| dc.description.abstract | More than a decade into the 21st century, life is becoming ever more digitized. A major
part of this movement is the digitization of print literature. This paper examines digital libraries
around the globe and discusses how current technology and methods might be applied to the
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), especially concerning the rare books kept at
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS).
This study intends to be an overview to aid in the starting of a digitization initiative at
WLS. Current digital libraries are examined for reference in their various purposes, formats, and
Internet presence. Commercial digitization equipment is reviewed, with a look at various
methods and price ranges. The nuts and bolts of digitization are taken apart with a brief overview
of file formats and metadata. Finally, the question is asked, “How might this be accomplished for
WELS?”
The conclusion of this research is that it is fully possible for WELS to create a digital
library using limited resources. In order to best preserve the rich history of WELS and advance
scholarship of theologians both at the seminary and far away, a digitization initiative should be
considered an urgent necessity. This paper coincides with the building of a book scanner for the
WLS library. | en_US |
