A global snapshot of the state of digital collections in the health sciences, 2013.

Keith M Pickett,Maureen M Knapp

doi:10.3163/1536-5050.102.2.013

Keith M Pickett, Maureen M Knapp

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.102.2.013

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Abstract

Two hundred twenty-nine health sciences libraries (HSLs) worldwide were surveyed regarding the availability of digital collections, evidence of the type of digital collections, level of access, software used, and HSL type. Of the surveyed libraries, 69% (n = 157) had digital collections, with an average of 1,531 items in each collection; 49% (n = 112) also had institutional repositories. In most cases (n = 147), these collections were publicly available. The predominant platforms for disseminating these digital collections were CONTENTdm and library web pages. Only 50% (n = 77) of these collections were managed by the health sciences library itself.

Highlights

Worldwide, more and more libraries of every size, shape, and specialty are either currently offering or in the process of publishing digital collections consisting of digitized historical and archival items, institutional repository content, and research data [1]
To generate an authoritative and comprehensive listing of health sciences libraries (HSLs), the authors generated an international list from two sources: members of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) listed in the thirty-fourth edition of the Annual Statistics of Medical School Libraries in the United States and Canada [6], published by AAHSL, and libraries with collections listed in the US National Library of Medicine’s (NLM’s) Directory of History of Medicine Collections [7]
Two hundred twenty-nine HSLs worldwide were included in this analysis, 70% (n5159) of which were located in the United States, 7% (n517) in Canada, and 23% (n553) in other countries listed in the NLM Directory of History of Medicine Collections [7]

Summary

Introduction

More and more libraries of every size, shape, and specialty are either currently offering or in the process of publishing digital collections consisting of digitized historical and archival items, institutional repository content, and research data [1]. As holders of unique items of historical and research interest to a wide range of potential users, HSLs are poised to become major players in the realm of digital initiatives and collections. This survey attempts to quantify and describe digital collections related to and provided by HSLs. While numerous HSLs offer sizable digital collections and repositories—which the authors define as managed collections of information, with associated services, stored in digital formats and accessible over a network [3]—there is little published literature surveying the scope and content of digital collections [1]. The authors’ literature review revealed that no similar study focusing on digital collections that HSLs offer has been published to date

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