Introduction to Digital Collection Development

Introduction to Digital Collection Development is designed to provide a brief introduction to the processes associated with building and managing digital collections. Sections discuss common considerations and recommended practices when selecting materials, digitizing materials, describing and cataloging materials, and preserving and sharing digital files. The handbook also offers additional resources for further exploration and learning. Introduction to Digital Collection Development is part of a handbook series developed for partners of the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and the broader community working within libraries, archives, and other heritage and memory organizations. Over the last twenty years, dLOC has worked to strengthen its partner and practitioner network through training, professional development institutes, and outreach initiatives. The Revitalizing the Digital Library of the Caribbean initiative (2022-2026) builds on this foundation by prioritizing direct investment in the Caribbean institutions and people who comprise dLOC, enabling higher levels of sustained community and collections growth. The Revitalizing the Digital Library of the Caribbean initiative scaffolds programmatic support for executing core activities such as digitization, preservation, copyright, and the ethical reuse of dLOC collections in teaching and research.