Digitization for Scholarly Use: The Boswell Papers Project at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

This paper reports on a project that involved the digitization of manuscripts from the Boswell Collection (i.e., personal papers of James Boswell) by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University (Connecticut). In this case, the digitization process was designed to serve a group of scholars already at work on a publication series, and so distinguishes itself from many others by its focus on the scholarly communication process rather than on giving broad access to collections through the Internet. The paper discusses the many reasons that a special collections library might undertake a digital conversion program, and shares the staff's insights into how digital technology has found its place in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Specifically, the paper discusses: background on the library and the Boswell collection; project origins; forming a digitization strategy, including choices regarding where the library should place its emphasis; getting the project underway; the scanning process; results and benefits for the library; results and benefits for the scholar-editors; and conclusions. (AEF)