Reformatting Preservation Departments: The Effect of Digitization on Workload and Staff

Abstract

This study investigates whether digitization has affected the workload and staffing of preservation departments. Data from a survey of eighteen ARL libraries over five years were used to track the number of reformatting tasks completed and staffing trends in order to determine whether there is an evident effect from digitization. Analysis reveals that the number of items processed by preservation departments has increased by ten percent due to digital-reformatting tasks and without a corresponding increase in staffing. The shape of preservation departments is indeed shifting, and this trend should be followed closely over subsequent years