The state of digitisation initiatives by cultural institutions in Malaysia

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of digitisation initiatives by cultural institutions in Malaysia. Evidently no research has been conducted to investigate the state of digitisation initiatives by cultural institutions in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts an exploratory survey, to explore the state of cultural heritage digitisation. A total of 60 public cultural institutions in Malaysia were involved in the study. Findings Digitisation of cultural heritage materials is not new in Malaysia. Different types of cultural heritage institutions have embarked on several digitisation projects. Various types of cultural heritage materials have been digitised and made publicly accessible. Practical implications Findings and discovery of the study are significant in providing a comprehensive background and scenario of organisation, description and retrieval of local content resources in electronic forms in Malaysia. Originality/value The outcome of the study will contribute to the new knowledge in managing digitised cultural and heritage resources in cultural and heritage institutions in Malaysia.