Books provide you with access to content from times long past. Without them, we would have little more than stories, presumptions and lore to go by. Books do their job dutifully, with some books even enduring thousands of years of use.

Integrated library systems that provide quick, convenient access to myriad resources are the way of the future. Indeed, the transition is already taking place. Digitization of library resources is the goal institutions are aiming for to maintain their status as centres of knowledge and information in the digital age.

The digitization of library systems and services is no small feat. It requires format transitions for a variety of items, from books to manuscripts, historical information to microfilm, newspaper collections and beyond. It also means the development and implementation of online databases for improved information sharing and distribution. Such a transition can come with quite the price tag. 

However, developing a fully digitized, integrated library system doesn’t have to break the budget. Here are some steps you can take to digitize your library on a budget.

With the internet surpassing other media as the primary source of information, digitization has become an increasingly salient topic. The ability to access information digitally is no longer a novelty ­– it is expected. Take for example the Google Books Library Project, in which Google is working with several major libraries and educational institutions (including Stanford University) to digitize library resources and create a vast digital library.

The trend isn’t ephemeral. The push towards the digitization of library resources and other sources of information will only accelerate. As Guy Berthiaume (who will become the new head of Library and Archives Canada on June 23) points out, libraries are in the process of reinventing themselves. He believes that digital technology is not threatening the place of libraries as centres of knowledge; rather, it should be embraced and leveraged to improve the availability of information and how people access it.

Are you looking to bring more digital content to your patrons in 2014? Are you looking for solutions that are easy to use and will cut down on time spent by staff re-training users? If that's the case, here are three digital/scanning solutions your library may want to consider.