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Barbara Taranto presentation for RBMS 2008 preconference Rare and Special Bytes: Special Collections in the Digital Age. Presented by Merrilee Proffitt
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c. BTaranto : 2008
it’s not just about curators anymoreit’s not just about curators anymore
Special Collections in the Digital AgeSpecial Collections in the Digital Age
ACRL RBMS PreconferenceACRL RBMS Preconference
Los Angeles, CA June 26, 2008Los Angeles, CA June 26, 2008
Barbara TarantoBarbara Taranto
New York Public LibraryNew York Public Library
Managing Director, NYPL LabsManaging Director, NYPL Labs
http://labs.nypl.org
c. BTaranto : 2008
Change
…is good
Four butterflies with eggs, larvae, and moths.] ([1850?]) http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1564955
c. BTaranto : 2008
The Mission of the Library
c. BTaranto : 2008
Early adopters of digital technology 1995-98
c. BTaranto : 2008
Since 1998Since 1998
• ~ 1,000,000 digitized images• 650,000 in Digital Gallery• 100,000 in Yizkor Büchen – Holocaust
Memorial Books• 110,000 Chronicling America – Historical
Newspapers
• Digital Archives of Recorded Sound• Theatre on Film and Tape• Google and MSN – pre-1923 content
c. BTaranto : 2008
Most frequently asked questionsMost frequently asked questions
• How do you manage such large projects
• How do you select what you are going to digitize?
c. BTaranto : 2008
Most frequently asked questionsMost frequently asked questions
• How do you manage such large projects
• Punt
• What is the selection process?
c. BTaranto : 2008
Red HerringRed Herring
• The selection has already been done• Best practices already established • Strengths of organization already in
place
Herring. (ca. 1885-1895)http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1571188
c. BTaranto : 2008
Emerging Practices
• Leverage existing collection organization
• Leverage subject areas of expertise
• Leverage reputation of institution• Leverage years of expertise
represented in the catalog
c. BTaranto : 2008
That said
• Collection development that is much broader and distributed than curator driven selection
Work with schools, 67th Street Branch : books on display, 'A children's librarian talks about books like these,' June, 1... (1938) http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?465207
c. BTaranto : 2008
Distribute the process
• Allow all levels of staff to contribute to repository• Open up digitization queues for discussion• Consider UGC streams• Allow a variety of digital formats, not just preservation quality materials
c. BTaranto : 2008
Some not so subtle tipsSome not so subtle tips
So obvious. (ca. 1911-1917)http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1580274
c. BTaranto : 2008
Play to existing strengths
• Digitize according to mission and conspectus
• Digitize based on strengths
• Digitize according to existing processes and procedures
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?TH-02834Circus: Equilibrists
c. BTaranto : 2008
Add complementary materials
• Fill out existing digital collections
• Fill out subject areas• Fill out user
generated areas of interest
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?489561[Interior work, Astor Hall : construction of arches and walls.] (1905)
c. BTaranto : 2008
Digitize comprehensivelyDigitize comprehensively
• Consider digitization a collection development decision– Build out
collections– Be comprehensive– Be authoritative
A chicken ranch in California. (ca. 1905)
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?G89F370_009F
c. BTaranto : 2008
Digitize on demandDigitize on demand
• Take every opportunity to get content into the repository– Public order– ILL– UGC
Aguilar F. C. L., 59th St. Branch, circulation desk
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?100750
c. BTaranto : 2008
Decouple selection from Decouple selection from presentationpresentation
• Make presentation selections from a pool of digitized materials
• Avoid the roadblock of indecision
• Enlarge the pool of options
THANKSGIVING DINNER [held by] QUINCY HOUSE [at] "BOSTON, MA" (HOTEL;) (1899)
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?468084
c. BTaranto : 2008
Avoid discussions of audienceAvoid discussions of audience
• Good enough to collect >> Good enough to digitize
• Fool’s Game to over worry the audience– Unpredictable and
may prevent work from going forward that will become useful because it will become “used” Four Useful Knots. (ca. 1903-1917)
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1135891
c. BTaranto : 2008
Digitize unprocessed materialsDigitize unprocessed materials
• Inventory rather than process
• Consider the purpose of archival organization – ‘Access’ – what if access is not the last word in the story
Love will find a way / words and music by Chas. Shackford. [May Mooney.] ([c1900])
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1257037
c. BTaranto : 2008
Reduce full force OCD(Obsessive Compulsive Description)
• Use paraprofessionals to do brief record creation
• Use professional staff to add value to records such as subject tracings, item level descriptions, etc.
• Use machine generated naming schemes
A Lasting Machine.
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?95312
c. BTaranto : 2008
Access in not King(It is not even Prince)
• Access is the beginning• Using, repurposing,
“doing” should be the goal– It is no longer good
enough to make materials available – we must now consider how our readers want to use our materials and whether we are providing the most that we can to make this happen Di balade fun a "kinder-kemp". (1926)
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?488889