Surveying Oregon’s Digital Heritage Collections

In 2018, the Oregon Heritage Commission conducted a survey of heritage organizations across the state to capture data regarding digitization efforts. The goal of the survey was to collect a baseline of information on the types of digital collections in Oregon, existing digital infrastructure, and a level of interest in collaborative options. Data gathered was shared with our partners, including the Orbis Cascade Alliance, to aid their work in considering how to create an on-ramp for smaller collections to enter into the Digital Public Library of America. This work followed the 2013 Environmental Scan of Digital Collections conducted by the State Library of Oregon and the outcomes of the 2015 Northwest Digital Summit, which identified overall gaps in support for digital collections at heritage organizations in Oregon and Washington. Unlike previous statewide assessments, the 2018 survey strove to capture data from heritage organizations of all types and sizes, both with and without digital collections, so that the Oregon Heritage Commission and our partners can determine strategies, tools, and trainings to best assist organizations at all stages of the digitization process.