Challenges to Digital Services in Philippine Academic Libraries

Abstract

This paper seeks to characterize the maturity of digital initiatives in Philippine academic libraries, focusing on the sustainability of digitization activities. For its literature review, this paper presents local digitization initiatives, guidelines, standards, and good practices on digitization as presented in research, and prevailing digital library services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It employed a descriptive-comparative research design to obtain information on digitization programs implemented in higher education and research-producing institutions. Five of the 12 verified institutions with digitization programs were engaged for further interviews. The respondents cited the lack of staff, dedicated physical space, and inadequate equipment and funding as barriers to implementing a digitization program. Most of the respondents’ digitization initiatives began in response to external triggers rather than as a part of a comprehensive strategy to provide digital library services. The project-based approach to these activities affects the sustainability of digitization programs. The study recommends organizing more consultancy programs in digitization, teaching digitization ICT applications in LIS schools, information companies offering digitization services, digitization communities of practice, and consortia for sharing facilities and expertise. With the requirements of a more robust digital framework to provide flexible access, Philippine academic libraries must review their short- and long-term goals and figure out where digitization can be integrated within said goals.