Scanning in the Name Of: A Call for Slow in Digitization and Digital Collections

Abstract

From the Introduction: In this chapter, we introduce a Slow Digitization Framework, which draws inspiration from the Slow Food movement of the 1980s and builds upon recent developments in Slow Archives (Christen and Anderson, 2019) and Slow Librarianship (Farkas, 2021). Through a detailed case study of the University of Minnesota's Digital Library Services (DLS), we demonstrate how embracing Slow principles in digitization can lead to improved outcomes for users and staff while still maintaining high levels of production. The Slow Digitization framework rests on four fundamental tenets. First, it prioritizes quality and care over quantity, moving beyond the "More Product, Less Process" (Greene and Meissner, 2005) mindset that has dominated mass digitization efforts. Second, it centers both the user and worker experience, celebrating the unique insights that digitization staff bring to the process. Third, it emphasizes building sustainable and responsible practices that can be maintained long-term. Finally, it centers users through careful documentation of material characteristics, oddities, and sensitive content that might affect interaction with the material. This approach represents more than just a slower pace of work. It embodies a philosophical shift in how we approach digital collection building–valuing thoroughness, sustainability, and human experience over pure productivity metrics. Through our analysis of literature, practical experience, and case study findings, we demonstrate how Slow Digitization offers a promising path forward for GLAM institutions seeking to create more thoughtful, accessible, and sustainable digital collections for both builders and users.