There are many reasons why digital surrogates for physical items are made. Some digitisation projects, like the PhD. thesis digitisation project being undertaken by the University of Edinburgh, represent a sustained effort to create a focused collection of digitised materials designed for long-term access and regular use. Certain digitisation work involves the creation of digital surrogates of items specifically requested by staff or students. The team at the Digital Imaging Unit (DIU) are constantly processing requests like these, all of which require specialist skills, equipment, and a significant investment of time and money. Often digitisation is undertaken as a way of promoting heritage collections. The University of Edinburgh, and all institutions with printed and digital collections, hold items which are central to their identity. For example, the digitised iconic collections of the University of Edinburgh include Sir Isaac Newton’s diagrams in a David Gregory manuscript, an Aberdeen Breviary, and collection of Robert Burns poetry manuscripts. These items possess significant historic, cultural, and research significance, and their digital surrogates aid in building an international academic identity. In addition to cultivating an academic ‘brand’, The University of Edinburgh is constantly expanding its electronic resources through a series of ongoing digitisation efforts aimed at preserving, sustaining, protecting, and integrating the collections.

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