Slide1 : MAIN LIBRARY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINE TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
DIGITAL INITIATIVE PROJECT
KATHLEEN HELENESE-PAUL
INTRODUCTION : INTRODUCTION
This project involves the establishment of a digital initiative at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Trinidad and Tobago.
INTRODUCTION : INTRODUCTION It will have as its focus the digitization of the University Library’s special collections in order to provide to the people of the Caribbean region and beyond, access to these collections in digital format.
OBJECTIVES : OBJECTIVES
To preserve the documents
To improve access
To increase the awareness of the University’s special collections
GOALS : GOALS To convert the library's special collections (our cultural heritage) from print format to electronic format.
To widen access to a new community of users so that more active scholarship is facilitated.
GOALS : GOALS
To promote collaboration in the region with institutions which may have similar thematic collections and similar plans.
BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT : BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT The material acquired over the periods 1983, 1988 and 1993, and which is housed at the library, includes:
Illustrations in Indian ink, poster paint and watercolors of the stage sets, scenes and costumes, of the Joker of Seville including posters and programmes.
BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT : BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT A substantial collection of manuscripts of plays, poems, sketchbooks, photographs, correspondence, music scores, reel to reel tapes, and paintings.
Drafts and illustrations of his extended poem Omeros, 1992.
BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT : BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT The collection is inventoried in a seven-page typescript prepared by Mrs. Irma Goldstraw, and is also entered in a CDS/ISIS database entitled DEREK.
RATIONALE : RATIONALE In 1999, the University of Toronto acquired Derek Walcott material relating to his work from the early 1980's to mid 1990's.
It is therefore timely of our institution to begin to prepare for possible institutional alliances.
RATIONALE : RATIONALE There are similar initiatives in various stages in universities in the region, viz.: The Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, and the University of Technology, Jamaica.
RATIONALE : RATIONALE The project therefore advocates that this venture, while starting at U.W.I., St. Augustine can extend itself in the long term to become a cooperative regional-based initiative, involving other libraries, museums and archives.
METHODOLOGY : METHODOLOGY
Managed and undertaken in-house by the University Library to gain the advantage of developing digital imaging project experience by "active involvement" (project management, familiarity with technology, etc.)
METHODOLOGY : METHODOLOGY
Capitalize on project experience in order to build expertise, systems and services best suited to the needs of the institution.
METHODOLOGY : METHODOLOGY
Recruit and train relevant personnel for selection, document preparation and benchmarking for quality control.
TIME FRAME : TIME FRAME This is a four -year project:
Year 1 – Establishment Stage
Development of policy
Training
TIME FRAME : TIME FRAME Year 2- Development stage
Scanning and indexing of materials – undergraduates.
Technical quality control checks - in-house staff.
File management – cataloguer.
TIME FRAME : TIME FRAME Years 3 and 4 – Finishing stage
Networking
Developing of a web-based product
Development of workstations leading to user access to the digital image, all done by in-house staff
OUTCOME : OUTCOME This project aims:
To produce a networked deliverable electronic product of a substantial portion of Derek Walcott’s early works, in order to provide a new means of scholarship.
OUTCOME : OUTCOME
To increase national, regional and international audiences and further complement the collection of his later works held at the University of Toronto.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MARKETING : PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MARKETING To produce CD-ROM’s, and generate thumbnails and access images, for example JPEG’s and /or GIF’s from TIFF’s, and the development of websites.
MANAGEMENT : MANAGEMENT
The Campus Librarian Dr. Margaret Rouse-Jones of the U.W.I., St.Augustine Library has been recently named as a member of the Regional Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean of the UNESCO Memory of the World, thereby ensuring a committed Management stake in the project.
MANAGEMENT : MANAGEMENT Collaboration between the “three agencies mainly responsible for the collection and oversight of” Trinidad and Tobago’s documentary heritage:
MANAGEMENT : MANAGEMENT The National Archives
The Heritage Library of the National Library and Information Systems Authority (NALIS)
The University of the West Indies Library, the West Indiana and Special Collections Division.
MANAGEMENT : MANAGEMENT Ultimately, it is hoped that not only would the project provide the benchmark for similar initiatives in the region, but also
Contribute towards collaborative efforts with regard to the rationalization and preservation of the nation’s documentary heritage.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS : TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Scanning at the highest resolution appropriate to the informational content of the originals
Scanning at an appropriate level of quality to avoid rescanning and re-handling of the originals in the future
Creating and storing a master image file that can be used to produce derivative image files and serve a variety of current and future user needs
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS : TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Using system components that are non-proprietary
Using image file formats and compression techniques that conform to industry standards
Creating backup copies of all files on a stable medium
Creating meaningful metadata for image files or collections
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS : TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Storing media in an appropriate environment
Monitoring and recopying data as necessary
Outlining a migration strategy for transferring data across generations of technology
Anticipating and planning for future technological developments
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: HARDWARE : TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: HARDWARE PC/Macintosh
Large screen monitor (preferably 21")
Planetary Scanner
Digital camera
CD-recorder
Back-up drive (DAT, zip® or jaz®)
Color/black and white printer
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE : TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE There are three types of software needed for most digital imaging projects:
The first is the scanning software that comes with the scanner.
The second type of software is the image editing software, normally applied to the image after it has been scanned.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE : TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE
Thirdly, Batch-processing software takes a large set of files and automatically performs the same process on them.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE : TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE Additionally, for creating bibliographic records for the items converted, some kind of database management software must also be available to the Library. A relational database management system is preferred here.
STORING IMAGES : STORING IMAGES Storage media:
Removable hard drives
CD-ROM
Tape
STORING IMAGES : STORING IMAGES The issue of access will be covered using the most common "model" for digital projects which is to store master images offline on CD-ROM, and to make accessible thumbnail versions
Master images may be viewed upon request, in person, from the CD-ROM.
STAFFING : STAFFING Project management
Database development and administration
Cataloging
Computer programming
Web design
STAFFING : STAFFING Subject matter specialists (curators, archivists, scholars, librarians, faculty, etc.)
Knowledge/experience in the preservation of materials
Knowledge/experience in photography
STAFFING : STAFFING
Artistic/graphic design
Interest in fine arts, music, art history, humanities, sciences, and history--any subject matter that the digitization project may encompass.
WORK PLAN : WORK PLAN Initial conversion starts with quality benchmarking and assessing the dimensions of a selected document and its significant detail(s).
Scanning and indexing will include the capture, file formatting, compression, metadata creation, quality control, and authentication.
WORK PLAN : WORK PLAN File management will include storage, backup, scaling for access, error detection, correction, and migration.
Networking will examine what is needed for servers, protocols, authorization, and scalable architecture.
WORK PLAN : WORK PLAN Display of the electronic information will include decompression, integration with image browser, and magnification.
Printing the electronic information will include decompression, page language interpretation, dithering, and scaling.
WORK PLAN : WORK PLAN
A procedure's manual developed for managing a digital project will need to reflect the full workflow.
IN-HOUSE RESOURCES : IN-HOUSE RESOURCES Digital project coordinator (Librarian)
Database development and administration skills
CDS-ISIS database of the Derek Walcott collection
Printed inventory of the collection
HP flat bed scanner
BUDGET: EQUIPMENT : BUDGET: EQUIPMENT PC/Macintosh USD 2000
Large screen monitor (preferably 21") USD 1000
Planetary Scanner USD 30000
Digital camera USD 1200
CD-recorder USD 800
Back-up drive (DAT, zip® or jaz®) USD 300
Color/black and white printer USD 1000
SUB TOTAL- US$36,300
BUDGET: SOFTWARE : BUDGET: SOFTWARE Image database software USD 1000
Web design software USD 200
Authoring software USD 4000
OCR software USD 800
Scanning software USD 200
Software for writing
and producing CD’s USD 200
SUBTOTAL- US$ 6,400
BUDGET: HUMAN RESOURCES : BUDGET: HUMAN RESOURCES Consultant (International expert with specific experience in a library based digital initiative.) USD 5000
Cataloguer…(f/t)………….. USD1500x 12 mths USD18,000
Text Keyer/Encoder (p/t) USD 450 x 12 mths USD 5400
Imaging Technician (p/t) USD 450 x 12 mths USD 5400
SUBTOTAL- US$33,800
BUDGET : STAFF TRAINING : BUDGET : STAFF TRAINING Imaging, Authoring, Quality Control USD 3000
(one full time staff member and two undergraduates)
GRAND TOTAL US$ 79,500
Slide48 : MAIN LIBRARY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINE TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
DIGITAL INITIATIVE PROJECT
KATHLEEN HELENESE-PAUL