Volume 15 (2026-27)

This paper examines the human, organisational and technical dimensions of implementing a digital asset management (DAM) system within a complex organisational environment. It argues that DAM implementation should not be treated as a technology deployment alone, but as a structured change programme requiring leadership sponsorship, cross-functional governance and sustained user engagement. Drawing on VisitScotland’s experience of reassessing and replacing its DAM platform, the paper explores how current systems can be evaluated against strategic requirements, user needs and budget-holder priorities. It considers how DAM can streamline technical processes, reduce workflow friction, improve website page load times and enhance the experience of both internal users and external audiences. Attention is given to the distinction between leadership responsibility for organisational workflow change and the role of the DAM team as platform owner and subject matter expert. The paper concludes that DAM delivers its greatest value when implemented as part of a broader content ecosystem, with people, governance and operational reality placed firmly at the centre of decision-making. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks.com/business.
Keywords: digital asset management; user experience; governance; workflow improvement; system assessment; website performance; change management

Broadcast archives that remain in continuous production use face a fundamental tension between immediate editorial demands and long-term preservation objectives. This paper examines how Sveriges Television has navigated this balance during its transition from analogue film and magnetic tape to a digital media asset management environment. Drawing on internal workflows, digitisation strategies and source selection practices, the paper analyses how multiple digital versions coexist within the same archival framework. The findings demonstrate that large-scale digitisation has prioritised access and production efficiency but introduced limitations when early digital transfers no longer met evolving technical standards. The paper further demonstrates that storage constraints, carrier disposal and format standardisation decisions have shaped the archive’s preservation options, particularly in the case of magnetic tape migration. At the same time, emerging workflows, including ultra-high-definition (UHD) rescanning, artificial intelligence assisted restoration and image-based search technologies, have reinforced the importance of high-quality source digitisation as a prerequisite for reuse. The paper argues that production-driven archives should adopt a quality-first preservation strategy, supported by clear version governance and selective rescanning of high-value materials. Such an approach ensures both immediate usability and long-term sustainability, demonstrating how technical and economic constraints shape accessibility of audio-visual heritage. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks.com/business.
Keywords: audio-visual preservation; film digitisation; media asset management; file version management

This paper describes a scalable workflow developed by the University of Minnesota Libraries to integrate item-level content notices into digitised archives and special collections materials. As galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAMs) continue to support reparative description efforts and maintain commitments to open access for digital collections, there is a growing need for solutions that balance user choice, accessibility and sustainable technical infrastructure. Leveraging International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) standards and custom Ruby on Rails code, the workflow programmatically inserts a content notice cover sheet before digital objects, while allowing curators, archivists and other subject experts to provide important context in the descriptive metadata. This approach ensures consistency across platforms and supports interoperability and open sharing, all while minimising technical overhead. The workflow demonstrates how collaboration between digital collections staff and web developers can align reparative description and user experience with standards-based systems. By providing users with clear, item-level guidance on sensitive content, and equipping institutions with a manageable, replicable process, this model offers a transferable framework for GLAM professionals seeking to make digital collections more accessible, equitable and usercentered. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks.com/business.
Keywords: digital collections; content notices; reparative description; user experience; sustainable infrastructure; IIIF; International Image Interoperability Framework

Sign language serves as the primary linguistic modality for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. However, the vast majority of sign language content contained within historical video archives remains inaccessible — unindexed, unsearchable and effectively invisible to computational analysis. This paper proposes a novel framework for the automated detection, tracking and semantic annotation of signlanguage motions using advanced computer vision and archived broadcast footage. Building upon initial trials conducted by NHK Enterprises and utilising 2026-era hardware capabilities, the paper evaluates the shift from sensor-based motion capture to videobased pose estimation. Furthermore, it discusses the economic and ethical implications of creating large-scale 3D motion databases, proposing an international consortium model to govern the ‘physical artificial intelligence’ data marketplace. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks.com/business.
Keywords: sign language; deaf; computer vision; motion capture; avatar; 3D motion data; computer graphics

This paper presents a case study of how the Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision responded to a structural crisis in magnetic video digitisation driven by carrier deterioration, technological obsolescence and market contraction. As the availability of legacy playback equipment, spare parts and specialist expertise declined, and commercial digitisation capacity reduced, the institute faced the prospect of losing the means to digitise significant portions of national audiovisual heritage. The paper examines the strategic decision to intervene directly by acquiring a large collection of legacy video equipment and retaining key technical expertise. It situates this intervention within a broader shift from earlier large-scale, publicly funded digitisation efforts towards a more constrained on-demand model, during which backlogs continued to grow and preservation risks intensified. The analysis identifies operational, organisational and knowledge-related risks associated with the investment, and outlines plans to re-establish scalable digitisation capacity within existing archival and technical infrastructures. The case demonstrates that sustaining audiovisual preservation capability is not solely a technical challenge but a strategic and systemic issue shaped by market dynamics and skills loss. It argues that long-term stewardship increasingly requires preservation of both media carriers and the means to reproduce them, supported by collaboration across institutional networks. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks.com/business.
Keywords: magnetic video digitisation; legacy playback equipment; audiovisual heritage preservation; skills and knowledge retention

Digital asset management (DAM) has become a crucial operational capability for organisations managing growing volumes of digital content across multiple channels, teams and compliance regimes. However, many DAM initiatives fail to deliver their intended value, not because of shortcomings in platform functionality, but due to misalignment between workflow logic and metadata strategy. Legacy workflows often persist despite changing content demands, while metadata practices struggle to balance governance, usability and scalability. This paper argues that sustainable DAM success depends on modernising workflow logic and metadata together as interdependent components of a single operational system. Drawing on established research, case studies and standards-based practice, the paper examines common failure patterns in legacy DAM implementations and presents a practical framework for modernisation. It focuses on user-centric workflow redesign, targeted automation, metadata prioritisation and standards alignment, with particular relevance to DAM leaders, enterprise teams and the galleries, libraries, archives and museums sector. Rather than advocating wholesale system replacement, the paper emphasises incremental, highimpact changes that improve discoverability, governance and reuse while reducing friction for users. The discussion concludes with actionable recommendations that practitioners can apply to improve operational performance, future-proof their DAM environments and unlock greater long-term value from their digital assets. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks.com/business.
Keywords: integration; metadata management; governance; decision making; asset delivery; rights management

This paper examines how two Texas academic libraries leverage the Alma/ Primo VE library services platform to enhance digital collection discovery, access and user experience within evolving and often complex ecosystems of open source and locally developed repositories. Using case studies from both institutions, it illuminates the opportunities and practical challenges of leveraging Alma/Primo VE features for various aspects of digital collection management. One institution’s approach centres on a modular, locally architected ecosystem, using Alma/Primo VE primarily as a discovery and integration layer, while maintaining core preservation and repository functions in other specialised, locally managed platforms. The other institution has adopted the Alma Digital add-on for centralised metadata management, streamlined publication and flexible access controls to address discoverability and accessibility priorities. The paper identifies trends such as the growing importance of metadata interoperability, agile development practices and cross-departmental collaboration. Key findings include the benefits of Alma/Primo VE’s flexible metadata management options, enhanced user experience through unified discovery, granular access controls to support both licensed and open access resources, and convenient accessibility options. However, Alma/Primo VE is not a comprehensive digital collection management solution, lacking robust digital preservation features. There are also necessary compromises for metadata interoperability/reuse, costs associated with developing staff expertise, and limitations in accessibility support. The paper concludes that while Alma/Primo VE offers valuable tools to support discovery and access for digital collections, institutions must weigh trade-offs, make compromises and adopt other solutions to fully address preservation, metadata reuse, accessibility needs and licensing determinations. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http:// hstalks.com/business.
Keywords: academic libraries; digital asset management; digital collections; discoverability; library services platform; metadata management; sustainability

Digitisation has long supported outreach and discoverability in archives and special collections. These priorities, however, can shift dramatically when a collection’s public identity is tied to someone later confirmed to have committed sexual abuse. This case study examines how ongoing projects tied to the L’Arche Collections were re-evaluated after the disclosure of abuse by Jean Vanier, prompting a reassessment of previous digitisation plans that centred on Vanier. In response to the revelations, a proposal emerged from within the local L’Arche community to develop an anniversary exhibition that would foreground alternative leadership narratives. This collaboration initiated a shift in digitisation priorities, redirecting attention from materials associated with Vanier towards records documenting other significant figures in L’Arche’s history. This resulted in a small online exhibition with newly digitised material featuring a retired member and leader within L’Arche, Sr. Sue Mosteller, whose leadership provided an alternative framework to explore the history of L’Arche. The mid-scale collaboration generated renewed engagement with the collections and demonstrated the value of community-driven reframing in archival practice. This paper outlines the context that led to the project, the four-month development process and the practical steps taken to launch the exhibition. It concludes by reflecting on the role of community partnership in ensuring the project’s success and on the next steps required to sustain and extend this work across new platforms. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks.com/business.
Keywords: donors; community collaboration; digitisation; online exhibition; audiovisual