Academic libraries hold growing collections of archives, born-digital materials and institutional scholarship with enormous potential for research, teaching and community engagement. But making these materials discoverable, usable and sustainable is increasingly difficult as collections expand, expectations change and library teams work with limited staff and budgets.

These challenges were at the center of the webinar, “Reimagining Digital Collections for the Next Generation of Library Users,” featuring Mary Saffell, Director of Special Collections at Texas Christian University (TCU), and Misu Kim, Assistant Library Director for Technical Services at The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas). Their discussion highlighted common challenges facing academic libraries and offered practical perspectives on digital collection management, discovery and preservation. Watch the webinar recording here!

Digital collections have evolved. User expectations have changed.

Many libraries built their digital collections over time using separate repositories, stand-alone platforms and specialized workflows. While these systems met immediate needs, they often created challenges around discovery, maintenance and long-term sustainability.

At TCU, Saffell described a digital collections environment that had become increasingly difficult to maintain and navigate. Researchers encountered barriers when searching for materials, while staff relied heavily on technical support. As born-digital content grew, the need for integrated preservation capabilities became more pressing.

UT Dallas faced similar challenges. Misu Kim explained that digital materials often existed outside the library’s primary discovery environment, making them harder for users to find. Like many institutions, the library was dealing with staffing and budget constraints while managing a growing portfolio of digital initiatives.

At the same time, researchers increasingly expect search experiences that are simple, intuitive and comprehensive. Moving between multiple systems to locate resources is no longer desirable. As Kim noted during the discussion, discoverability has become essential.

Why discoverability matters

Discoverability emerged as one of the strongest themes throughout the webinar.

The panelists highlighted the need for digital collections to be integrated into the broader research experience rather than isolated in separate systems. When digital materials appear alongside books, articles and other scholarly resources, users are more likely to find and use them.

At UT Dallas, integrating digital materials into Alma made them discoverable through Primo alongside other library resources. This approach helps researchers encounter relevant collections they may not have known existed.

The benefits extend beyond convenience. Digital collections support teaching and learning by providing access to primary sources, archives and unique institutional materials. Kim shared the example of a donated collection focused on historic Islamic cities. By digitizing the collection and making it available online, the library increased access while supporting both classroom instruction and research.

Saffell also emphasized the connection between discoverability and information literacy. Well-described collections help students and researchers identify and evaluate authoritative sources while expanding access beyond the physical campus.

AI as a support tool for metadata creation
The role of AI in digital collection workflows was another key topic.

Metadata creation remains one of the most time-consuming aspects of digitization. While scanning materials can be relatively straightforward, creating descriptions and metadata requires significant staff expertise and effort.

During the webinar, attendees saw examples of Alma Specto’s AI Digital Metadata Assistant. The assistant can suggest metadata, identify entities such as people and places and generate draft descriptions for librarian review. Kim demonstrated how the assistant can help identify recurring faces in image collections and create preliminary records that metadata librarians can refine and validate.

A recurring message from both speakers was that AI supports professional expertise rather than replacing it. Librarians remain responsible for reviewing, editing and approving metadata before publication.

As Misu Kim explained:
“A key factor in selecting Alma Specto was its AI Digital Metadata Assistant and entity management features, which streamline staff workflows, improve metadata accuracy and support interoperability across systems. The AI Digital Metadata Assistant detects people, objects and places within digital files and presents them to metadata librarians for review and linkage to authoritative entities in controlled vocabularies. Metadata librarians can accept, modify or reject proposed entities and suggested metadata, enhancing accuracy while reducing labor-intensive processes.”

Sustainability and preservation

As born-digital materials increase, preservation has become a strategic priority. Libraries need systems that support long-term stewardship alongside access and discovery, with processes and systems that are sustainable as available staff expertise, budgets and institutional goals evolve. Long-term success depends on choosing approaches that can be maintained over time.

Watch the webinar on demand
Whether your library is evaluating digital collection platforms, exploring AI-assisted metadata creation, improving discoverability or developing preservation strategies for born-digital materials, this webinar offers practical perspectives from institutions working through these challenges today.

Watch the on-demand recording to learn how academic libraries are rethinking digital collections for the next generation of users.