WHAT IS DIGITIZATION?

This seems to be a very simple and direct question. However, a closer look suggests the subject requires more attention considering the questions raised by many concerning the scope and ambiguities as the concept has been defined in the CPD Class and generally in the library context.

Considering the word digitization, it was derived from the word 'digit'. It could be inferred that digitization has to do with digits. It literary means conversion to digits. Why digits? Every information on computer is represented in digits, binary digits, the images, texts, videos, audio, 3 dimensional images because all the computer understands is information in binary form (zeros and ones). Just any information in any form. Hence, any information in the physical form can only be converted to computer readable form if the information can be converted to zeros and ones.

The process of converting physical or analog objects to computer readable form involves the use of specialized hardware and software. Physical materials are materials that could be seen, while analog materials are materials on which information is coded on in analog formats, or formats that are not readable by computer eg cassette or VHS is a good form of analog information material. For texts and images, hardware like scanners and digital cameras are needed to convert the information into computer readable format. For 3 dimensional images, 3d image scanners are the hardware that are used. There are cassette and VHS to CD ROM converters for converting audio and audiovisual materials.

Coming back to the Library context, the definition of digitization sometimes include the purpose and what happens to digitized materials after the digitization process. Basically digitization in the library context means the conversion of library physical (print documents, 3 dimensional images, etc) and analog materials (VHS, cassettee etc) to computer readable format. All definitions of digitization revolve around this as some words or phrases could be substituted. For instance, 'physical and analog materials' could be replaced with 'hard copies' or 'hard materials' and computer readable formats could be replaced with 'soft format'.

Other definitions of digitizations which have stated that the conversion of digitized materials is to preserve and make the materials accessible to users have only added the essence of digitization. Hence, the expansion of the definition beyond the 'conversion' have only added the essence of digitization.