► Overview
Guidance for digitizing printed documents.
► Selecting Resources to Digitize
Factors to consider when selecting resources to digitize.
Standards and processesfor digitization.
► Additional Resources and Training
Supplemental resources for more information.
Definitions of terms, abbreviations and acronyms used throughout the Quick Guide.
The Quick Guides in this collection address the following issues of interest to transportation information professionals:
► Introduction to the Quick Guides
► Accessibility and Section 508
► Collection Development and Management
Digitization refers to creating digital records from physical ones, such as by scanning printed documents or converting videotapes and audiocassettes to digital video and sound files.
The ability to digitize physical records allows libraries to archive and preserve materials indefinitely and make them instantly accessible to users regardless of their location. Digital resources allow libraries with a small physical space—or no space at all—to continue to meet their users’ needs with large collections. And digital files that are electronically searchable and formatted for universal accessibility can add significant value to a library’s collection.
This Quick Guide focuses on the decisions, processes and resources involved in digitizing printed documents such as research reports.
The guidance in this Quick Guide is appropriate for DOTs with or without library spaces that wish to develop an internal program to digitize materials or participate in a collaborative digitization effort.
The Transportation Research and Connectivity pooled fund study, TPF-5(442), is a consortium of state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other partners that supports the coordinated development of transportation libraries as well as research organizations without dedicated libraries. Study focus areas include communication and networking, digitization, research report accessibility, and developing online resource guides and a toolkit for non-librarians.
The first issue of Public Roads, obtained from NTL’s DOT Library serials collection. The physical journal was first published in 1918. It has since transitioned to a quarterly electronic publication.
This Quick Guide was prepared by CTC & Associates LLC for the Transportation Research and Connectivity pooled fund study, TPF-5(442), under the guidance of the following members of the study's technical advisory committee:
This guide is a living document that is intended to be revised and updated to incorporate new resources. To suggest a resource for inclusion, please contact one of the committee members listed above.
Publication date: December 2022.