Page 47 - Building Digital Libraries

CHAPTER 3

is often a difficult task, so multiple methods should be employed
simultaneously. Automated tools can be very useful for iden-
tifying desirable resources, but in most cases, the identifica-
tion process will still involve a significant amount of manual
labor. For example, if systematic ingestion is used, how will the
desired resources be separated out from the vast bulk of unde-
sirable resources?

Acquiring Content

Once a method for selecting content is determined, a mechanism using one
or more of the following three methods for acquiring that content must be
established:

• Content providers submit materials
• Staff collect materials

• Automated processes ingest materials individually or using
batch processes

Ingesting discrete items such as articles, documents, images, video, and
sound files is generally easy. However, acquiring digital resources is often
a complex task that requires substantial compromises for the following
reasons:

• Resources frequently consist of many components with
complex relationships

• A resource may lack obvious boundaries
• The components of a resource may be distributed across
systems
• A resource may be closely integrated with a specific
platform or it may dynamically change when it is used
There are many potential methods for addressing the challenges presented
by complex resources, but most fall into one of four general approaches:

1. Object requirements: Adopt a collection development
policy that excludes troublesome resources

2. Transform: Reformat and restructure materials so that
they are easier to process and preserve

3. Kick the can down the road: Presume that future
technological advances will solve the problem

4. Outsource: Contract responsibility for preserving the
resource to an outside party

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