A Framework of Guidance for
A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections
Collections principle 1: A good digital collection is created according to an explicit collection development policy that has been agreed upon and documented before digitization begins.
Collections principle 2: Collections should be described so that a user can discover important characteristics of the collection, including scope, format, restrictions on access, ownership, and any information significant for determining the collection's authenticity, integrity and interpretation.
Collections principle 3: A collection should be sustainable over time. In particular, digital collections built with special funding should have a plan for their continued usability beyond the funded period.
Collections principle 4: A good collection is broadly available and avoids unnecessary impediments to use. Collections should be accessible to persons with disabilities, and usable effectively in conjunction with adaptive technologies.
Collections principle 5: A good collection respects intellectual property rights. Collection managers should maintain a consistent record of rightsholders and permissions granted for all applicable materials.
Collections principle 6: A good collection provides some measurement of use. Counts should be aggregated by period and maintained over time so that comparison can be made.
Collections principle 7: A good collection fits into the larger context of significant related national and international digital library initiatives. For example, collections of content useful for education in science, math and/or engineering should be usable in the NSDL.
The paper goes on with a number of object principles and more.