License Review and Negotiation: an introduction

Ann OkersonSLA Preconference on Licensing

Doha, QatarApril 2008

#1

Building Capacity for Digitization – a case study

Yale University LibraryAnn OkersonDoha – WDL – December 2010

Barriers to digitization

• What we had in 2000:– Great collections– Excellent traditional Middle East subject specialist – Traditional cataloging expertise (romanized Arabic & Persian)– Vision for multi-partnered Arabic/Middle East project(s)– US government agency (Dept of Education) interested in expanding

foreign language materials and skills in the US– Experience of digitizing English language materials

• What we didn’t have in 2000:– Experience in non-Western digitization beyond “scanning” on

demand – Sufficient experience with metadata needed for digital objects

(description, administrative, preservation, etc.)– [Non-western language digitization was a young and “standards-

thin” field]

How we started - 2000• With something we understood: a bibliographic records

“building blocks” project (OACIS), 2002-2005*• Allowed us to:

– Learn how to have success with funding agencies– Hire an experienced technical project manager with some Arabic ability*– Identify current experts for advice & interns (e.g., BA)

• Emerging standards, software – Start to understand the environment – steep learning curve

• Attend appropriate meetings, participate in lists, read read read– Identify potential partners to contribute and share content

• Develop long-term partner agreements*– Learn how to work digitally with non-Western languages

• Understand different types of descriptive records (metadata)• Build crosswalks/conversions between different practices of partners*

– Develop rigorous discipline & project management techniques• Create effective workflows

– Complete a project successfully; “sustain” it beyond the life of the grant

How we continued - 2005• #2: built on bibliographical project adding searchable journal full

text via AMEEL (A Middle Eastern Electronic Library) – 250,000 pages

• Built on relationships with funding agencies• Retained Project Manager from OACIS

– Hired more staff with technical experience & Arabic language– Provided more training for staff & student workers & existing ME staff

• Created advisory board (including Dr. Adly from BA)• Established partnerships with commercial organizations (OCR

packages, outsourcers, publishers)*• Learned how to contract legally for equipment and services• Obtained necessary permissions for materials in copyright*• Produce documentation that others can use• Helped others to work on their own projects in their libraries

– Digitization workshop held in collaboration with the BA, December 2007– Digitization workshop in US a year later– Lending workshop in Amman, Jordan– Bring in interns and fellows to work with us (their funds, our funds)

Where we are today - 2010

• Received further grants:– Iraq ReCollection (NEH) (National Library & Archives Iraq)

• More journals digitization – 100,000 pages

– Islamic Manuscript Gallery - IMG (JISC/NEH) (SOAS)• Some manuscripts & manuscript catalog digitization

– Gateway to Gazettes – G2G (US Dept of Education) • Syria and Palestine, 1919 – 1948 (Rights from Syria & UK-PRO)• Mixture of languages, frequencies, formats (complexity of rare

volumes, microforms, foldouts, maps, fragile items)

– Islamic Fundamentalist audio-tapes (via Arcadia Fund)

• We have begun contributing selectively to WDL• Applying for:

– Grant (with Halle University, Germany) for more journals digitization & better linking/discovery infrastructure

– Grant for “building an Arabic Reference & Reading Room”

Key factors in success

• Hard work and continuing dedication– Excellent core staff that continues from project to project (MOST

IMPORTANT) – 8 years– Careful selection and prioritization for all projects– Lots of “outreach” and presentations and sharing– Successful project completion, time after time– Our own library takes us seriously and we can make a case for

some resources– Frequent contacts from campus and outside - seeking projects,

services, and internships (we try to help)– Continuous self-education about digitization– We don’t promise what we can’t deliver

• Always searching for new possibilities & partners

What’s been hard for us

• Finding resources to create metadata – can’t digitize without appropriate metadata foundations

• Optimizing our workflows for full-text digitization projects• Constantly searching for funding, even as we work on the

projects themselves– Finding more sources of funding beyond US and West

• Dealing with rights and permissions (Iraq story)*• World politics (OFAC story)*

– Inability to easily deliver equipment and software to ME partners• Commercial relationships and contracts

– Linking to “paid” content in AMEEL• Building “sustainable” projects that continue after external

funding is gone (e.g., ongoing infrastructure & migration)• So much more to do and we wish it were going faster!

License Review and Negotiation: an introduction

Ann OkersonSLA Preconference on Licensing

Doha, QatarApril 2008

#1

Questions?