shifting gears: digitizing for access dan santamaria seeley g. mudd manuscript library, princeton...
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Shifting Gears: Digitizing For Access
Dan SantamariaSeeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton UniversityNARA Preservation ConferenceMarch 26, 2009
Institutional Context Department of Rare Books and Special
Collections Mudd Library
University Archives Public Policy Papers
Manuscripts Division Literary collections Holdings in Western Americana, New Jerseyana,
Colonial period, faculty papers, and many other subjects
Other Divisions Rare Books, Graphics Arts, Numismatics, etc. Other small collections outside of department
Institutional Context
Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library Public Policy Papers Princeton University Archives Circa 35,000 linear feet in total
Personal Papers, University Records, Photographs, Audiovisual, Beer Cans, Laundry Bags…
Institutional Context Mudd Library
Percentage of holdings described online:
~100%
Institutional Context Mudd Library
Percentage of holdings actually available online:
~.00011%
The Problem User expectations
Why is very little available online or in any electronic form?
Why do they need to travel to the library to conduct research?
Why can't we just email them the photocopies they requested 4 weeks ago instead of making them pay for shipping?
Traditional responses to these questions not satisfying
Initial (and Current) Approach to Digitization
High level committee selects projects for digitization
Projects usually visually interesting or small, but high profile collections (Jefferson Letters)
Initial (and Current) Approach to Digitization
Project committee formed Decisions made about metadata, timelines
Other committees – steering committees, Metadata Committee – also have input.
Material sent to digital studio Metadata completed after the fact
Initial (and Current) Approach to Digitization
Public Interface:
Item-level metadata (typically MODS or VRA) via native XML database
Initial (and Current) Approach to Digitization
Initial Approach
Advantages Provides a level of online access Supposedly great level of control over
display, indexing, etc.
Initial Approach
Disadvantages Almost impossible to provide context to
users Difficult and time consuming navigation
for most types of archival research Lack of integration with other access
tools
Initial Approach
Disadvantages Unsustainable Not suited to archival collections/record
groups Unable to produce more than a few
boutique projects
Interim Solutions
Linking from finding aids to digital library interface
Interim Solutions
Linking from finding aids to digital library interface
Interim Solutions Linking from finding aids to digital library
interface Advantages
Provides access – from our main access tools Finding aids provide context
Interim Solutions Linking from finding aids to digital library
interface Disadvantages
Lack of integration: navigation takes you out of finding aid interface
Still dependent on boutique digitization projects
Interim Solutions PDF linking
The “Low Rent” Approach
Interim Solutions PDF linking
The “Low Rent” Approach
Interim Solutions PDF linking
The “Low Rent” Approach Similar advantages and disadvantages to
current digital library interface, except: Much more scalable
Freed from preservation quality requirements Patron request-based digitization
Conclusions We need access systems that recognize
that Archival descriptive records are dynamic
Can be expanded based on need or when additional resources become available
Records can include data from a variety of sources Staff, including public services, curators, users
Are not limited to traditional archival outputs Can also form the descriptive infrastructure for
digitization/digital library program
Conclusions What systems can do all of these things?
None!
But check out your iPhone or kindle
Archival access systems
A few models:
Archives of American Art Bentley Historical Library -- Polar Bear
Expedition Project Others?
Archival access systems
And a lesser known site: The Municipal Archives of Amsterdam
Patron request-based digitization model
Archival access systems
And a lesser known site: The Municipal Archives of Amsterdam
Patron-request-based digitization model
Conclusions Need to advocate for integration with
library technical infrastructure Support for special collections systems not
traditionally seen as responsibility of library systems (both budget and staff)
Need to view the development of these access systems as a fundamental ethical responsibility Not special projects
