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WVRHC Documentation

Reformatting and Digitizing Materials

The goal of digitization within the WVRHC, at its core, is access and preservation of materials. In-house digitization work follows the maxim “do it once and do it right,” as much as possible given available equipment and digitization type. This means that, varyingly, “right” may involve the creation of access copies by reference staff or preservation copies created in the Digitization Lab that are then preserved over time to minimize duplication of efforts.

Materials of all formats in the WVRHC are candidates for systematic and planned digitization work. Materials are more likely to be digitized in-house as part of systematic digitization efforts if they:

  • Are part of collections that have historically been highly used
  • Have historically been requested for digitization
  • Are closely tied to collecting priorities within the WVRHC
  • Document marginalized voices from underrepresented groups in our collection
  • Are an at-risk format that failure to digitize materials may result in content loss
  • Can be uploaded to the WVRHC digital repository without being restricted for privacy, copyright, or other legal or ethical reasons

Materials are less likely to be digitized if they:

  • Are commercially available
  • Must be restricted based on copyright, donor restriction, privacy and ethical concerns, legal (FERPA, HIPAA), or institutional policy
  • Require extensive preparation, equipment, or metadata that is beyond the capacity supported by the digitization program staff
  • Are too fragile to safely digitize

Ultimately, the WVU digitization program has the potential to make a national and global impact as digitized materials are made freely available (as much as possible given legal, copyright, and privacy considerations) through the WVRHC digital repository, a platform that supports open access to digital materials.

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