Caitlyn Lam Librarian for Digital Resources Yale Law Library

Ad hoc projects: Yield orphaned collections over time Inconsistent application of standards and best practices No dedicated preservation of digital objects No dedicated support Difficult for staff to prioritize Difficult for institution to allocate limited resources Create barriers for integrated search and discovery

I. Project planning I. Planning for Digitization Projects I. Examples from the Litchfield Law School Notebooks Digitization Project

While the results of a project may require ongoing maintenance, a project should have a clear start and end.

A. Delivers agreed upon products and services B. Is completed according to a predetermined schedule C. Is achieved within established parameters, budget, and resources D. Meets stakeholder expectations E. Is controlled for minimal risks and unexpected outcomes

I. Initiating II. Planning III. Executing IV. Monitoring and Controlling V. Closing -Project Management Body of Knowledge Project Management Institute

The Initiating Process Group consists of those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase. These processes help set the vision of the project—what is needed to be accomplished - PMBOK

The Planning Process Group consists of those processes performed to establish the total scope of the effort, define and refine the objectives, and develop the course of action to attain those objectives. The planning processes develop the project management plan and the project documents that will be used to carry out the project. - PMBOK

The Executing Process Group consists of those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the specifications. This involves coordinating people and resources, managing stakeholder expectations, as well as integrating and performing the activities of the project in accordance with the project management plan. - PMBOK

The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group consists of those processes required to track, review, and orchestrate the progress and performance of the project Identify any areas in which changes to the plan are required - PMBOK

The Closing Process Group consists of those processes performed to conclude all activities across all Project Management Process Groups to formally complete the project, phase, or contractual obligations. - PMBOK

I. Initiating a. Project Review b. Project Proposal II. Planning a. Work plan and Production Schedule b. Request for Proposal c. Vendor license III. Executing IV. Monitoring and Controlling a. Quality Control b. Balance Budget c. Adjust Project Plan as needed V. Closing

Any project that requires resources for a set period of time, should undergo a review process, which in turn informs your project proposal.

1) Helps determine whether the proposed project is consistent with the institution’s mission, vision, and guiding principles 2) Helps ensure organizational commitment to successful completion of the project 3) Helps establish required allocation of resources and capacities for project completion 4) Determines any duplication in effort (i.e. is the collection available elsewhere, is there a possibility for collaboration with other departments or organizations) 5) Projects realistic goals and measurable objectives 6) Justifies creation of the collection 7) Identifies target audience

1) Create a rough outline of the project idea 2) Discuss project idea with supervisor or upper administration to attain preliminary buy-in 3) Set timeline to investigate and prepare proposal 4) Identify intellectual property issues 5) Conduct a review of titles to determine whether or not digital files exist elsewhere. 6) Consider and contact possible participants or collaborators 7) Draw up an initial list of tasks and identify milestones if possible 8) Draft a sustainability plan

1) Describe collection(s) and desired outcomes, including cataloging, preservation, digitization, accessibility, etc. a. Subject(s) and format(s) b. Location(s) of collection c. Estimated item count d. Intellectual property/copyright status e. Environmental scan determining if digitized versions exist elsewhere 2) Justification for the project, describing value of the work and how it fits into institutional mission, vision, and goals. 3) Identify target audience 4) Describe required resources (staffing, supplies, etc.) 5) Identify participants or collaborators 6) Include a sustainability plan for maintaining the collection post project completion 7) Identify funding sources

1. Identify costs based on preliminary quotes and estimations 2. Consider all potential costs (scanning, shipping, staffing, quality control, metadata, storage) 3. Budget should be padded to include contingency costs

1) Create a work plan a. Selection/preparation of material b. Digitization c. Access and integration For each task within the three stages of project, include: Earliest start/end date Outputs Milestone Team member responsible for task 2) Production schedule for vendor digitization

1. Project Overview 2. Description of work 3. Project Timetable 4. Materials Description 5. Required Deliverables a. Scanning requirements b. Directory structure c. File naming convention d. Directory name e. Technical metadata requirements 6. Quality control expectations 7. Shipping and delivery 8. Assumptions and Agreements 9. Proposal Format 10. Time frame

1. Scope of the Agreement 2. Duration 3. Cost 4. Material Description 5. Preparation and shipping 6. Project deliverables 7. Charges and invoicing 8. Quality control and inspection 9. Error resolution 10. Schedule and workflow 11. Liability – vendor liability for material 12. Subcontracting 13. Rights over final products 14. Communication method 15. Non-compliance and default 16. Rights to termination 17. Indemnification 18. Governing Law

1) Quality Control 2) Ensuring production is on track 3) Balance Budget 4) Adjust Project Plan as needed

1) Conduct Post Project Review 2) Write up closing report a. Summarize result of project b. Document any issues encountered or changes made c. Document lessons learned d. Recommendations for next phase 3) Archive relevant documents 4) Finalize budget report 5) Promote the collection

1) Digitization project initiated by and funded through a grant obtained by, a Yale Law School faculty member 2) A collaboration between the Yale Law School Library and the Litchfield Historical Society 3) 144 Notebooks with an estimated 55,000 pages to be scanned

1. The Litchfield Law School (Litchfield, CT) was the first proprietary law school founded in the United States. 2. The Law School educated two vice presidents, three Supreme Court justices, 28 senators, 97 members of the House, and 15 governors, but the Law School’s influence on American law remains largely unstudied. 3. Today, more than 270 notebooks have survived representing the efforts of 90 students recording law lectures, charts, and essays. These notebooks are evidence of the development of legal education in America. 4. Digitization and preservation of the Litchfield notebooks will provide unprecedented access to historic and unique material supporting the study of early American history and the history of legal education and practice.

1. Physical description of the collection including the number of volumes, condition of binding and pages, and variable dimension. 2. Existing and required metadata: from existing catalog records, to be enhanced with additional administrative and technical metadata 3. Preservation status 4. Methodology and standards: YUL scanning specifications and naming convention standards 5. Access methods: Yale University Library repository, Yale Law Library repository, Internet Archive, etc. 6. Copyright Status: collection is in the public domain 7. Environmental Scan: Harvard Law Library has digitized their full collection of unique notebooks. 8. Project Team: roles and responsibilities 9. Funding and estimated cost

Included: 1) Scanning and associated fees 2) Shipping costs 3) Hard drive 4) Student hours 5) Added 10% on top of estimate Did not include: 1. Cataloging and metadata 2. Indirect staff cost (librarian or other library staff time) 3. Ongoing storage costs

1) Pad your budget for incidentals 2) Request sample scans for the proposed collection as a part of your vendor selection process, even if you’ve worked with the vendor before. 3) Don’t forget to factor in scheduled holidays and vacations and unscheduled absences when creating your production schedule 4) Don’t underestimate the amount of time you will need for quality control and corrections. Ensure that there is a consensus about what is acceptable quality between the vendor and your project team.