5. Nuts and Bolts
• Equipment
• Computer station
• Basic flatbed scanner
• External hard drive for backup
• Software
• For images, Adobe Photoshop
• OCR for typed text (optional)
• Content Management System
• How are you going to present your information?
• Consider: cost, online access, type of material, size
of collection or multiple collections in future
• Choices listed in handout
6. The Plan (K.I.S.S.)
• Project plan and notebook
• Contains workflow and specifications
• Helps organize participants
• Don’t forget PR and maintenance
• Specifications of scanning
• File format (TIFF for images)
• 600 dpi (for preservation and access)
• Unique identifier
• Metadata record
• Choosing fields of information
• Subject headings
7. Dublin Core Simple Data Set
Title Format
Creator Identifier
Subject Source
Description Language
Publisher Relation
Contributor Coverage
Date Rights
Type
10. PR & Maintenance
Easy to Forget but IMPORTANT
If the public doesn’t use your digital
collection because they don’t know
about it or because it is out of date…
What is the point?
11. Traditional Collections
UVM’s Center for Digital Initiatives
Irene Digital Memory (Omeka)
Middlebury College Collections (ContentDM)
Vermont Historical Society: Rugg Collection
Chronicling America: Vermont Newspapers Project
MaineMemory (Statewide Collection)
Forrest Holzapfel President of the Marlboro Historical Society Photographer and local historian Jess Weitz Porter Thayer Thesis on digital collections Survey and guide - sign up on email sheet Reminded for the reason for study/talk: Next Wednesday Digital Directions (NEDCC) conference - $575 to $650 to attend. --cut out of conversation
REVIEW SLIDE What to consider when starting a digital collection --Details and resources will be contained in the handout --You are the content experts of your own collections - I am here to help you navigate tools to sharing your knowledge Please interrupt me - most valuable to discuss questions as they come up and share common knowledge
Preservation and Access Both can be addressed in a collection BUT I will focus on the value of access and single collections complete archives and preservation adds another more complex layer historical society talk example 75% of VT libraries think digital collections relevant and others say role of historical societies
From Digital Public Library of America planning session (national plan to keep eyes on) -no matter the size of the project this is what our brains look like trying to figure it out Internet is essentially a visual medium --Photographs, objects, manuscripts, postcards, newspapers, songs, video Catalog vs. collection? --historical societies --no need to tackle whole collection Could this collection be expanded or joined in the future? Consider larger value/appeal, size of project for time/cost -- EXAMPLE: PT was 1261 images, took 15 minutes per object to scan and catalog = 325 hours + set up, troubleshooting; realistic 400 hours
Equipment is basic CMS Look at handout What is your goal? --Purchased products made for collections --Open source (omeka) --For single image collections (esp. for photo) - dynamic ways to present content --State collection Hope for a joint state venture: Great value in repository but larger undertaking; CDI not available, Sepiatown, Maine memory 90% from survey want state repository
Make a plan before starting --excellent advantage of writing a grant --create a notebook (paper or digital) if using variety of staff/volunteers (samples on site) --one person in charge to designate tasks, troubleshoot but not get burned out Specifications of scans (sheet) Identifier = links record to image and image to object Metadata = information in MARC record What information to include with image - next slide….
Standard set of fields used in digital collections -allows information to be moved between collections and added to others Most programs designed for collections has Dublin Core as an option but sheet contains link to describe each field Can create metadata DC using Excel file and then import to software Fields - standardized, cover important information, okay if you don’t have all the information for each record Encourage interaction with collection: Comment field or form? Capture the common knowledge, encourage interaction
Same issue in library catalog… What is this? house, abode, dwelling, victorian, mansion Want to be sure all records called up in a search Can create own or use already formed (CONSISTENCY) Library of Congress most common Sheet of others Will need to create your own headings for local names, places, authors Tags can be generated by public - encourage collaboration, interest --crowdsource information - is generating enthusiasm = to all facts being correct
Keep costs low start small collaborate use volunteers Look for local business connection to content Advocate to change priorities for existing funds Kickstarter Grants grant writing requires you iron out a lot of the details before start lots of grants for larger or multi-year projects per image cost - no more than $4 per object
PR o Local media coverage o Physically respresent the online collection with brochure, fake book, computer in space o Public talks o Links: library catalog, to other collections o Facebook, Pinterest, Blog to highlight collection o Invitation to public to help add content Maintain --Working technically --Make sure links work --Moderate comments, new information