Collecting History:Profiles in Science

Alexa T. McCrayAlexa T. McCray

National Library of MedicineNational Library of Medicine

Bethesda, MDBethesda, MD

mccray@nlm.nih.govmccray@nlm.nih.gov

Stanford University August 21, 1999

Design and Development of a

Digital Library System Early experiences in digital Early experiences in digital

conversionconversion Development of Development of Profiles in Science Profiles in Science

systemsystem Critical role of metadata in system Critical role of metadata in system

designdesign– Framework for collection managementFramework for collection management– Foundation for Web deliveryFoundation for Web delivery– Standards for resource descriptionStandards for resource description

Lessons learned from an early

Digital Library Project Digital conversion work begun in Digital conversion work begun in

19921992 Some 1,500 historical documents Some 1,500 historical documents

(about 40,000 pages)(about 40,000 pages)– mimeographsmimeographs– oddly sized documentsoddly sized documents– interview transcriptsinterview transcripts

some audio segmentssome audio segments

– photographs and other memorabiliaphotographs and other memorabilia

Processing the early Collection

Created index (metadata) recordsCreated index (metadata) records– templates varied by document typetemplates varied by document type– included topical index termsincluded topical index terms– compensated for poor OCR qualitycompensated for poor OCR quality

Created digital master copy of the Created digital master copy of the documents (TIFF)documents (TIFF)– subsequently derived first GIF and subsequently derived first GIF and

then PDFthen PDF

Profiles in Science

Profiles in ScienceProfiles in Science Web Site Web Site launched in September 1998launched in September 1998

Archival collections of eminent Archival collections of eminent biomedical scientists donated to the biomedical scientists donated to the NLMNLM– Include text, audio, still images, videoInclude text, audio, still images, video– Include books, journal volumes, Include books, journal volumes,

pamphlets, diaries, letters, pamphlets, diaries, letters, manuscripts, photographsmanuscripts, photographs

– Metadata for each item in the collectionMetadata for each item in the collection

Profiles in Science

Educational and research Educational and research applicationsapplications– Scholars of the history of medicine Scholars of the history of medicine

and the biological sciencesand the biological sciences– Students gain an appreciation of Students gain an appreciation of

the methods and success of sciencethe methods and success of science Allows anyone to look “behind Allows anyone to look “behind

the scenes” at how science is the scenes” at how science is donedone

Profiles Collections

Two collections currently availableTwo collections currently available– Oswald T. Avery, Joshua LederbergOswald T. Avery, Joshua Lederberg

Careful attention to copyright and Careful attention to copyright and intellectual property concernsintellectual property concerns

Electronic “exhibit”Electronic “exhibit”– Initial set of digitized items for exhibitInitial set of digitized items for exhibit

Papers continue to be digitizedPapers continue to be digitized

– Full paper collections available for Full paper collections available for scholarly use at NLMscholarly use at NLM

Wide Range of Document Types

Collection -specific Categories of Information

Contextualizing the Content

Tiff and Pdf Documents

Zoom Pdf for Detail

Tiff & Jpeg Documents

Tiff & Jpeg Photographs

High Resolution Tiff

Streaming Video

Search across Full Data Set

Experiment: Profiled Scientist as Interactive

User Digital documents available Digital documents available

before release to the publicbefore release to the public Online annotation capabilityOnline annotation capability Annotations complement Annotations complement

original documentoriginal document– Give additional detail, set Give additional detail, set

document in context, add document in context, add keywordskeywords

Sample Annotation

Design of the Profiles in Science

System A single underlying system that A single underlying system that

is designed to handle the entire is designed to handle the entire life-cycle of a large-scale digital life-cycle of a large-scale digital conversion projectconversion project

PrinciplesPrinciples– modularitymodularity– adherence to standardsadherence to standards– extensibilityextensibility

Metadata forms core of systemMetadata forms core of system

System Architecture

Metadata-driven Document Conversion

Interpret metadata in its broadest Interpret metadata in its broadest sensesense– data about datadata about data

Use metadata to drive the entire Use metadata to drive the entire systemsystem

The metadata record is the basic unit The metadata record is the basic unit in the system, managing the in the system, managing the – digitization processdigitization process– display and organization of the datadisplay and organization of the data– network-based resource discoverynetwork-based resource discovery

Metadata: Framework for

Collection Management

Metadata entry system manages Metadata entry system manages all aspects of digitization processall aspects of digitization process– Unique identifiers bind digital master Unique identifiers bind digital master

files, Web-derivatives, and metadata files, Web-derivatives, and metadata recordsrecords

– Enforces quality control (pull-down Enforces quality control (pull-down menus, validation, error messages)menus, validation, error messages)

– Reports that manage workflowReports that manage workflow– Security measuresSecurity measures

Metadata: Display and Organization of the

Data Series of programs generate Series of programs generate

HTML from metadata RDBMS HTML from metadata RDBMS – Include consistency checkingInclude consistency checking

Programs generate alternative Programs generate alternative viewsviews– alphabetical, chronological, alphabetical, chronological,

resource type, content arearesource type, content area Filtering mechanisms for access Filtering mechanisms for access

managementmanagement

Metadata: Networked-based Resource

Discovery Dublin Core elements Dublin Core elements derivedderived

from metadata entry systemfrom metadata entry system– simplicitysimplicity– semantic interoperabilitysemantic interoperability– international consensusinternational consensus– modularitymodularity

Sample Metadata Record on Web Site

Digital Conversion Projects

Conversion projects involve Conversion projects involve extensive human and extensive human and computational resourcescomputational resources

Therefore, it is important to design Therefore, it is important to design systems thatsystems that– Are extensibleAre extensible– Automate processes whenever possibleAutomate processes whenever possible– Adhere to standardsAdhere to standards– Ensure the persistence of the dataEnsure the persistence of the data

Profiles in Science

http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/