Large-scale digitization: The £22-million JISC programme and the role of libraries

Abstract

The article explains JISC's ground-breaking programme of digitizing large collections across a variety of formats and subjects. The first phase is described, together with the challenges faced and significant lessons learned.The second phase is also outlined, and the methods for selecting the successful projects explained. These two digitization phases are providing UK higher and further education researchers and students with a very large amount of fascinating online content taken from the collections of some of the UK's major national and university libraries. The article concludes with some thoughts about a further large phase of digitization and a discussion of the issue of sustainability into the future. © Jean Sykes.