Multimedia Representation and Storage

To reflect on last week's post - digitization projects have become popular in many libraries. Libraries are either the process of a digital project or strive to put one in progress. The projects are usually separated by the material type the institution would like to digitized, i.e. film, photographs, letters, books. As it was made clear in the Historic Pittsburgh article, libraries are faced with two major questions: 1) How to create digital material in the most efficient manner and 2) Where to store/house the digital information to make it accessible to its users.

How Efficiently Create Digital Materials:

Birthing digital material from analog material can create a plethora of data sets such as metadata files, JPEG files, original files, and enhanced files. Libraries need to understand at least the basics of data compression in order to successfully manage a digitization project since digital storage is always a barrier. Compressing files into smaller files allows libraries to effectively use the (sometimes very little) digital storage they own. Loss-less data compression seems to be the best way to do this because it allows for a reversible process that can be undone without losing any part of the original data.

Where to Effectively Store/Provide Digital Information:

After items have been digitized from a library's collection, the second most important steps takes place - placing/uploading the files. Since a library's mission is to make information available and convenient to find, libraries must place their files in areas that people are used to browsing - like Youtube, Flickr, and other multimedia social media accounts. Not only using these websites as a storage facility for this newly digital information, but taking advantage of "social" aspects that these sites offer. Through social media libraries can show off their collections as well as make known other information such as : services provided by the library or even advertising for events.