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Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University of Maryland, Baltimore County Be Creative and Collaborative: Building your digital collections as part of a team

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Page 1: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic PhotographsMLA Technical Services Division

Lindsey LoeperSpecial Collections Archivist

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Be Creative and Collaborative: Building your

digital collections as part of a team

Page 2: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

What questions will be discussed?How can collaborations benefit your digital projects? What resources can partners bring to the collaboration?

How can you identify sources for collaboration?   

Page 3: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

UMBC's Special Collections department will serve as our case study 3 full-time, 1 part-time staff

members2 part-time graduate students8-12 undergraduate students

Participated in planning and launch of UMBC's Digital Collections (2009)

Collecting areas: History of photography, science  fiction, Maryland history, rare books, university history, Center for Biological Sciences Archives, Baltimore Sun

Special Collections Reading Room, circa 1975

Page 4: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

How can collaborations benefit your digital projects?

Distribute time and resource obligations:

Project planningAdministrative buy-inHardware and softwareScanningMetadata creationOutreach and access Preservation of analog & digital items

Collaborations won't make these commitments disappear, but they can make each partner's contributions more manageable.

Page 5: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

How can collaborations benefit your digital projects?

Utilize special skill sets and expertiseRecognize your areas of skill and acknowledge the expertise of others!     This will be discussed in the case study presented this afternoon.

View of crowd at Flower Mart, Mt. Vernon Place facing Washington Apts. 1925Hughes Company Glass Negatives, The Photography Collections, UMBChttp://www.flickr.com/photos/umbclibrary/4011621324/

Page 6: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

How can collaborations benefit your digital projects?

Pool contextual information & related resources for a more robust reference resource

Subject expertsScholarly research Related secondary sourcesRelated primary sources and archival collectionsReference and outreach methods

May also "virtually" connect materials and collections through an online portal, exhibit, or artificial digital collection.

Page 7: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

How can collaborations benefit your digital projects?

Increase outreach and exposure within communities of researchers and institutions -- people talk!

Genevieve Clark; [between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915].  Library of Congress.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/3295498512/

Student staff members; circa 1968-1969.  University Archives. http://contentdm.ad.umbc.edu/u?/UARCphotos,31

Page 8: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

How can collaborations benefit your digital projects?

Opportunity for promotional activities

While the completion of a digital project is newsworthy enough, the addition of a partnership increases interest within partner institutions and regional/national networks.

Library blog, local/association newsletter, Friends groups outreach, poster or conference

presentation, announcement on appropriate list serv (A&A, H-Maryland, MLA), brown bag presentation to staff, online exhibit, etc.

Page 9: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

How can collaborations benefit your digital projects?

May lead to future projects - either with initial partner(s) or others

• Word of mouth• Build confidence in

partnerships (internally)

• Can use an example for future proposals for collaborative projects - and in grant applications!

Page 10: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

What resources can partners bring to the collaboration?

1.  Identify your digital collection goals  2.  Brainstorm what you can bring to a partnership 3.  Consider how this project could benefit your partner(s)

Page 11: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

What resources can partners bring to the collaboration?

Women at work on bomber, Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, Calif. 1942 Oct.Library of Congresshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2179923220/

Page 12: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

1.  Identify your digital collection goals

Be realistic! Remember - if you start small, you can expand the project.

"We would like to increase our digital collections holdings in the area of local photography and unique or rare local history publications that are out of copyright."

"Because of increased research interest, we would like to digitize a small collection of Civil War era journals."

Page 13: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

2. Brainstorm what you can bring to a partnershipYour participation and contributions are just as important in collaborations as the work of your partners.  Honestly consider what you can bring to the partnership:

Potential contentDigitization hardwareFile storage and maintenanceOutreach and promotionOnline access interfaceStaff time (paid or donated)Related subject resourcesContextual content

Page 14: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

3. How could this project benefit your partner(s)?It is rare that partners will participate for charity or simple goodwill - how will this benefit their mission?

Think of traditional reasons that donors work with archival repositories:

Build their digital holdingsAccess for their constituencyAccess to larger audience Preservation of materialsMigrating available contentHistorical observances Lack of technical knowledge

Page 15: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

What each partner contributes may change for each digital project!

Rare local history book You have:Potential content

Nearby university has:Author's papersEstablished online collection of writingsPromotionDigitization equipment

Diary of prominant local author Literary society (HoCoPoLitSo) has:Potential content Subject knowledgeAccess for their constiuencyPeople hours to transcribe

You have: Digitization equipment Online access interface

Page 16: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

How can you identify sources for collaboration?

• work as part of a team • partner within your department (Library)• partner within your organization (UMBC)• work actively with donors • identify local, regional or state

teammates• use available program assistance

Page 17: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Work as part of a team: 

If there are multiple people in your department working on digital projects, share the work that you've done to save time and ensure consistancy across collections. • Best practices for

scanning• Metadata templates • Step-by-step instructions• Student/volunteer

training

Page 18: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Partner within your department (Library):Other people in your department may have skills or project ideas that can contribute, for example:

Copyright clearanceReference resourcesCommunity outreachGrant preparation Technical and IT skills Metadata creation**

Case study:  UMBC's Electronic Theses and Dissertations  

http://contentdm.ad.umbc.edu/etd.php

Page 19: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Partner within your organization (UMBC):

Digitization on request• Reference/duplication

requests• Exhibit or display items• Promotional illustration

 Locate available "archives" of born digital or digitized materials • Central access point• Central storage point• Increase access

  

http://contentdm.ad.umbc.edu/uarc.php

Page 20: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Partner within your organization:

Theatre Department Production Materials 

Theatre Department had:• physical materials• digital files• metadata/descriptions • audience• staff to digitize/collect

Special Collections offered:• consistent access• advanced search• digital storage and

preservation• incorporation into larger

University Archives research

 Cabaret, Spring 2001

Page 21: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Partner within your organization:

The Retriever Weekly

http://contentdm.ad.umbc.edu/retriever.php

Currently available:Fall 1966-1982, 2002-2011

Student newspaper had:• born digital files• audience• staff to digitize

Special Collections offered:• backlog of print issues • consistent access• advanced search• digital storage and

preservation• incorporation into larger

University Archives research

Page 22: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Work actively with donors to increase access:

Funding and original documents Access copies (Reserves staff), paid student position to enter metadata, Archivist created template, Library storage & preservation

Access copies, original materials, contextual info, metadata, audience, paid student position to scan and enter metadata

Technical and descriptive expertise, online access portal (CONTENTdm), Library storage and preservation

Page 23: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Identify local, regional or state teammates:

1.) Volunteers from subject interest groups

2.) Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage

http://www.mdch.orgEPFL and SLRC

The Fireman's Record(1891, 1911)

Ferdinand C. Latrobe papers (MDCH)Ferdinand C. Latrobe papers (finding aid)

Page 24: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Identify regional teammates:

3.) To strengthen a grant applications and/or large scale projects, partner with organizations that collect related materials.

UMBC and UM College Park both hold photographs from the Baltimore News American: 

UMCP's collection guide

4.) Look for opportunities related to shared anniversaries:

War of 18121968 Baltimore riots

Baltimore Fire (1904)Poe's birthday (1809)Baltimore Sun 175th

(2012) UMBC's 50th (2016)

MHCC Civil War in Your Attic(2011-2012)

Page 25: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Identify regional teammates:

5.) HIST 705 Introduction to Public History

Work with local schools to use your collections as part of hands on learning projects - exhibits, research guides, walking tours, lesson plans.

http://hughesco.blogspot.com/

Page 26: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Identify regional teammates:

6.) Become familiar with related collections at other institutions. 

Look for opportunities to collaborate in case key resources are made available.  

Example: Hughes Company Collection and future partnership with the Maryland Historical Society

Storefronts, including Traub Bros., Schultz & Brother, and Jacob Sugar, Wholesale Clothing, c. 1905-1940.Hughes Company Glass Negatives, The Photography Collections, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. http://www.flickr.com/photos/umbclibrary/4011621506/

Page 27: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Identify regional teammates:

7.) Passive or asynchronous collaboration

Seek out available best practices and examples of metadata templates -- and make your own available!

Meet with GLAM colleagues to review their workflows, programs, metadata templates -- and invite to share your own projects with others!

Share your experiences and tips using MLA/MARAC or ALA/SAA newsletters and conference sessions. 

Contribute to subject or regional consortium projects(MD History and Culture Collaborative Repositories List)

Page 28: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Use available program assistance:

Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage Maryland History and Culture CollaborativeMaryland Humanities Council   Look at MLA, ALA, State Library programs

Many granting agencies look for collaborative projects - even if this is not a requirement.NEH Preservation and Access grantsNHPRC - Basic, Detailed, Electronic ProcessingMaryland SHRABMaryland Humanities Council grants

Page 29: Collaborations in Digitization: Digitizing UMBC Historic Photographs MLA Technical Services Division Lindsey Loeper Special Collections Archivist University

Thank you!  Questions?

Lindsey LoeperSpecial Collections Archivist

Albin O. Kuhn Library & GalleryUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore

[email protected]

(410) 455-6290