Towards A National Collection – Digitisation Capability Pilot for N-RICH Prototype

The Digitisation Capability Pilot is one of the two core work packages delivered through the N-RICH Prototype, alongside the Digital Research Infrastructure Prototype. Its role is to address the supply-side constraints that currently limit the use of cultural heritage collections in computational and data-driven research.

While digitisation activity across the UK GLAM sector has expanded access to collections, it has not consistently produced data that is structured, documented and interoperable enough to support large-scale analysis, AI-enabled methods or cross-collection research.

The Pilot responds to this gap by focusing on the creation of computation-ready digital collections data, providing a foundation for subsequent infrastructure development and research use.

The objectives of the Digitisation Capability Pilot are to:

• Define a shared, open and scalable digitisation standard for priority GLAM collection types, specifying baseline, enhanced and aspirational levels of practice;
• Ensure the standard is oriented towards interoperability, computational access and reuse, embedding FAIR and CARE principles;
• Support data creation, augmentation and computational readiness, including standards for rapid, rich and non-destructive digitisation appropriate to different collection types and research purposes;
• Design the standard to be modular and incrementally adoptable by institutions of differing scale, capacity and resource;
• Test and refine the standard through limited application with partner GLAM institutions;
• Generate evidence on cost, skills and organisational implications to inform future investment decisions;
• Publish the standard openly and propose an appropriate model for its future stewardship and evolution.