Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the nature of the project management concept of resource leveling, particularly how it can be utilized for grant-funded mass digitization projects where time, cost and available resources – the elements of the project scope triangle – are in tension with each other to define the scope and quality of a project.

Design/methodology/approach – This article presents a case study of resource leveling for a mass digitization project in an academic library. Details on the use of resource leveling through deconstructing activities, smoothing and alternative scheduling are described in relation to this project.

Findings – Resource leveling techniques can assist digitization project managers to meet project milestones on time and within budget and may be particularly useful for digitization projects with limited budgets.

Originality/value – As digitization projects become more universal for libraries and cultural heritage institutions, this original case study offers insights into applying no-cost project management techniques.