue content from obsolete media, provide a way for researchers to view content while protecting fragile, physical items, and/or provide a digital version of the item that can be copied and preserved. Digitization can be daunting, though: it requires an investment in people, technology, and space; and an awareness of standards that can appear to be constantly changing. This practical presentation is designed for collections managers, curators, and conservators new to digitizing collections or who want to build on a nascent digitization program. It will also be helpful for archaeologists coping with legacy archaeology materials. The presentation will touch on how to evaluate current resources, short-term goals, and long-term goals. It will also cover the topic of archival standards for digitizing collections, where to find them, and how to select standards for your needs and goals.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 18819