The lifecycle of 3D data in academic libraries: A survey of methods and implications for information professionals

Academic libraries now host specialized units capable of digitally reproducing three-dimensional (3D) objects-of-study. Deployed in virtual and augmented reality, these surrogates provide the means for researchers and students to remotely experience diverse scholarly materials first-hand, though this content seldom finds its way into institutional repositories or peer-reviewed literature where it could be reused and cited. The following, then, is intended as a survey of interrelated - but administratively disparate - 3D data production, (immersive) analytics, and preservation methods, which combine to connect a range of computational processes. By illuminating the complete lifecycle of 3D data in this way, current and future practitioners – including those positioned withing more traditional library facilities and service units – can implement scalable processes that ensure the scholarly rigor of 3D contents, thereby preserving these materials as credible (i.e., FAIR) primary sources for downstream citation by researchers across disciplines.