October 2001MyDatabase1 MyDatabase A framework for creating desktop media collections Caroline Beebe North Carolina State University Indiana University Educause 2001 Copyright Caroline Beebe This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given That the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

October 2001MyDatabase2 Faculty problems How to create digital materials? How to manage digital materials? How to search for digital materials? How to publish materials for students and colleagues to search?

October 2001MyDatabase3 Staff problems at NC State No standard answers No enterprise support Not a production service Interest is growing

October 2001MyDatabase4 Staff Objectives Provide group training with simple tools Minimize 1:1 database consulting Migrate base data entry to faculty Avoid specific desktop database support Develop collections of potential value De-mystify terminology Prepare for future interoperability

October 2001MyDatabase5 Key concepts 1Name files sequentially using 8.3 2Scan to fit your needs 3Describe: Physical, conceptual, contextual 4Control your vocabulary 5Enter data regularly

October 2001MyDatabase6 Faculty Objectives Identify file formats and resolution Establish file - directory naming scheme Determine descriptors Select vocabularies Create a cataloging tool Digitize materials Enter descriptive data

October 2001MyDatabase7 1. Files and directories Resist meaningful file names Use 8.3 to be safe Create directories by file type Keep directory size manageable Path names will be important

October 2001MyDatabase8 2. Scan to fit your needs Garbage in Garbage out Match resolution to output need –digital display –publication quality and size Establish guidelines –personal or enterprise

October 2001MyDatabase9 3. Determine descriptors a Physical: Administrative, Biographical b Conceptual c Contextual

October 2001MyDatabase10 3a. Physical description: 5-7 categories Communications –Author/creator: LIST –Publish date –Media type: LIST –Length: LIST –Talent names: LIST Vet Med –Breed: LIST –Species: LIST –Sex: LIST –Age: LIST –Owner/researcher

October 2001MyDatabase11 Picture example - maya 3b. Conceptual: 1 category OF : structure, stairs ABOUT : underworld, Xibalba

October 2001MyDatabase12 3c. Contextual description: 1-3 categories Communications –Com498, Fall 2001 / Potter (1998) / “book itself has become part of the experiment in analyzing and reaching better understanding of the media”

October 2001MyDatabase13 4. Control vocabulary Standard by discipline Local lists created by you, colleagues –Physical, conceptual, contextual Mapping Local to Standard Spreadsheet management initially

October 2001MyDatabase14 Vocabulary mapping example

October 2001MyDatabase15 Concept topics with Vocabulary examples Maya Travels: Subject (AAT, local) Archaeology: Analysis (AAT, local) Vet Med: Diagnosis (CABI, local) Design: Subject (AAT, ICONCLASS) Communications: Subject (ComAbstracts) Wood Anatomy: Use (local)

October 2001MyDatabase16 5. Data entry: the key to success Use spreadsheet for category validation What’s worth doing? Where to start? Move on to a database?

October 2001MyDatabase17 Concepts faculty need Base cataloging Selectivity Donorship and copyright Spreadsheets Offline storage

October 2001MyDatabase18 Concepts for Librarians Categories are –Metadata = Data Models = Attributes Cataloging is for content experts –Librarians understand organization Digital Collection development –Digital vs analog? –Collect or point? –Digitally-born standards?

October 2001MyDatabase19 Relationship of Library and Faculty Collections? Sharing the fruits of scholarship Copyright negotiations Not just text material Deep, rich, unique, international value Basis for grants

October 2001MyDatabase20 Weaknesses Still for the technically inclined Conversion for Web Librarian (re)training Web delivery service Free but not open source

October 2001MyDatabase21 Advantages Empower faculty Identify committed faculty Create funding potential/adds value Simple design

October 2001MyDatabase22 Challenges Represents a new service Training faculty in tools Training librarians for support Support for databases Web delivery: search, thumbnails,. JPG Copyright negotiation

October 2001MyDatabase23 Workshop materials available lts.ncsu.edu/ about/ summer_institute/ SI_2001/ index.html