An authoritative examination of current issues, themes and techniques on the use of digital collections by an international team of well-respected librarians, archivists and scholars.
Although a huge investment has been made in digitizing scholarly and cultural heritage materials there has been limited examination of actual use and impact. As the creative, cultural and educational sectors face a period of restricted funding, it is critical to consider their value to the institutions that host them and to the communities of users they serve in order to encourage quality, longevity and further investment. This edited collection provides a snapshot of theory and practice internationally, interweaving global case studies with up to date coverage of policy concerns, best practice, evaluation criteria and metrics.
The following key issues are dealt with:

Readership: This book will be invaluable to academics, librarians, archivists and the staff of cultural heritage organizations, as well as funders and other key stakeholders with an interest in the development and long term sustainability of digital collections.