digitization at the auc robert w. woodruff library - a case study

Digitization at the AUC Robert W.

Woodruff Library - A Case Study

Cliff Landis

Digital Initiatives Librarian

HBCU Library Alliance

2017-10-18

Introductions!

● Digital Initiatives Librarian

● Maintain digital collections and software

● Joined AUC RWWL in March 2017

● Former Reference Librarian, Web Services Librarian,

Taxonomist and Metadata Manager

● Recovering Perfectionist and Archivaholic

● Aspiring Systems Thinker (ala Gregory Bateson & Peter

Senge)

● Obsession of the moment: Hügelkultur!

Challenging Materials:

Gammon Composites

● Class photo composites for Gammon

Theological Seminary

● Photographs pasted to a paperboard

backing

● 23 total, 7 in fragile condition were

outsourced and are available online

● Oversize material is larger than the

planetary scanner bed

● Ripples throughout photos, causing

reflections

“High-Quality” “Anti-Reflective”

Reflection:

Position

● Green:

Clear

● Red:

Highlights

● Blue:

Supports

High-Quality Centered:

Reflection highlights

Anti-Reflective Centered:

“Water stain” at highlight edges

High-Quality Off-Center:

Clear

Challenging Materials:

Gammon Composites● Six “high-quality” scans for

preservation (clear off-center

portraits)

● Six “anti-reflective” scans used to

create the final access image

● One final access image using

Photoshop’s automated photomerge

tool; functional and pragmatic

● No color patches

● Documentation!

Documentation

Documentation - Collaborative editing

Documentation - Version control

Documentation - Troubleshooting

Quick Quiz! Philosophy

Which quote best represents your organization’s

digitization philosophy?

❏ "If you haven’t got the time to do it right,

when will you find time to do it over?"

❏ "More product, less process"

❏ "Something is better than nothing"

❏ [Wordless scream]

https://pixabay.com/p-443127/

Philosophy

● More Product, Less Process

● Fail Fast & Learn○ Test on small batches

○ Iterative trial-and-error (and error correction!)

○ Improve processes, document changes

○ Communicate, communicate, communicate!

● Collaboration is key○ Brief bi-weekly meetings btw DSD & ARC

○ You’re both the customer and the provider

● Problems? Look for the gap in the

information flow.

● We’re open to advice, so let me know if

you see something out of place!https://www.flickr.com/photos/27892629@N04/15337913754/

Workflow - Big Picture

Digitization Request Form

● The form is the starting

point for the conversation● Requestor's Name

● Request Date

● Submission Deadline

● Purpose of Scan (patron request, project, web only, publication,

other)

● Number of Images

● Resolution

● Mode (B&W, Color, other)

● Collection Name

● Collection Number

● Box number

● Folder number

● Image File Name (s) (if known)

● Item Title (if known)

● Item Date (if known)

● Special Requirements (Please include any additional information

not included above)

Workflow - Patron Request

● Form submission - ARC

● Material delivery / check-out

● Interview

● Digitization

● Metadata○ One-off - none

○ Collection material - minimum

● Quality Control

● Send link to material

● Record stats

● Material return / check-in

Workflow - Project

● Conversation

● Form submission - ARC, DSD, Admin, Grant Project Managers

● Material delivery / check-out

● Interview○ Special requirements for digitization, metadata or storage

● Digitization○ Sample set sent to requestor for review/QC

○ Progress reports

● Metadata○ Collection material - minimum or as needed

○ A/V materials require more detail, such as creating time indexes

● Quality Control

● Send link to material

● Record stats

● Material return / check-in

Challenging Materials: Scrapbooks

Challenging Materials:

Scrapbooks● Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Scrapbooks

● Capturing both content and

arrangement

● High use, very fragile material

● Content contains multi-page

items that open like programs

and cards

0001_20

0001_20a 0001_20b 0001_20c

Equipment

Print/Photo

● Flatbed Scanners - Epson

10000XL & 11000XL

● Planetary Scanner - Opus

Bookeye 4

● Sheet Feed Scanner -

Fujitsu ScanSnap fi-6010N

● Printer - Epson SureColor

P600

AV

● Apple Mac Pro Desktop

● Audio - TASCAM CD A550

● VHS - JVC Super VHS ET

● Blu-ray - LG Networked BD53

● Storage - Pegasus2 R6

● Switch - Motu UltraLite MK3

Forensic

● Write Blocker -

WiebeTech Forensic

UltraDock

● Zip - Iomega Zip 250

● Memory Card Reader

● 3.5 & 5.25 floppy

readers

Software

Bookeye Planetary Scanner

● Opus FreeFlow - capture original

scans

● FastStone Photo Resizer - create

access derivatives

● Photoshop - crop, deskew,

histogram levels of access

derivatives

● FastStone Photo Resizer - create

web derivatives

● Excel - record metadata

Epson Flatbed Scanners

● SilverFast - capture original scans

● FastStone Photo Resizer - create

access derivatives

● Photoshop - crop, deskew,

histogram levels of access

derivatives

● FastStone Photo Resizer - create

web derivatives

● Excel - record metadata

Quick Quiz! Materials Selection

How do you prioritize materials selection for

your digitization program?

❏Fragile materials first

❏Rare materials first

❏Heavily used materials first

❏High research value materials first

❏Requested materials first

❏Whatever the Dean/Department

Head/Boss wants right now...

https://pixabay.com/p-443127/

Material Selection

Material Selection - Grant-Funded Projects

Collaboration

● Both organizations and individual archivists have their own digitization and

metadata philosophies.

● Digitization is both an art and a science. The art is in making decisions and

troubleshooting.

● Keep communication clear: ○ Get as much information up-front as possible.

○ Ask questions. Lots of questions. So many questions!

○ Report progress concisely and regularly; keep the feedback loop small.

● In-person communication is best to avoid misunderstandings.

● Make room for regular re-training.

● All behavior makes sense in context, so be curious!

Questions?

Cliff Landis

jlandis@auctr.edu

Please join us again on

Wednesday, November 1, 2:00pm

Josh Hogan, Metadata at AUCRWWL

https://pixabay.com/en/thank-you-paper-message-note-391055/