Planning and Managing Digital Projects in Special Collections Laila Miletic-Vejzovic Head, Special Collections & University Archives University of Central Florida Libraries October 2, 2009 Laila Miletic-Vejzovic Head, Special Collections & University Archives University of Central Florida Libraries October 2, 2009

Introductions and Outcomes What do we hope to learn? Digital project goals Digitization criteria Management of digital assets

Considerations Type of projects State of collections Infrastructure Staff training Funding Standards

Type of projects Manuscripts collections Visual images collections Artifacts

State of Collections Access and description, e.g. at item or folder level Physical condition of items Copyright status

Infrastructure Production In-house Outsourced Publication In-house Outsourced CONTENTdm

Staff Training Experience with technology Whether the project can be done in-house Outsourced Professional vs. Volunteers Standards and supervision

Funding Institutional funds External funds Endowments Monetary contributions Grants Cost-share Equipment Salaries Outsourcing

Standards for Master Files Follow the best practices and already established standards e.g. Tiff for images or jpeg2000 Guidelines freely available online

Metadata Metadata is essential! No digitization without metadata Standards, e.g.: Dublin Core (DC) Metadata Encoding & Transmission Standard (METS) Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) Visual Research Association Data Standards (VRA Core)

Why Digitize? Provide better access Added value to resources Preserve fragile materials Support educational and research activities Fulfill strategic mission and goals of institution Support collection management and preservation

Make information and assets more readily available Provide material for educational programs and address curriculum needs Provide materials for curators and researchers (internal and external) Eliminate redundant work, and creation of redundant assets (photographs, slides, digital images, etc.) Cont.

Types of Digital Projects Special and Archival collections Reformatting content from other non-print resources Born digital projects Digitization projects in a consortium

Digitization Selection Criteria Scarcity Access relative to research availability Physical condition and format Intrinsic/monetary value Informational value Evidential value Archival/historical/continuing/enduring value

Cost Effectiveness Scanning and color mode pdf versus.html for text documents Text searching Variety of formats Identify projects

Copyright and other Intellectual Rights Who owns the copyright? Is it in the public domain? Has the copyright on the item expired? Is it possible to obtain permission and publish it with or without conditions/restrictions?

Administrative/Operational Value Library administrative archive useful for: Public relations purposes Historical or administrative support to the entity with which is affiliated

Workflows Is the collection ready to go? Is there a finding-aid, e.g. HTML or Encoded Archival Description (EAD)?Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Does the material require any preservation/conservation treatments? Develop a Time Table Streamline Linear line fashion model vs. parallel tracks? Scanning Metadata creation Quality control

Digitization – Rights Management Once published on the Internet, material can be “misused” Provide good quality image but not good enough for publication use Smaller size, and consider discrete watermarking Provide hi-res images on demand Important source of revenue Essential to have: The Reproduction Cost Form to include pricing schedule The Reproduction Request Form that states terms of use

Impact on Public Services Increased digital and web presence = increased need for more staff to handle questions/reproduction orders/permission requests, etc. Once your collections are online, they become available globally Have policies, reproductions costs, permission request forms available onlineavailable online

Conclusion Project plan Goals & objectives to achieve Selection Preparation Research Digital image creation Metadata creation Public delivery Promotion & assessment Long-term preservation/sustainability

A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections, 3 ed., Dec A NISO Recommended Practice, prepared by the NISO WG with support from IMLS rd

A FRAMEWORK OF GUIDANCE FOR BUILDING GOOD DIGITAL COLLECTIONS COLLECTIONS A digital collection consists of digital objects that are selected and organized to facilitate their discovery, access, and use. Objects, metadata, and the user interface together create the user experience of a collection. Principles that apply to good digital collections are: Collections Principle 1: A good digital collection is created according to an explicit collection development policy.

Cont. Collections Principle 2: Collections should be described so that a user can discover characteristics of the collection, including scope, format, restrictions on access, ownership, and any information significant for determining the collection’s authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. Collections Principle 3: A good collection is curated, which is to say, its resources are actively managed during their entire life-cycle.

Cont. Collections Principle 4: A good collection is broadly available and avoids unnecessary impediments to use. Collections should be accessible to persons with disabilities, and usable effectively in conjunction with adaptive technologies. Collections Principle 5: A good collection respects intellectual property rights. Collections Principle 6: A good collection has mechanisms to supply usage data and other data that allows standardized measures of usefulness to be recorded.

Cont. Collections Principle 7: A good collection is interoperable. Collections Principle 8: A good collection integrates into the users own workflow. Collections Principle 9: A good collection is sustainable over time.

Thank you for your attention! Questions? Thank you for your attention! Questions? For more information, please feel free to contact me at: For more information, please feel free to contact me at:

Appendices A number of excellent resources take a holistic view of digitization projects, covering topics ranging from selection, capture, and description to preservation and long-term access. The following are highly recommended: UKOLN, Good Practice Guide for Developers of Cultural Heritage Web Services (2006) Anne R. Kenney and Oya Y. Rieger, Moving Theory into Practice: Digital Imaging for Libraries and Archives (2000) An online tutorial of imaging basics in English, French and Spanish

Cont. Northeast Document Conservation Center, Handbook for Digital Projects: A Management Tool for Preservation & Access (2000) Arts and Humanities Data Service (AHDS), Guides to Good Practice website A series of guides to covering collection, description, and digitization for specific types of materials, such as GIS, performance resources, and virtual reality. Washington State Library, Digital Best Practices website Susan Schreibman (editor), Best Practice Guidelines for Digital Collections at University of Maryland Libraries, 2nd ed. (2007)

Resources: North East Document Conservation Center (NEDCC): Society of American Archivists (SAA): Rare Books Manuscripts Section (RBMS): Association of Research Libraries (ARL): National Archives and Records Administration (NARA):

Some Metadata Standards: Dublin Core (DC): Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standards (METS): Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS): Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS): Encoded Archival Description (EAD): EAD Help pages: