Digital practice guidelines

The Digital Practice Guidelines provide an introduction for public libraries that are involved in digitisation projects, including providing access and storage for born digital objects and digital preservation. 

It draws on Digital practice: guidelines for digitising images in NSW public libraries which was published in 2005, but has been modified and expanded to include video and audio formats.  

General principles

Information contained in these guidelines has been divided into general principles - which include selection, cataloguing metadata, file management, digital preservation and access and work flow. 

Introduction to digital preservation

A brief background to the main principles of digital preservation.

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Selection

This section identifies the main selection criteria for digitisation and helps you decide which are relevant for your library.

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Cataloguing and metadata

Cataloguing and metadata provide maximum discovery of items in digital collections.

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Asset management

Basic procedural information for the purposes of maintaining digital archives and backups.

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Formats

Specifications, including minimum standards and practice for specific formats.

Woman holding tablet displaying a digital image with albums of photographs on a table

Still images

Information on digitising still images, including minimum standards and best practice for digital conversion and born digital images.

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Reel to reel recording machine

Sound recordings

Information on the best practice and minimum standards for digitising sound recordings.

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Film and audio tapes and reels

Video and moving images

Specifications for digitising video and moving images, including minimum standards and best practice

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Flowchart

Download the Digital Practice Flowchart