Understanding Your Current Holdings

Before embarking on your digital preservation journey, a thorough understanding of your current holdings and operational landscape is paramount. This initial assessment reveals both the physical realities of your collections and the existing expectations surrounding the digitization process. It is crucial to recognize that various departments within your organization—from your museum/library staff to communications and senior leadership—may hold distinct perceptions of the current state and the timeline for completion.

At HistoryIT, we approach this vital assessment through our proven framework, the "Four Cs," ensuring a holistic and actionable overview:

• Condition:
  • What is the current physical state of your collection, identifying items most at risk?
  • Which materials hold the highest appeal to your diverse audiences?
  • Do different content types resonate with distinct audience segments?
  • What is the status of your existing digital items? Was there a past digitization strategy, or are efforts sporadic (e.g., intern-led scanning)? Are current imaging practices adhering to proper archival standards?
• Content:
  • What subject matter does your holdings encompass, and what unique stories do they enable you to tell?
  • Who are the primary audiences interested in these narratives? Consider the untold stories and narrative threads that can emerge through proper metadata tagging.
• Catalog:
  • Does your existing catalog include item-level records with comprehensive subject headings, providing foundational discoverability?
• Capacity:
  • What is your organization's current capacity for processing, digital imaging, catalog creation, design, and web sharing, both in terms of budget allocation and staffing resources?
    
    

Should this assessment feel like a formidable hurdle, or if you seek an unbiased external perspective to gain a comprehensive 360-degree view, our expert team is poised to assist.