Small digitization projects with no metadata

I've been reading about various sized digitization projects and noticing that smaller project sometimes -- still -- do not create metadata. Why should they? The project is small and does need that level of access. Sadly...

• These project teams are not thinking about how their materials might be used in the future.
• The libraries are not considering the possibility that this small project may grow into something bigger.
• The libraries are not adding records into their library management system for these new digital assets, so that users can find them through the OPAC.
• The libraries are not thinking about federated search options that would allow their content to be searched along with other digitized materials.
• The project managers are not realizing that the time/money they have saved may only be a temporary saving. That time and money may need to be spent in the future in order collaborate with others, provide additional access points, or just make the content more useful.

Reading about these projects makes me realize how much work still needs to be done in order for all projects (programs) to be high-quality efforts.

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Technorati tag: Digitization