Presentation given at Digital Humanities Research Colloquium, 18 October 2017.
Abstract: On 11 October 2017 UCC's Office of the Vice President for Teaching & Learning hosted a #nextgenspaces learning event. One of the speakers, Prof. Stephen Heppell, noted the following: ‘next generation is here and it means business’ and ‘students are going to a world of surprises.’ With these points in mind how do libraries prepare for the library of the future? In this presentation I discuss traditional expertise and how this is adapted for the uncharted territories of the future.
TỔNG ÔN TẬP THI VÀO LỚP 10 MÔN TIẾNG ANH NĂM HỌC 2023 - 2024 CÓ ĐÁP ÁN (NGỮ Â...
Preserving the Library of the Future
1. Preserving the Library of the Future
Elaine Harrington | Special Collections Librarian
UCC Library
Digital Humanities Seminar – UCC |
18 October 2017
5. Special Collections
• “Unique and distinctive” collections of rare
books, and many other media, including
born-digital and digitised documents
(Cullingford)
• “Elements of distinction that serve to
differentiate an academic or research library
from its peers” (Dooley & Luce)
6. Format
• Early Printed Books
• Books from Presses
• Collections from individuals
• Newspapers
• Maps
• Pamphlets
• Literary Manuscripts
• Digital Files
8. Tradition or Comfort Zone
In general libraries have better familiarity with
paper and how it can be preserved.
In general we are less familiar with how
digital content will survive.
9. Slide Credit: Folio 35 The Great Book of Ireland
Materials: Parchment or Vellum
10. Materials: Pre-19th Century Paper
Slide Credit: Aquinas, Thomas. Incipiu[n]t preclarissima opuscula diui Thome aquinatis sacri ordinis p[re]dicato[rum] in quibus
o[mn]is ph[ilosophi]e [&] diuina[rum] scriptura[rum] theoremata est co[m]plexus. [Venice: Hermann Lichtenstein, 1497].
11. Slide Credit: An Claidheamh Soluis 1901
Materials: Newspaper Paper
14. Slide Credit: Folio 37 of The Great Book of Ireland with condition report.
Materials: Different Inks
15. Slide Credit: Aquinas, Thomas. Incipiu[n]t preclarissima opuscula diui Thome aquinatis sacri ordinis p[re]dicato[rum] in quibus
o[mn]is ph[ilosophi]e [&] diuina[rum] scriptura[rum] theoremata est co[m]plexus. [Venice: Hermann Lichtenstein, 1497].
Preservation Tools of the Trade: Phase Box
21. Materials
• Chemically stable materials will last
indefinitely with the proper care.
• Oldest books in UCC Library: 1476
• Sometimes proper care is not enough.
• Example: An Claidheamh Soluis – early 20th
century newsprint.
22. Environmental Factors
• Light: encourages chemical reactions
• Temperature: fixed between 13 – 16C
• Relative humidity: fixed between 45 – 60%
• Standard: BSI PD 5454
• Air pollution
• Mould
Slide Credit: @HarperCollinsUK pic.twitter.com/bZDyaHwSP7
35. Digital Preservation
• Ensuring access remains to the items
• Digital files transferable through the ages
Slide Credit: http://www.scenicreflections.com/download/534360/build_it_Wallpaper/
37. Item: Plant & Paper
Slide Credit: Gerarde, John. The Herball, or, generall historie of plantes. London: Printed by A.I.J. Norton and R.
Whitakers, 1636.
38. Item: Metal, Plant and Paper
Slide Credit: U.2: William O’Brien Book of Signatures silver
and silk
39. Slide Credit: Torna Ms 43: Different formats about one item:
binding, photographs (acquired 2017)
Collection: Animal and Photographs
41. Slide Credit: William Beauford. Map of Cork City, 1801. UCC Library.
Where We’re Going
42. Not One Type
Slide Credit: https://twitter.com/theriversideUCC
/status/661485110810820609
43. Barriers to Future Learning
Slide Credit: http://www.newstalk.com/Page-Not-Found:-the-internets-best-error-pages
44. Content on Social Media
Which invaluable, indispensable and priceless tool helps you carry
out the work your profession demands?
"What I can't I live without: ‘Access to the archives.’ My greatest
fear: what will email (even worse, social media) do to the future of
archives?"
Professor Michael Cullinane, University of Wisconsin
"Honestly, Facebook and other social media have become pretty
indispensable for me as a professional historian. I'm able to
engage in ongoing discussions and debates, set up panels for
conferences, and ask for advice from colleagues all over the world,
in real time, with incredible ease."
Professor C. Joseph Genetin-Pilawa, George Mason University
Slide Credit: “Things Historians Can’t Live Without.” 20th September 2015. History News Network. Accessed: 21st
September 2015. http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/160465
46. Why Is Preservation Important?
As with #CharlestonShootings and Documenting
Ferguson internet memory loss creates a cultural
vacuum.
Information contained within may be used for
activities not yet considered:
• 19th century ship logs used for research on climate
change.
47. I Need An Ark!
Numbers of social media platforms are growing exponentially.
Again paper is a known quantity: linear feet or m2.
What space is needed for digital content?
Slide Credit: “Noah’s Ark.” Photographed: Maurizio Abbate.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/occhiovivo/350441273/
49. Trusted Digital Repository
No one trusted digital repository into which archival materials can
be ingested, stored, and accessed.
Terms of service for nearly every free platform or low cost webhost
make absolutely no promises regarding digital preservation or
even the return of content to users in even of business failure or
decisions to eliminate the service.
Institutions creating own software packages to support archival
processes. E.g. Stanford ePADD supports archival processes
around the appraisal, ingest, processing, discovery, and delivery of
email archives.
Source: ePADD (Stanford University) Accessed 30th July 2015. https://library.stanford.edu/projects/epadd
50. Name Used by Use
Internet Archive
Internet Memory UK Parliament
Archivematica
Web Curator Tool
Heretrix
Figshare Data harvest
@mhawksey Twitter
Archiving Google
Spreadsheet TAGS v5.
Data harvest
Tools for Capture
51. Other Institutions’ Activities
Web Archiving Including Blogs
• UK Web Archive (British Library)
• National Library of Ireland
Twitter
• Library of Congress & Twitter (2010): create an archive of all public
tweets.
• National Archives and Records Administration White Paper on Best
Practices for the Capture of Social Media Records (2013)
• New Zealand National Library: Awareness and Use of the New Zealand
Web Archive (2015)
• DRI & Digital Humanities and Journalism Group: Investigating social
media archiving (2015)
52. Further Challenges
Material
• Remit: all or a selection. Conduct a social media preservation assessment needs’
survey.
• Copyright for archival purposes
• Ownership of content
• Frequency of collection
Ethics:
• Policies on privacy for social media.
Process:
• Staffing
• Skills: Technical expertise.
Storage space:
• Project requirements.
Access:
• How will be the archived content be used?
• Who can access it?
• Where can it be accessed?
• How locate records?
55. Handling
• Use appropriate equipment:
Foam supports
Book snakes
Weights
Archival page inserts
• Support a book’s spine to reduce strain
• No resting on top of pages or manuscripts
• Keep food, drink and ink away from items
• No quick-fix repairs: adhesive tape,
laminators
56. Preservation in Practice
Varies from quick overview to hands-on classes.
Can be a variety of material:
• Oversize item
• Map
• Rough edges
• Inserts
• Gloves?
59. Rough Edges
Slide Credit: K’eogh, John. Botanalogia universalis
Hibernica… Corke: Printed and sold by George
Harrison at the corner of Meeting house Lane, 1735.
60. Reprographics
• Can include:
Photographing – without flash
Scanning – book cradle rather than
flatbed
Digitisation to provide surrogate
Microfilming to provide surrogate
• Copying at discretion of staff
• Damage can be done each time
62. How to Manage Inserts?
Slide Credit: Handel, George. A New Edition of Six Concertos for the Harpsicord or Organ. London :
Wright & Wilkinson, [approximately 1784].
63. Unfolding
a Map
Slide Credit: Léarscáilíocht Éireann = Map of Monastic Ireland. Comp. R. Neville Hadcock. Dublin: Ordnance Survey, 1960.
65. Special Collections as a ‘Lab for the
Humanities’
Special Collections shapes research & results.
At the beginning of a project:
• Imagining benefits & challenges
• How to manage challenges
• Knowledge, skills and further projects that emerge.
What we learn that we (and others) can take for the
future?
66. Pedagogical Challenges & Skills
Conversations with academic staff take time.
Finding a way to connect with students. Noise
and competition of what’s easier.
Ownership of collections
Constant change
Slide Credit: http://approachanxiety.com/2011/11/what-success-looks-like/
67. More Pedagogical Challenges & Skills
Managing expectations of access in use in a
still mostly print-dominated environment.
Handling
Reading & deciphering handwriting
68. Case Studies
Music
• MU1003: Studying Music at University
• MU6031: Sound Studies & Musicology
History – MA in Medieval History
• HI 6091: Skills for Medieval Historians
69. Slide Credit: Using Primary Sources: Hands-on
Instructional Exercises. Santa Barbara, California :
Libraries Unlimited, An imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, [2014].
MU1003: Studying Music at University
70. Output of MU1003: UCC Music History
UCC Music History
https://youtu.be/QpMaNfmKi5U
https://twitter.com/uccmusichistory
79. HI6091: Skills for Medieval Historians
http://blogs.ucc.ie/wordpress/theriverside/tag/student-exhibition/
80. Lessons Learned
Range of projects possible even in a narrow time frame due to
wide range of sources.
How to use sources ethically and meaningfully.
Importance of drafts.
Importance of fact checking. Importance of public engagement.
Location of hosted sites.
Slide credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/smemon/4961717384/in/album-72157620363366377/