1 6th Annual Hong Kong Innovative Users Group Meeting Lingnan University - December 9, 2005 HKBU Library’s Digital Initiatives: Supporting Research and Educating the General Public Irene Wong Special Collections & Archives Hong Kong Baptist University Library

2 Birth of digital library with revolutionized library services Reasons: Dynamic information technology developments, Advent of the World Wide Web. Results: Since the 1990s, libraries have increased their investment in: Acquiring electronic resources, Creating digitization projects, Developing web-based local databases.

3 Service-oriented Digital Libraries Essential components include: Printed materials, Audio-visual materials, Digital collections, acquired or created locally. “ Digital collections are the building blocks of digital libraries.” -- Timothy W. Cole. Cole, Timothy W. “Building Good Digital Library Collections: A Dynamic Framework.” Educause Review (Nov/Dec 2002):

4 Digital Initiatives at Hong Kong Baptist University Library (HKBUL) (For the purpose of discussion here, “Digital Initiatives” are defined as digitization projects & web-based databases developed by HKBUL staff, excluding those 210 electronic indexes & databases (21,728 electronic journals) of scholarly research materials that the Library has acquired) Began in 1999, Include digital projects launched by HKBU staff, HKBUL is a member of the Pacific Rim Digital Library Alliance (PRDLA) - Supports the goal of facilitating “ improved user access to scholarly research materials, primarily through digital means ”.

5 HKBUL’s Digital Initiatives Include: 1. Eleven digitization projects, 2. Three other digital projects.

6 HKBUL’s Digital Initiatives Eleven Digitization Projects: They are digitization projects/databases containing digitized fulltext and/or images. 1. HKBU Examination Papers (1999), 2. HKBU Teaching Development Grants Projects (2001), 3. HKBU Honours Project Database (2003), 4. China Through the Eyes of CIM Missionaries (2003), 5. Online Video Resources (2003),

7 HKBUL’s Digital Initiatives 6. Overseas Chinese Clippings Database (2003), 7. Christianity in Contemporary China Clippings Database (2004), 8. HKBU Theses & Dissertations (2004), 9. Calligraphy, Sayings and Writings of Famous Chinese Writers (2004), 10. Portrait Gallery of Chinese Writers (2004), 11. Elise Tu Digital Collection (2005).

8 HKBUL’s Digital Initiatives Three other digital projects: They are digital catalogs or indexes. 1. HK Television programmes Database (1999), 2. HKBU Faculty and Staff papers and Reports Catalogue (2000), 3. Contemporary China Newspaper Clippings Database (2001).

9 In-House Database DatabasesTypeServer Total Records Impl. Date Admin. Dept / Faculty / School / Library 1China Through the Eyes of CIM MissionariesImageTRS225Nov-02Special Coll. & Archive (Lib) 2 Christianity in Contemporary China Clippings Database ImageTRS1,660Jun-04Special Coll. & Archive (Lib) 3 Contemporary China Newspaper Clippings Database IndexTRS162,896Dec-01Special Coll. & Archive (Lib) 4Elise Tu Digital Speeches DatabaseImageTRS223Sep-05Special Coll. & Archive (Lib) 5HK Television Programmes DatabaseIndexTRS23,185Sep-99Multi-media Learning Centre (Lib) 6HKBU Examination Papers DatabaseImageTRS4,531Sep-99 Academic Registry, Circulation (Lib) 7 HKBU Faculty and Staff Papers and Reports Catalogue IndexTRS5,777Apr-00Reference (Lib) 8HKBU Student Honours Project DatabaseIndexTRS2,192Sep-04Faculty/Schools, Circulation (Lib) 9 HKBU Teaching Development Grants Projects Database ImageTRS181Oct-00Academic Registry 10HKBU Theses & Dissertations DatabaseImageInnopac566Sep-04 Academic Registry, Cataloging (Lib) 11Overseas Chinese Clippings DatabaseImageTRS33,788Apr-03Special Coll. & Archive (Lib)

10 Goal of HKBUL’s Digital Initiatives To achieve the missions of the HKBU and the HKBUL

11 Missions University Mission statement: Hong Kong Baptist University, as a community of scholars, is committed to a distinctive mission of higher education which incorporates teaching, research and service, and which inculcates in all who participate, a sense of value that extends beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge. Library Mission statement: The Library embraces the principle of excellence in advancing the teaching, learning, research, and service mission of the University through the acquisition, organization, and management of collections for access and use.

12 HKBUL’s Digital Initiatives Supports HKBU community in teaching, learning and research, Extends library ’ s outreach services to educate the general public.

13 HKBUL Digital Projects ( Three groups: 1. HKBU Related, 2. Newspaper Clippings & TV Programmes, 3. Others.

14 HKBUL Digital Projects 1. HKBU Related Digital Projects include: Databases related to the work of HKBU staff/faculty/students: HKBU Examination Papers [ BU ] HKBU Examination Papers HKBU Faculty and Staff Papers and Reports Catalogue [ BU ] HKBU Faculty and Staff Papers and Reports Catalogue HKBU Honours Projects [ BU ] HKBU Honours Projects HKBU Teaching Development Grants (TDG) Projects [ BU ]HKBU Teaching Development Grants (TDG) Projects This database provides full-text images of the final reports. HKBU Theses & Dissertations [ ALL ]HKBU Theses & Dissertations

15 HKBUL Digital Projects 2. Newspaper Clippings & TV Programmes Digital Projects contain: Digitized newspaper clippings or television programmes. Christianity in Contemporary China Clippings Database [ ALL ] Christianity in Contemporary China Clippings Database Contemporary China Newspaper Clippings Database [ ALL ] Contemporary China Newspaper Clippings Database HK Television Programmes Database [ ALL ] HK Television Programmes Database The database contains catalogue records of the news, public affairs, and information television programmes produced by the local television companies since Online Video Resources [ BU ] Online Video Resources It includes the digitized TV programmes and links to selected educational video web sites. Overseas Chinese Clippings Database [ ALL ] Overseas Chinese Clippings Database

16 HKBUL Digital Projects 3. Other Digital Projects are: Databases containing HKBUL collection of non-print or unpublished materials: The Calligraphy, Sayings and Writings of Famous Chinese Writers [ ALL ] The Calligraphy, Sayings and Writings of Famous Chinese Writers This is the online version of the large banner hanging from Level 7 to Level 3 in the Artgallery of the Library. China Through the Eyes of CIM Missionaries [ ALL ] China Through the Eyes of CIM Missionaries This is a collection of images from lantern slides, glass plate and plastic negatives. Elsie Tu Digital Collection [ ALL ] Includes Dr. Tu's digitized speeches and non-copyrighted publications. Elsie Tu Digital Collection Portrait Gallery of Chinese Writers [ ALL ] Portrait Gallery of Chinese Writers This is a portrait collection of thirty-six Chinese writers drawn by Mr. Kong Kai Ming.

17 HKBUL Digital Projects Categories by user groups: Five databases restricted to HKBU community Reasons: Copyright restriction, e.g. Online Video Resources, Relevance to HKBU community only, e.g. HKBU Examination Papers, HKBU Honours Projects. Nine databases available for: HKBU community, General public with access to World Wide Web.

18 HKBUL Digital Projects and Databases Categories by the use of contents: Support HKBU community ’ s research, teaching & learning needs, Support general interest and education for both HKBU community & general public.

19 Digital Initiatives for Research, Teaching & Learning Target audience: HKBU Community and researchers HKBU Examination Papers HKBU Faculty and Staff Papers and Reports Catalogue HKBU Honours Projects HKBU Teaching Development Grants (TDG) Projects This database provides full-text images of the final reports. HKBU Theses & Dissertations Online Video Resources It includes the digitized TV programmes of HKBU Library and links to selected educational video web sites on various subjects, including Film Studies, TV channels, Science, Politics, etc.

20 Digital Initiatives for General Interest & Education Target audience: Both HKBU community & general public Reasons: HKBU receives public funding, Library is committed to: Serve HKBU community as well as the public in general education, Provide educational materials to non-university community, As part of HKBUL ’ s outreach program, To promote Library ’ s interesting collections to laymen, Demand: Many internet users are not involved in research & teaching work. They may not be interested in serious research & teaching materials.

21 What have we done to facilitate general education? HKBUL homepage is accessible to the public, Some databases are available to the public, Be selective in database contents: Databases can be used in serious research work or for general interest/education, Contents are related to regional development, history and interests, Some databases are bilingual.

22 Digital Initiatives for General Interest & Education Database contents suitable for research work & general education: Christianity in Contemporary China Clippings Database Contemporary China Newspaper Clippings Database Overseas Chinese Clippings Database China Through the Eyes of CIM Missionaries This collection of lantern slides, glass plate and plastic negatives includes images of portraits, landscapes, scenery and architecture in China as well as shots documenting the social conditions and economic activities of the Chinese from the 1900s to the 1930s.

23 Digital Initiatives for General Interest & Education Databases Related to Regional Development, History and Interests China: Christianity in Contemporary China Clippings Database Contemporary China Newspaper Clippings Database Overseas Chinese Clippings Database Hong Kong: Elsie Tu Digital Collection Includes Dr. Tu's digitized speeches and non-copyrighted publications. Elsie Tu Digital Collection HK Television Programmes Database The database contains catalogue records of the news, public affairs, and information television programmes produced by the local television companies since 1990.

24 Digital Initiatives for General Interest & Education Bilingual databases about the artistic environment of the Library The Calligraphy, Sayings and Writings of Famous Chinese Writers This is the online version of the large banner hanging from Level 7 to Level 3 in the Artgallery of the Library. The Calligraphy, Sayings and Writings of Famous Chinese Writers Portrait Gallery of Chinese Writers This portrait collection of thirty-six Chinese writers was drawn by Mr. Kong Kai Ming, a respected Hong Kong painter. These thirty-six writers have exerted seminal influence in the fields of Chinese literature, history, and philosophy.

25 Usage Statistics Digital Projects Sep-05Oct-05 TDG HKBU Examination Papers HKBU Faculty and Staff Papers and Reports Catalogue HKBU Honours Project Database China Through the Eyes of CIM Missionaries Overseas Chinese Clippings Database Hong Kong Television Programmes Database Contemporary China Newspaper Clippings Database Christianity in Contemporary China Clippings Database Elsie Tu Digitized Speeches Indexes and Databases E-Reference Tools E-Learning Software Internet Resources

26 Conclusion Academic library ’ s digital initiatives can aim to serve both the university community and the general public. We can create digital projects: in different scales; big or small, with different scope of contents; research materials vs. information for general/public interests/education, in different types/formats fulltext vs. images

27 Conclusion We can achieve the goals of: Supporting the university community in research, teaching & learning by providing scholarly research materials, Supporting public education in general.

28 Thank you