The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is the global voice of the information profession. The series IFLA Publications deals with many of the means through which libraries, information centres, and information professionals worldwide can formulate their goals, exert their influence as a group, protect their interests, and find solutions to global problems.

Many libraries across the country have found ways to create wonderful digital collections, and this book shows you how you can too.

For any library, archive, or historical society committed to getting materials back into circulation as quickly as possible, this reference offers a one-stop solution. From the issues relevant to directors to hands-on instructions for technicians, it's an excellent reference for the entire library.

The ostensible purpose of a library is to preserve the printed word. But for fifty years our country’s libraries–including the Library of Congress–have been doing just the opposite, destroying hundreds of thousands of historic newspapers and replacing them with microfilm copies that are difficult to read, lack all the color and quality of the original paper and illustrations, and deteriorate with age. With meticulous detective work and Baker’s well-known explanatory power, Double Fold reveals a secret history of microfilm lobbyists, former CIA agents, and warehouses where priceless archives are destroyed with a machine called a guillotine. Baker argues passionately for preservation, even cashing in his own retirement account to save one important archive–all twenty tons of it. Written the brilliant narrative style that Nicholson Baker fans have come to expect, Double Fold is a persuasive and often devastating book that may turn out to be The Jungle of the American library system.

Most libraries, archives and museums around the globe are now confronting the challenges of providing digital access to their collections. As digitization becomes more widespread, there is huge demand for detailed guidance on best practice. While much has been written on the theory, these practical aspects have often been neglected, but they are significant not only in safeguarding the collection during image capture but also in ensuring that projects run smoothly and the resulting digital collection is of high quality. This practical guide fills that gap, offering guidance covering the end-to-end process of digitizing collections, from selecting records for digitization to choosing suppliers and equipment and dealing with documents that present individual problems. As such, it can be used as a 'how-to' reference manual for collection managers who are embarking on a digitization project or who are managing an existing project. It also covers some of the wider issues such as the use of surrogates for preservation, and the long term sustainability of digital access. Key areas covered are: - digitization in the context of collection management - before you digitize: resources, suppliers and surrogates - the digital image - the process of selection - surveying collections - equipment for image capture - preparation of document formats and fastenings - preparation of damaged documents - setting up the imaging operation. Readership: A clearly-written guide to a complex process, this book is an essential resource for all collection and project managers who have responsibility for the preservation of archival collections, as well as all industry professionals whose role touches on the digitization of collections.