digitise

Digitise is a verb meaning to convert information, documents, images, or other media into a digital form that can be read, processed, stored, or transmitted by computers. In British English the spelling digitise is standard; in American English the form digitize is used. The corresponding noun forms are digitisation (British) and digitization (American).

Applications of digitisation are widespread, including libraries, archives, museums, government, media, and business. It enables access to fragile or rare items, supports search and retrieval, and facilitates long-term preservation.

Process: A typical digitisation workflow includes material assessment and preparation, capture by scanning or recording, data extraction such as optical character recognition for text, creation of metadata, quality control, and storage in a digital repository with preservation actions like format-negotiated migration and checksums.

Formats and standards: Digital files may use TIFF or JPEG 2000 for images, PDF/A for documents, WAV or MP3 for audio, and MP4 for video. Metadata standards (for example Dublin Core, METS, PREMIS) and preservation strategies help ensure long-term accessibility.

Considerations: Copyright and access restrictions, privacy concerns, and the need to balance fidelity to the original with storage efficiency. Digitisation is often distinguished from digitalisation, the latter referring to using digital technologies to transform processes and workflows rather than simply converting formats.