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Kate Blalack, Spring 2026
Digital Collections Syllabus.pdfCourse Description
Course Description
This course introduces students to the creation, development, implementation, and evaluation of digital collections, including the technical requirements for storage, retrieval, maintenance, preservation, and dissemination of digital materials (ALA 5A, ALA 5B, ALA 5C, SLO 2). Students will engage in small-group discussions exploring professional standards, technologies, and ethical challenges related to digital libraries, archives, and repositories (ALA 1G). The final project consists of a project proposal and the creation of a small digital collection (ALA 9A).
At the conclusion of this course, students will: understand foundational principles and best practices for digital collections, design and build a small digital collection using professional tools (SLO 4), critically evaluate digital collections across a range of information environments, and engage ethically with emerging technologies used in information work.
Analysis
Analysis
I have gained experience in this course in analyzing digital collections for the standard digital collections principles such as accessibility, mission and goals, active data management, usability for people with disabilities, and intellectual property rights (ALA 1G, ALA 9A, ALA 9C, SLO 4). I now have a stronger determination at developing and curating digital collections that are accessible to people at any level of ability, age, or knowledge (ALA 9B, SLO 6). While I already have a fairly strong understanding of metadata, I was able through this course to refine this understanding and develop more knowledge on different metadata schemes and principles (ALA 5A, ALA 5B). Some feedback I received in this course about my areas of improvement helped me understand that I need to conduct analysis of digital collections from a user perspective more and less from the back-end perspective. This feedback allowed me to understand an area I was falling short and I have been working on and improving this skill (ALA 5D, PLG 4.2).
Reflection
Reflection
Prior to taking this course, I only had the metadata knowledge that was relevant to the specific area I was working in, rare book cataloging. I was unaware of the many other metadata schemes and their real-life applications, benefits, and concerns (ALA 5A). This course was able to introduce me to other metadata schemes and principles and also connect them to practical uses. I was able to use this metadata knowledge to make an informed choice for the scheme I used to develop my own digital collection for the final project in this course. Through the identification of my gaps in understanding, development of knowledge, and practical applications of knowledge, I have significantly strengthened my comprehension of metadata in digital collections. (ALA 5C). Through analyzing digital collections against principles of digital collection development, I was able to put myself in the shoes of a user and understand weaknesses and strengths in an actual digital collection. As digital collections become more and more relevant everyday, I anticipate using this knowledge in the management of an institutional digital collection in the future.
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