Digitized Public Domain Literature
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Transcript of Digitized Public Domain Literature
Digitized public domain
booksChris Freeland
Technical Director, Biodiversity Heritage Library
Director, Center for Biodiversity Informatics,Missouri Botanical Garden
Vieillot. La galerie des oiseaux. 1834.http://biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/48613
“I arrived back at work from holidays today to be greeted by Michael, an [sic] colleague researching wasps. He was excited that he had discovered in the Biodiversity Heritage Library a copy of an obscure 1860s book:
Saussure, H. de & Sichel, J. (1864). Catalogue des espèces de l'ancien genre Scolia, contenant les diagnoses, les descriptions et la synonymie des espèces, avec des remarques explicatives er critiques. Genève & Paris : Henri Georg & V. Masson et Fils pp. 1–350
This book was not in our library, probably not in Australia, and almost impossible to get hold of without travelling to the northern hemisphere. Thanks to the BHL for their work in providing access to works of importance. Michael is now able to use detailed content of this book in his work.”
-John Tann, Australian Museumhttp://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/9323
Digitizing public domain books
is
NONCONTROVERSIAL
But, it is expen$ive.
Scanning is the easy part.
Prioritizing
SelectingLocating
Pulling Updating
TrackingChecking
Reshelving
Libraries, librarians & staff
NEED OUR SUPPORT
in this important endeavor
Because once books are digitized,
we liberate the written word
from the printed page & the library stacks
We can then begin
CONNECTINGwords and concepts in books
to museum collections,to archival materials,
to everything
Using algorithms like TaxonFinder from uBio.org
Wha?! But, I know those words are in there. Just give me the data, let me explore.
http://ryanschenk.com/2011/02/visualizing-taxonomic-synoymns/
http://biostor.org
http://twitter.com/LillyLyle/status/41242610517553152
I worry about the confusion between
CONTAINER&
CONTENT
A printed book is aCONTAINER.
Its CONTENT is what’s important.
Of all the worlds created by man,
the world of books
is the most powerful.
-Heinrich Heine
Because, yes, history suggests the
[insert proprietary e-reader device / format here]
will #fail.
And so, a Digital Public Library of America
MUST be:
Open Access & Open Sourcewith
Open Data & Open APIs
AND OPEN
^
THANK YOU
Chris Freeland
chrisfreeland.com
Technical Director, Biodiversity Heritage Library
Director, Center for Biodiversity Informatics,Missouri Botanical Garden