Purpose of the committee
To promote the standardization and sharing of knowledge related to digitization and preservation of Hong Kong’s cultural heritage. By working collaboratively, we can ensure that these materials are preserved and made accessible to a wider audience without duplication of effort.
Aims of the committee
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- To share good practice on managing the entire digitization process, including metadata creation, digital preservation, copyright clearance, and access policies. This will include sharing:
- expertise and best practices related to the scanning and preservation of various historical documents, photographs, and other materials related to Hong Kong’s rich cultural heritage.
- information on outsourcing digitization and in-house quality assurance standards for the digitization process of various formats.
- practice and standards for applications of automated tools to recognize, extract, categorize, and display content from digitized collections.
- To exchange on current projects and initiatives in the different JULAC libraries
- To develop and document common best practices and standards to help library management in JULAC institutions to identify and prioritize key materials for digitization. This will ensure that digitization efforts are focused on the most valuable and significant materials.
- To explore and exchange current practice in different libraries on experimentation with new digital scholarship tools.
- To advise JULAC Directors on digital preservation infrastructure and copyright issues, ensuring that the materials are preserved and accessible for future generations to appreciate.
- To share good practice on managing the entire digitization process, including metadata creation, digital preservation, copyright clearance, and access policies. This will include sharing:
As part of the collaboration, some key benefits for team members will include:
- Opportunities for professional development and skills training in digitization, metadata management, and digital preservation.
- Development of policies and procedures to ensure that access rights, information sharing, and copyright laws are addressed before materials are digitized and shared in the HK region, including identifying copyright holders and obtaining permission to digitize and share materials.
- Exposure to new and diverse collections and materials via the HKALL/Alma network, which can broaden perspectives and stimulate new research interests.
- Networking opportunities with colleagues from different organizations and fields, which can lead to new collaborations and partnerships.
- Potential collaborations with international organizations like HathiTrust, which could provide access to a vast collection of digitized materials related to Hong Kong’s history and culture.
- Increased chances of acquiring funding from agencies that support cultural heritage preservation projects.
- Recognition for contributions to a significant cultural heritage project, which can enhance resumes and professional reputations.
- Improved decision-making through effective communication and collaboration to determine which materials are of the highest value and importance to each member library’s focus area.
- Access to advice from the subcommittee to address technical challenges related to digitization equipment, software, preservation, and metadata management.