Technical Guidelines Resources
The resources on this page are provided to support digital imaging programs in applying the Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials. These resources have been selected by members of the FADGI Still Image Working Group, but this is not an exhaustive list of digital imaging resources for cultural heritage organizations. We welcome questions and feedback on the resources list through this online form or by email at [email protected].
Software
Note: FADGI does not approve, certify, or endorse commercial products. This is not an exhaustive list of software that may be used in a FADGI-conforming digitization program.
Image Analysis Software
OpenDICE and AutoSFR. Free FADGI conformance measurement and image analysis software tools developed by the Library of Congress.
Image Science Associates Golden Thread
Digital Transitions Golden Thread NXT
Image Engineering iQ-Analyzer-X
JHOVE. Open source file format identification, validation, and characterization tool.
Jpylyzer. Free validation and feature extraction software.
ImageZebra. System for tracking and improving quality of image capture devices.
Image Conversion Software
Robin Myers Imaging EquiLight 3. Corrects lens and lighting falloff.
Robin Myers Imaging SpectraShop 6
IrfanView. Free graphic viewer with a variety of image and TIFF tag editing features.
General Resources
Sustainability of Digital Formats Site, Library of Congress. Provides information about digital content formats.
Moving Theory into Practice, Cornell University Library
The NINCH Guide to Good Practice in the Digital Representation and Management of Cultural Heritage Materials, Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute, University of Glasgow, and National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage
Digital Preservation Coalition Handbook, 2nd Edition, Digital Preservation Coalition
Metadata
Dublin Core Metadata Initiative Terms, Dublin Core Metadata Initiative
Encoded Archival Description, Official EAD site of the Library of Congress
Best Practice Guidelines for Encoded Archival Description, Research Library Group
CDL Guidelines for Digital Objects, California Digital Library
Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS), Library of contress
Metadata for Images in XML (MIX), Library of Congress
Administrative Metadata
Data Dictionary for Administrative Metadata for Audio, Image, Text, and Video Content, Library of Congress
Technical Metadata
Data Dictionary: Technical Metadata for Digital Still Images, National Information Standards Organization
"Automatic Exposure: Capturing Technical Metadata for Digital Still Images," Research Library Group
Preservation Metadata
“A Metadata Framework to Support the Preservation of Digital Objects,” OCLC
“Preservation Metadata for Digital Objects: A Review of the State of the Art,” OCLC
PREMIS (Preservation Metadata Implementation Strategies), Library of Congress
Rights Metadata
"Copyright Issues Relevant to the Creation of a Digital Archive: A Preliminary Assessment," June M. Besek
"Rights Expression Languages: A Report to the Library of Congress," Karen Coyle
MPEG-21 Standard, MPEG. Includes a discussion on intellectual property and rights.
Library Digitization Projects and Copyright, Mary Minow
Assessment of Metadata Needs for Imaging Projects
Guidelines for Implementing Dublin Core in XML, Dublin Core Metadata Initiative
Technical Overview
Raster Image Characteristics
"Introduction to Imaging (Getty Standards Program)," Getty Information Institute
Digitization Environment
Standards
ISO 3664 Viewing Conditions - For Graphic Technology and Photography
ISO 12646 Graphic Technology – Displays for Colour Proofing – Characteristics
These standards can be purchased from ISO at http://www.iso.ch or from IHS Global at http://global.ihs.com.
“Digital Imaging Production Services at the Harvard College Library,” by Stephen Chapman and William Comstock, DigiNews, Vol. 4, No. 6, Dec. 15, 2000
Quantifying Scanner/Digital Camera Performance
Standards
ISO 12231 Terminology
ISO 14524 Opto-Electronic Conversion Function
ISO 12233 Resolution: Still Picture Cameras
ISO 16067-1 Resolution: Print Scanners
ISO 16067-2 Resolution: Film Scanners
ISO 15739 Noise: Still Picture Cameras
ISO 21550 Dynamic Range: Film Scanners
These standards can be purchased from ISO at http://www.iso.ch or from IHS Global http://global.ihs.com
“Debunking Specsmanship,” Don Williams, Eastman Kodak, in RLG DigiNews, Vol. 7, No. 1, Feb. 15, 2003
“Image Quality Metrics," Don Williams, Eastman Kodak, in RLG DigiNews, Vol. 4, No. 4, Aug. 15, 2000
“What is an MTF…and Why Should You Care?" Don Williams, Eastman Kodak, in RLG DigiNews, Vol. 2, No. 1, Feb. 15, 1998
Guides to Quality in Visual Resource Imaging, Digital Library Federation and Research Libraries Group, July 2000
- Guide 2: Selecting a Scanner, Don Williams
- Guide 3: Imaging Systems: The Range of Factors Affecting Image Quality, Donald D’Amato
- Guide 4: Measuring Quality of Digital Masters, Franziska Frey
“Digital Imaging for Photographic Collections”, Franziska Frey and James Reilly, Image Permanence Institute, 1999
“Image Capture Beyond 24-bit RGB,” Donald Brown, Eastman Kodak, in RLG DigiNews, Vol. 3, No. 5, Oct. 15, 1999
Color Management
"Real World Color Management, 2nd Edition," Bruce Fraser, Chris Murphy, and Fred Bunting, Peachpit Press, Berkeley, CA, 2004
Digitization in Production Environments
“Imaging Production Systems at Corbis Corporation,” Sabine Süsstrunk, DigiNews, Vol. 2, No. 4, August 15, 1998
“Imaging Pictorial Collections at the Library of Congress,” John Stokes, DigiNews, Vol. 3, No. 2, April 15, 1999
Digitization Specifications
Image Guidelines
Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Digital Library Federation
Storage and Digital Preservation
Digital Preservation Coalition
National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program, Library of Congress
Electronic Records Archive Project, National Archives and Records Administration
“Trusted Digital Repositories: Attributes and Responsibilities,” Research Libraries Group and OCLC, May 2002
Last Updated: 06/28/2023