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Use case
Retrospective digitisation
Historical collections become digitally useful when capture, structure and presentation are planned as one connected process.
Retrospective digitisation makes existing collections digitally accessible: books, journals, manuscripts, records, personal papers, maps, plans and other materials that are often only available on site or under restricted conditions.
It is not just about scanning source materials. Retrospective digitisation connects careful capture, quality control, metadata and structural data, output formats and later presentation in one traceable process.
Preserve collections and make them usable online
Libraries, archives and museums want to make their collections more visible, support research and reduce handling of fragile originals. To achieve this, digital objects need to be more than image files: they must be described, structured and prepared for reuse in suitable formats.
Requirements vary depending on the collection: preservation needs, bibliographic or archival metadata, page and structural information, OCR, full-text search, presentation platforms or handover to long-term preservation systems and portals.
Retrospective digitisation needs more than good scans
Historical collections are often highly varied. Different formats, fragile materials, special bindings, old prints, handwritten additions and inconsistent structures can make digitisation demanding. At the same time, the results need to be easy to find, understand and reuse for research and public access.
Without a clear workflow, media breaks can easily occur. Scans, metadata, structural information and output formats are processed separately and then have to be brought back together later. This takes time and increases the risk of inconsistent results.
A connected workflow for historical collections
Imageware supports retrospective digitisation projects from scanning through to later presentation. Materials can be captured or existing image files imported, processed, enriched with metadata and structural information, and exported to defined formats or target systems.
BCS-2 handles capture, post-processing, indexing and output of digital objects. It supports clear workflows, quality checks, OCR and indexing functions, and export to defined target structures.
mybib eDoc can extend the process when retrospective digitisation needs to be managed as a larger project: with jobs, statuses, responsibilities and documented handovers. This helps teams stay in control, even with extensive collections and several people involved.
For later presentation or access to digital collections, mybib eL can be used. The platform supports openly accessible content as well as protected or sensitive digital materials with appropriate access scenarios.
A typical workflow
Select and prepare the collection
Materials are selected, checked and prepared for digitisation. Preservation, subject-specific and organisational requirements can be taken into account.
Capture materials or import images
Books, documents, maps, plans or other materials are scanned. Existing image files can also be integrated into the workflow.
Check quality and process images
Digital objects are reviewed, cropped, rotated, deskewed and prepared for further processing.
Add structure and metadata
Page information, structural data, bibliographic data, shelf marks or other metadata make digital objects easier to find and use.
Prepare OCR and full text
Depending on the material, OCR results can be generated and used for searchable PDFs, full-text search or downstream systems.
Export or hand over the results
The finished digital objects are provided in the required formats, target structures or systems – for example presentation platforms, portals or archival systems.
Present the digital collection
With mybib eL, selected content can later be presented online or made available through defined access scenarios.
Collections become visible, searchable and ready for long-term use
With Imageware, digital collections become more than individual scans. Content is captured in a traceable way, described with the right context and exported in a form that supports presentation, research, preservation or further processing.
This helps make historical collections more accessible, reduces handling of fragile originals and supports digital services that remain usable over time.
For organisations with historical and legacy collections
Retrospective digitisation is especially relevant for organisations that want to preserve, describe and provide digital access to existing collections.
Let’s talk about your retrospective digitisation project.
Whether you are working with historical book collections, archives, personal papers or digital collections, we can help you clarify the requirements and shape a workflow that fits your materials, use case and target systems.