Jon Nicholls (Digital Asset Specialist) talks about the new digitisation studio at Mile End Library
The studio that is modernising how Library Services stores and widens access to its Special Collections.
Now that the digitisation studio, located on the Ground Floor of the Mile End Library, is fully equipped, I asked our Digital Asset Specialist, Jon Nicholls, how the studio will work and what the long term plans are for this space.
Why is having a digitisation studio important—and why now?
A digitisation studio is vital for two main reasons. Firstly, it allows us to create high-quality digital surrogates of our Special Collections, which are unique and important to Queen Mary and its history.
Creating and using digital versions instead of the originals helps us protect the sometimes-fragile items we look after. Removing collections from the Archives for users exposes them to wear and tear from light exposure, handling, and temperature changes.
Having and using digital versions in place of the physical originals helps us preserve our collections for the future.
Secondly, digitisation dramatically expands access. Once items are in digital form and available online, researchers, academics, students, and external users can consult them remotely—whether at other Queen Mary campuses or at institutions around the world—without needing to travel to Mile End.
This has all become possible thanks to recent funding secured by the Library, which enabled us to move ahead with the project.
How will the studio improve access to the collections?
Digitised material will be made available online, reaching a far wider audience than ever before. The new Digital Asset Management (DAM) system we’ve invested in will host our images and metadata making them searchable and useable.
The DAM boasts unique features, including OCR and potentially handwriting transcription, which will greatly enhance our metadata, improving searchability, and making our collections more usable for research.
Where can students, academics, and others find digitised resources?
All digitised items will be ingested into the DAM and made accessible via our front-end platform, Digital Collections. Users will be able to search, browse, and download both images and associated metadata. We also plan to launch Digital Exhibitions page through the platform, showcasing unique highlights from our collections to a wider audience.
How can researchers engage with the studio?
Once the studio is fully operational—with cameras, cradles, and workflows in place—we will establish a process for researchers to request digitisation of specific items. A project tracker will help manage requests and scheduling. We expect strong interest once the service is live and will work to balance demand with available capacity.
Can the public access or use the space?
Interested parties will be able to visit the studio by appointment. In certain cases, and depending on workload and project priorities, use of the equipment may be permissible. However, due to the sensitivity of the collections and the high value of the newly acquired equipment, training on cameras, copy stands, and software will be required, and supervision will be in place at all times.
How does the equipment work?
The studio will be equipped with professional-grade cameras and cradles designed to meet international guidelines and colour management. The high-resolution surrogates we create will adhere to quality controlled imaging standards and follow Queen Mary file-naming conventions. Once images and metadata pass a quality-checking process, they will be uploaded together into the DAM for long-term preservation and storage.
Where rights allow, these files will be made available online for access where users can access and download them for use.
What are the long-term goals for this space?
The digitisation studio will become a cornerstone of Queen Mary Archives’ digital infrastructure. It will allow us to transform our Archives and Special Collections into durable, high-quality digital assets for long-term preservation and wider access.
Looking ahead, we aim to create a user-friendly Digital Collections platform with engaging exhibitions that highlight the richness and uniqueness of Queen Mary’s heritage, offering new opportunities for teaching, research, and public engagement.
For further information on this project can be found on the Centre for Digital Collections project page.