1. Imaging Pittsburgh: Creating a Shared Gateway to Digital Image Collections of the Pittsburgh Region IMLS 2002 National Leadership Grant Library & Museum Collaboration Ed Galloway, Principal Investigator University of Pittsburgh Web-Wise 2004

2. Project Partners Library: –Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh Museum: –Carnegie Museum of Art Historical Society: –Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania University Archives: –Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

3. Project Summary Select, describe and digitize images that visually document the Pittsburgh region Create a Web gateway providing access to the images as a group Part of “Historic Pittsburgh” website

4. The Online Collection 20+ distinct photographic collections 10,000 images Different city perspectives documented

5. Characteristics of the Web Gateway Search across images from all collections Browse images within each collection Read about collections and their contents Explore images by time, place and theme Order reproductions

6. Communication Challenges Lack of dialogue outside of monthly meetings Physically separate work environments Different institutional cultures

7. Selection Challenges Some collections split across two institutions Collaborative selection

8. Metadata Challenges Project-wide metadata vs. local needs Compromise required mapping to 7 mandatory DC elements Insistence on using shared controlled vocabulary Date issues

9. Workflow Challenges Three different institutions with unique practices and methods for curating image collections Development of distinct workflows Image quality Database development

10. Website Development Challenges Emphasize collections as a whole, but maintain their individual identities Limitations of digital library middleware Copyright and permissions Handling user feedback and questions

11. Preparing Website Release Beta version available to users of “Historic Pittsburgh” (Feb. 2004) User testing this summer Online survey to be conducted OAI records

12. Avenues for Exploring Provide curatorial guidance Provide tools for exploring the collections –Time –Place –Theme Leverage project controlled metadata

13. Audience Outcomes Online photograph collections will meet research needs of users Users gain knowledge of photographic collections held by each institution

14. Institutional Outcomes Archives Service Center –Increase use of collections for publication and instruction Carnegie Museum of Art –Collect specific information from the community about individuals and content in the Teenie Harris Collection Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania –Expand use of digital images in 7 th -12 th grade instruction

15. Curator Outcomes Better understanding of city-wide collections Improved communication Respect for different missions and attitudes