EXAMPLES OF DIGITAL LIBRARIES
Bishoff, L. & William, A. (2000). Metadata, cataloging, digitization, and retrieval –
Who’s doing what to whom: The Colorado Digitization Project Experience. Retrieved on July 25, 2011 from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED454873 .
Summary: This paper describes the experiences of the Colorado Digitization Project (CDP) related to accessing a diverse set of primary resources held by many different cultural heritage institutions. Issues that arise from different cataloging and metadata standards and diverse user populations and needs are addressed. Topics covered include: (1) a description of the project, including activities, funding, and goals; (2) the environment for standards application in a cross-cultural heritage institution group; (3) the CDP and standards; (4) the CDP metadata core elements; (5) issues with Dublin Core; (6) cataloging the original versus the digital object; (7) subject terminology; and (8) what needs to be addressed in the shared cultural heritage environment, including shared development, standards, interoperability, resource discovery services, cataloging issues, and authority control.
Boock, M. (2008). Organizing for digitization at Oregon State University: A case study
and comparison with ARL Libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 34(5), 445-451.
Summary: This article presents a case study of how Oregon State University Libraries (OSUL) organized to accomplish digitization activities. Digitization activities are broken down into six major categories: management, copyright, digital imaging, metadata, hardware/software/web design, and selection. The OSUL experience of incorporating digitization responsibilities within the existing organizational structure is compared with the results of a previously conducted survey of ARL libraries.
Chaffin N., Legg K., & Oehlerts B. (2010). Abstract: Two librarians, an archivist, and
13,000 images: Collaborating to build a digital collection. The Library Quarterly, 80(1), 81-103. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/648464. doi:
10.1086/648464
Summary: Colorado State University Libraries has been creating digitized collections, primarily from its Archives and Special Collections unit since 2000. These projects involved collaboration among archives, cataloging, and digitization. The most recent and ambitious project, digitizing 13,000 historical images of the university dating from the 1880s into the 1930s, required closer collaboration than any previous project. The three authors, each with a distinctive role in the project, use this case study to illustrate and discuss in detail the different professional and technical skills and perspectives that each brought to the project and how they learned from each other. The authors present lessons learned in how to effectively build successful internal partnerships to further digitization projects.
Chapman, S. (2004). Chapter 3: Levels of Service for image digitization. Library
Technology Reports, 40(5).
Summary: This article goes really in depth into the digitization of artifacts to integrate into a digital library. The author describes want needs to go into creating suitable digital surrogate images from how they should look, what products should be used, and what methods might be best. Near the end of the article, he describes what criteria should be followed for different levels of effort. This chapter describes the program components necessary to produce discoverable, sustainable, and usable collections of surrogate digital still images for legacy collections of photographs, prints, and other pictorial works.
Chowdhury, G. G., & Chowdhury, S. (2000). The seven levels of identification: An
overview of the current state of identifying objects within digital libraries. Program: electronic library and information systems, 34(4), 341-373. doi: 10.1108/EUM0000000006935
Summary: This paper looks into this question by reviewing the information retrieval features of 20 digital libraries chosen from around the globe. The first part of the paper briefly describes the features of the chosen digital libraries in terms of their nature and content. The second part looks into the information retrieval features of each digital library. Unique features of some digital libraries have been indicated. Major areas of research that would improve the information retrieval features of the future digital libraries have been indicated.
Colati, G., & Colati, J. (2011). Road tripping down the digital preservation highway, part
II: Road signs, billboards and rest stops along the way. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 23(2), 165-173. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full10.1080/1941126X.2011.576969#tabModule, doi: 10.1080/1941126X2011.576969Library
Summary: One of the librarian's main problems in Part I of this series is figuring out how and where the repository fit into the overall structure of the library and the University. At a loss for an easy answer, he decided to try to find out what other institutions were doing to see whether there was any clear, concise model to follow. As he began his research, he found many models out there. The authors describe a brief history of digital libraries which gave the librarian a good idea of where digital libraries and repositories had come from and the basic requirements of digital preservation. With the resources that he had already discovered supporting him, he could make a good case for a digital repository program at Bellaluna University.
Falk, H. (2003). Developing digital libraries. Electronic Library, 21(3), 258-261.
Summary: Looks at long-term implications of library digitization and refers to experiences in academic libraries, offering wider access to rare and special collections and move to achieving more universal access in international repositories.
Gorny, M., Catlow, J., & Lewandiwski. (2010). The state of development of digital
libraries in Poland. Program and Electric Library and Information Systems, 44(3), 207-214. doi: 10.1108/00330331011064221
Summary: Gorny and Catlow’s article describes the creation of the Wielkopolska Digital Library in Poland. It gives a good overview of what they did to create a successful digital library. For example, the article describes why the library chose DC and explains the process for searchable vocabulary, the process for scanning, and gives a chart on hardware details for each server they own.
Horava, T. (2010). Challenges and possibilities for collection management in a digital
age. Library Resources and Technical Services, 54(3), 142-152.
Summary: This paper considers some of the major issues concerning collection management in academic libraries in a rapidly changing environment. It focuses on core values, scholarly communication issues, access and delivery issues and innovation. It outlines ideas for a sustainable, forward-looking approach to collection management.
Iwhiwhu, B., & Eyekpegha, E. (2009). Digitization of Nigerian university libraries: From
technology challenge to effective information delivery. The Electric Library, 27(3), 529-536. doi: 10.1108/02640470910966943
Summary: The article describes how Nigeria is dealing with the current information explosion and how they would like to focus on enhancing their digital resources, including OPACS and digital libraries. The problem is that Nigeria has a lack of technical infrastructure, inadequate training for librarians in digital services, and lack of funding. The article cites more problems occurring in the Nigerian academic library system, but also lists ways such problems can be corrected.
Kowal, K., & Rhatigan, J. (2010). Rare map Materials made digital: Scanning and
metadata archiving and access. International Cataloguing and Bibliographic
Control, 39(3), 57-62.
Summary: Creating access to cartographic images via digitization, and maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the digital objects and associated metadata, is a current preoccupation of map curators. Format-specific information about the complete digitization process can aid in planning for scanning projects to ensure reliable access, active management and long-term preservation. The recent experience of the British Library with a small project to scan maps held within rare books can contribute to this literature. Using a variety of skills and systems throughout the institution, a methodology was developed to manage each aspect of the process, from image capture and metadata creation to providing access and preserving material via digital archiving. The outcome is a unique application of existing library standards and systems, and illustrates an alternative to project-specific software programs or web pages for managing and providing access to digitized collection materials.
Londhe, N., Desale, S., & Suresh P. (2011). Development of a digital library of
manuscripts: A case study at the University of Pune, India. Program and Electric Library and Information Systems, 45(2), 135-148. doi:10.1108/00330331111129697
Summary: The purpose of this paper is to focus on the technical know-how required for digitization of manuscripts. Digitization of manuscripts is a difficult process because of the fragility and discoloration (yellowishness) of manuscripts. Creation of metadata and especially subject headings for manuscripts is difficult and time consuming. The paper explains the different steps of the digitization process as well as explaining the process for creating metadata fields for easy retrieval of manuscripts and evaluates the digitization software. QuickScan software is good for image capturing and DSpace is good for providing access to digital contents.
Mix, L., & Cameron, K. (2011). From Hahnemann's hand to your computer screen:
Building a digital homeopathy collection. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 99(1), 51-6.
Summary: Digitizing Hahnemann's manuscript and determining the best method of presentation on the web posed several challenges. Lessons learned in the course of this project will inform future digital projects. This article discusses the historical significance of the sixth edition of Hahnemann's Organon, its context in UCSF's homeopathy collections, and the specifics of developing the online homeopathy collection.
Monson, J. (2011). What to expect when you're digitizing: A primer for the solo digital
librarian. Computers in Libraries, (31)1, 16-20.
Summary: A basic overview of some of the issues and problems that arise when beginning a digitization project and how to prepare for them.
Mugridge, R. L. (2006). Managing Digitization Activities. Washington D.C.: Association
of Research Libraries.
Summary: The Association of Research Libraries publishes special issues documents. This one deals with library digitization and has results from academic libraries nationwide concerning the most pressing issues in digitization and their responses.
Ng, K. B., & Kucsma, J. (2010). Digitization in the real world: Lessons learned from
small and medium-sized digitization projects. New York, NY: Metropolitan New York Library Council.
Summary: Kucsma and Ng offer more than 30 case studies by practitioners on their successful digitization projects at repositories including public libraries of all sizes, universities, and other institutions holding special collections. The contributors also address potential barriers to these projects, including time lines, staffing, training, equipment, content management, and optimized handling of nonprint materials. Ultimately, the message is that the time and effort required to preserve historic materials are more than worthwhile for the benefit of the safe storage and dissemination of the information
Novara, E. (2010). Digitization and researcher demand: Digital imaging workflows at the
University of Maryland Libraries. OCLC Systems & Services, 26(3) 166-176. doi: 10.1108/10650751011073616
Summary: The purpose of this paper is to address the challenges that special collection repositories face when creating digital surrogates driven by researcher demand, to link these digitization issues with archival practice, and to provide recommendations for improvement. This paper offers a case study approach for an institutional digital repository influenced heavily by researcher demand, in contrast to a digital repository constructed with a more structured plan.
Research and markets: The survey of library & museum digitization projects - 2010 –
16.05% of organizations surveyed license or rent any aspect of their digital
collection to any party. (2010). M2 Presswire.
Summary: The nearly 200 page report looks closely at how academic, public, and special libraries and museums are digitizing special and other collections. The study is based on detailed data on costs, equipment use, staffing, cataloging, marketing, licensing revenue and other facets of digitization projects from nearly 100 libraries and museums in the United States, the UK, continental Europe, Canada, and Australia.
Sywetz, B. (2002). Central New York Library Resources Council CLRC regional
digitization plan: Final report for the preparing Central New York history for the future LSTA Project. Central New York Library Resources Council, 39.
Summary: The CLRC Digitization Plan provides a framework for the support of digitization activities that yield benefits to the public and relates this framework to other CLRC initiatives. The plan describes how CLRC will work with libraries and other cultural heritage organizations to develop digital collections using scalable techniques of providing access that can grow as collections are added.
Teper, J. H., & Shaw, E. F. (2011). Planning for preservation during mass digitization
projects. Portal Libraries and the Academy, 11(2), 717-739.
Summary: In anticipation of current and future mass digitization projects in which the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Library will participate, the Library's Conservation Unit began to gather data on the "scannability" of our general book collections to anticipate potential effects on conservation and preservation work flows. The findings from this project will be valuable to other libraries involved, or contemplating participation, in a mass digitization project by outlining the steps necessary to evaluate materials for digitization based on condition, as well as offering some selection guidelines used by the University of Illinois that could be applied in other institutions.
Vrana, R. (2010). Public libraries in Croatia and the digitization challenge. Library
Review, 59(5), 325-340. doi:10.1108/00242531011047028
Summary: This article compiles the results of a survey sent out by the author to find out what is currently happening in Croatian public libraries when dealing with digitization and the overall development of digital collections.
Walsh, M. P. (2011). Repurposing MARC metadata for an institutional repository:
Working with special collections and University Press monographs. Library Resources & Technical Services, 55(1), 33-44.
Summary: This paper describes the processes and workflows that transform MARC records found in Ohio States University's library catalog into DC records for digital resources batch loaded into the Knowledge Bank, Ohio State University's institutional repository. Two projects are described to illustrate the processes and workflows: the open-access monographs of the Ohio State University Press and the oral history collections of the Ohio State University Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program.
Wang, F. (2011). Building an open source institutional repository at a small law school
library: Is it realistic or unattainable? Information Technology & Libraries, 30(2).
Summary: Excerpt from article: In this article, the author describes the process of building the digital repository from scratch including hardware and software, customization, collection development, marketing and outreach, and future projects. Although the development of the repository is ongoing; it is valuable to share the experience with other institutions who wish to set up an institutional repository of their own and also add to the knowledgebase of IR development.