Harvard University Library Digital Initiative Internal Challenge Grant Program

Harvard UniversityLibrary Digital Initiative

Internal Challenge Grant Program

NERCOMP E-learning Conference March 20, 2001

Worcester, Massachusetts

Wendy Gogel, Digital Library Projects Liaison

LDI Mission

LDI Internal Challenge Grant Program

Examples of Grant Funded Projects

Fulfillment of Grant Program Mission

Challenges

LDI Mission

LDI launched in July 1998 as a five-year program to develop the University’s capacity to manage digital information by:

• creating technical infrastructure to support acquisition, organization, delivery, and archiving of digital library materials;

• providing a team of specialists to advise librarians and others on key issues unique to the digital environment;

• providing librarians and staff with practical experience in a wide range of technologies and digital materials; and

• enriching the Harvard University Library collections with a significant set of digital resources.

LDI received $12 million for five years and set aside $5 million for

Grant Program over 10 Rounds

LDI Steering Committee• set program parameters and direction (whose eligible, what type

of projects)

• announced initial call for proposals w/deadline

• established LDI Grant Review Committee

LDI Grant Review Committee• develops specific criteria for project selection

• selects projects for funding according to program parameters and specific criteria

LDI Internal Challenge Grant Program

Grant Program Mission

encourage broad University participation in LDI

serve as a catalyst for infrastructure development: Set development priorities Inform developments with real needs Test infrastructure

tangible demonstration of infrastructure

integrate management of digital materials with traditional materials throughout the libraries

contribute meaningful digital resources to the Universities collections

Who is participating?

Project proposals from: • Archives • Libraries • Museums • Faculty

Grant Program Participation

What is the content?

Wide variety of materials, both converted and born digital:

• Visual Collections including current and historic photographs, 19th c. trade cards, biomedical images

• Audio Files• Published and Original Text • Data Sets

Grant Program Participation

36 Applicants over 4 rounds

Awarded 9 projects • 2 involve dedicated system development

3 more expected to be awarding shortly

2 completed

Grant Program Status

Funded Grant Project (selected examples)

Harvard/Radcliffe: Online Historical Reference Shelf

Collection of Harvard and Radcliffe Annual Reports,

1825-1995 (105,000 pages) providing access through fully

searchable text w/ image files retrieved for on-screen viewing

Funded Grant Project (selected examples)

Harvard-Yenching Library: The Hedda Morrison Photographs of China

Collection of 4,800 photographs in albums made in China, 1933 to 1946 by German Photographer Hedda Morrison

Funded Grant Project (selected examples)

Countway Library of Medicine: Harvard Biomedical Image Library (BIL)

A central catalog and collection of biomedical images initially contributed from HSPH and Harvard labs

Funded Grant Project (selected examples)

Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology: Maya Archaeological Photographs from the Carnegie Institute of Washington Collection

10,000 photographs related to two Maya archaeological sites: Chichen Itza and Copan

Funded Grant Project (selected examples)

Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library: Music from the Archive: A New Model of Access to Rare and Unique Sound Recordings

electronic research tool, integrating 140 hours of digital sound recordings, related image files (log books, performance notes) and finding aids for three collections:

The Laura Boulton Collection of Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox Chant

The Joseph Jeffers Dodge Duke Ellington Collection

The James Rubin Collection of South Indian Classical Music

Funded Grant Project (selected examples)

Arnold Arboretum Library of Harvard University: Western China and Tibet: Hotspot of Diversity

•on-line access to historic and contemporary collections related to Western China and Tibet (1924-current day)

–photographs–correspondence–plant specimens–bird specimens –and specimen data

Fulfillment of Grant Program Mission

encourage broad University participation in LDI

serve as a catalyst for infrastructure development: Set development priorities Inform developments with real needs Test infrastructure

tangible demonstration of infrastructure

integrate management of digital materials with traditional materials throughout the libraries

contribute meaningful digital resources to the Universities collections

LDI Program Challenges Commitment of Limited Resources• 10 new positions • University staff working on grant projects• contributions & collaboration throughout University

to accomplish• technical analysis • infrastructure development• advisory services in key areas• administration of LDI Program & Grant Program• project management and implementation

Criteria for Selection of Grant Projects• value of materials is subjective (and often

community based)

• open to any projects Vs. set direction for proposals

Communication• unformed concepts about project goals (what do you

want? what have you got?)• language barrier between curators and technologists

Grant Program Challenges

Project Management• lack of expertise • lack of dedicated resources• lack of experience in digital environment

• Elapsed Time

at least two years:• 9 months for proposal and planning process• plus implementation

Grant Program Challenges

Challenges

Managing Project Expectations• Specific project goals vs. generalized infrastructure

development• Services and support not fully available during

development

Predicting long term costs associated with maintenance and storage of digital objects

LDI

http://hul.harvard.edu/ldi

HOLLIS portal

http://lib.harvard.edu/

Wendy Gogel

wendy_gogel@harvard.edu