NUMERIC: statistics for the digitisation of European cultural heritage

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present results of NUMERIC, a project of the European Commission that started out to define measures and methods for assessing the current state of digitisation in Europe's cultural institutions (archives, libraries and museums). The central task of the NUMERIC project was to develop a framework for the collection of statistical data that would be most suitable to give a national overview of digitisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The project developed definitions and data collection methods for the intended survey. After testing the survey in a number of archives, libraries and museums, the project team collaborated with nominated experts in each member country for choosing an adequate sample of cultural institutions throughout Europe.

Findings

In spite of all differences between countries and institutions, the project attempted an estimate of the present state of digitisation in Europe. According to the statements of the responding institutions in the sample, only about 19 per cent of the analogue collections in cultural institutions have as yet been digitised, for about 30 per cent the institutions do not plan digitisation, and at least 50 per cent of the analogue collections in cultural institutions are still waiting digitisation.

Research limitations/implications

As many questions in the survey could only be answered by some of the institutions, some results – especially usage data – are not statistically valid. Different samples of cultural institutions in the countries, different completion rates of answers for each question and differing interpretations of “digitisation” have affected the results.

Originality/value

The paper acquaints professionals in culture statistics and in digitisation projects with the set of well‐defined statistical data that was tested in the NUMERIC project. It also shows the problems and limitations of these data.

Citation

Poll, R. (2010), "NUMERIC: statistics for the digitisation of European cultural heritage", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 44 No. 2, pp. 122-131. https://doi.org/10.1108/00330331011039481