Digital projects
On this page are details of various digital projects at the National Library of Scotland, and information about some of the collaborative projects we are involved in.
Digitisation programme
At the National Library of Scotland we have an active programme to digitise material from our collections. Through market research and usage analysis we aim to ensure that selection decisions are based on an understanding of user needs and interests.
We are keen to collaborate with other Scottish institutions where this would result in the digitisation of complementary collections which can contribute to the overall Scottish digital culture resource. We welcome comments on our digitisation programme 2005-2008, and suggestions for joint projects.
- To find out more: contact Simon Bains, Digital Library Manager
Strategy for the Digital NLS
NLS produced a three-year digital library strategic plan in 2005 to support commitments made in Breaking through the walls. The digital strategic plan identifies requirements, objectives and milestones in the areas of collection development, access, infrastructure and organisational development as they relate to the building of a major national digital library. We welcome comments and enquiries on the strategic plan.
- To find out more: contact Simon Bains
Digital projects
We are currently involved in several major collaborative projects:
Trusted Digital Repository
NLS plans to build a Trusted Digital Repository to manage digital resources and preserve and provide access to them over the long-term. A call for expressions of interest from suppliers was recently issued. Further information will be made available as plans develop.
- To find out more: contact Simon Bains
Digital Preservation Coalition
NLS is a full member of the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC), and the Digital Library Manager acts as a DPC director, with a seat on the board. The DPC was established in 2001. Its remit is to foster joint action to address the urgent challenges of securing the preservation of digital resources in the UK, and to work with others internationally to secure our global digital memory and knowledge base.
- To find out more, including membership options: visit the DPC website
IRIScotland
Institutional Repository Infrastructure for Scotland (IRIScotland) is a project which aims to provide the organisational and technological framework for a Scotland-wide institutional repository infrastructure for research. It builds on recent work in Scotland to raise the profile of 'open access publishing' ̵ free access to scientific and research literature normally only available through journal subscriptions. NLS will test the potential application of a hosted repository service, operated by NLS on behalf of Scottish research institutions.
The project is cross-sectoral and lead by Edinburgh University. It began on 1 September 2005 and will be completed on 31 August 2007.
-
To find out more: contact Simon Bains
To find out more about open access: visit http://scurl.ac.uk/WG/OATS/
UK Web Archiving Consortium
NLS is one of six institutions forming the UK Web Archiving Consortium (UKWAC). This aims to expand the lifespan of website materials from around 44 days (the same life expectancy as a housefly!) to a century or more. Lead by the British Library, UKWAC is working, with the permission of rights holders, on an experimental system for archiving selected key UK websites – ensuring that invaluable scholarly, cultural and scientific resources remain available for future generations.
- To find out more: contact Paul Cunnea.
