digitising

Digitising, or digitization in some dialects, is the process of converting information and objects into a digital form that can be represented, stored, searched, transmitted and manipulated by computers. Digitising encompasses converting physical media such as documents, photographs, audio- and video recordings, maps and artefacts into digital equivalents, as well as encoding procedurally generated data. The aim is to enable access, preservation and interoperability across devices and networks.

Practices typically involve scanning or photographing physical media, optical character recognition for text, transcription for non-machine readable materials, and the encoding of data with metadata. Digitisation projects use digital file formats and metadata schemas to ensure long‑term accessibility. Common formats include TIFF or JPEG for images, WAV or MP3 for audio, MPEG or MP4 for video, and PDF/A for documents. Metadata standards such as Dublin Core, METS and PREMIS support discovery, provenance and rights information.

Digitising has broad applications in libraries, archives, museums, government, science and industry. It improves access, enables search and analysis, and aids preservation by reducing handling of fragile originals. Digitised data also supports disaster recovery, remote collaboration and new forms of scholarship, including digital humanities and GIS-based mapping. Intellectual property, privacy and licensing considerations shape what may be digitised and how it is used.

Challenges include maintaining fidelity to the original, managing large data volumes, preserving digital formats against obsolescence, and ensuring accurate metadata. Preservation strategies often rely on redundant storage, format migrations and emulation, as well as clear governance around access and rights. Cost, technical skill requirements and ethical concerns are ongoing considerations in digitising programmes.