How Large Are Special-Collections Digitization Backlogs?

p strongSpecial-collections digitization is active, but backlogs are large, staffing is thin and many institutions cannot say how much work remains./strong/p p Primary Research Group found that 34.62% of respondents did not know the size of their digitization backlog. Another 19.23% reported at least 1,000 linear feet and 11.54% reported 500 to 999 feet in total, 30.77% had backlogs of 500 feet or more. The median staffing allocation for digitization was only one full-time equivalent./p p Text and still images dominate current workloads. For text, 46.15% said the format represented a significant share of work and 11.54% said it represented the bulk. For photographs and images, 34.62% reported a significant share and 19.23% the bulk. Materials from 1950 to 2000 were expected to drive much of the near-future workload./p p Research demand was the strongest prioritization factor: 57.69% ranked it first and 76.92% placed it first or second. Preservation need was an important secondary consideration. Yet 42.31% were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the resources available to reduce the backlog./p p A defensible queue should combine demand, condition, rights, uniqueness, representational value and readiness. Just as important, leaders need an inventory that expresses backlog in more than linear feet&mdashitems, formats, estimated hours and storage requirements&mdashso staffing and vendor proposals can be compared realistically./p p  /p