L O C A L H I S T O R Y & H I S T O R I C P R E S E R V A T I O N C O N F E R E N C EO C T O B E R 1 1 , 2 0 1 3
BUILDING DIGITAL COLLECTIONSPART 1: PLANNING AND CREATING
Supported by WHRAB
TODAY’S AGENDA
• Introductions• Selecting materials• Selection criteria• Setting priorities• Copyright considerations• Cost considerations
• Digitizing collections• Choosing a scanner• Formats and standards• When NOT to scan yourself
• Metadata• What is metadata?• Assigning titles and subject headings• Organizing and naming files
• Wrap-up and final thoughtsWaterford Public Library/University of
Wisconsin Digital Collections
INTRODUCTIONS
• We are…• Sarah Grimm, Electronic
Records Archivist, Wisconsin Historical Society
• Emily Pfotenhauer, Recollection Wisconsin Program Manager, WiLS
• You are…• What organization do you
represent? • What digital projects are you
currently working on or thinking about? Eager Free Public Library/University of
Wisconsin Digital Collections
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, DIGITIZE?
• Selecting materials• Reformatting materials
(scanning or photographing)• Adding metadata
(descriptive information)• Making available online• Storing and maintaining
digital files and data (digital preservation)
Wisconsin Historical Society
DEFINING A DIGITAL COLLECTION
• A good digital collection…• Is publicly accessible• Is searchable - Includes keywords and other descriptive
information (metadata) so users can find what they’re looking for• Uses software that is sustainable (will be around for a long time)
and interoperable (can be migrated or shared)• Remains true to the original materials• Respects intellectual property rights
• A digital collection is not…• An inventory• An online exhibit/gallery/slideshow
BEFORE YOU EVEN START…..
• Don’t scan a mess! Take the time to assess and organize your originals first.
• A digital project can be an ideal time to evaluate collection conditions and rehouse materials as needed.
• Resources for collections care and organization:• Wisconsin Historical Society
Field Services staff• Wisconsin Archives Mentoring
Service• National Park Service Conserve-
O-GramsRichland County History Room
SELECTING FOR DIGITIZATION
Postal workers sorting mail, 1955Wisconsin Historical Society WHi-36392
TYPES OF MATERIALS
• Photographs• Postcards• Letters• Diaries• Scrapbooks• Yearbooks• Newspaper clippings• City directories• Local histories• Magazines• Pamphlets• Maps• Artifacts/3-D objects• Oral histories• Sound recordings• Video recordings• Other?
Appleton Public Library
DEVELOPING SELECTION CRITERIA
When developing a selection policy, consider…• Your organization’s mission statement and collecting policies• Appeal and interest (is this of value to researchers? To other
audiences?)• Uniqueness of materials (is this the only source or does it also
exist elsewhere? Avoid duplication)• Focusing on a specific subject, theme or creator• Manageability – tackle a project of appropriate size and scope
SETTING PRIORITIES
Ask yourself which materials are…• most significant to your
organization?• most extensive?• most requested/used?• easiest?• oldest?• newest?• at risk?
Neville Public Museum of Brown County
SELECTION – YES OR NO
• This item is rare or unique to our collection.• This item is frequently requested by our patrons/visitors.• This item or very similar items are not found anywhere else on the Internet.• There is enough accurate information available about the item to add
useful context for our audience (for example, we know or can find out names of people, locations, dates).
• We have the appropriate equipment to create an accurate, high-quality digital copy of this item (for example, item is not too large to fit on scanner), or funding to outsource if needed.
• This item is in stable condition and will not be damaged by scanning or other handling.
• This item is in the public domain or we have secured permission from the rights holder to make it available online.
CONSIDERING COPYRIGHT
• Disclaimer: We are not lawyers.
• Owning a physical item does not necessarily mean you hold the copyright to that item.
• Public domain = no longer under copyright. In the US in 2013 that means the item was:• Published before 1923 –OR–• Unpublished; creator died before
1943 –OR–• Unpublished; unknown creator;
made before 1893UW-Milwaukee Libraries
CONSIDERING COPYRIGHT
• Works under copyright, copyright holder is known:• Contact copyright holder IN
WRITING to request permission to make available online.
• Works presumed to be under copyright; copyright holder is unknown or cannot be located:• Due diligence has been made to
identify and locate copyright holder.
• Be prepared to remove item from digital collection if challenged.
Three Lakes Historical Society
SAMPLE COPYRIGHT STATEMENTS
• For an item presumed to be in the public domain: This item is in the public domain. There are no known restrictions on the use of this digital resource. Contact [your institution] to purchase a high-resolution version of this image.
• For an item under copyright; copyright holder has granted permission to put online:This image has been made available with permission of the copyright holder and has been provided here for educational purposes only. Commercial use is prohibited without permission. Contact [your institution] for information regarding permissions and reproductions.
• For an item in which copyright status is undetermined:This material may be protected by copyright law. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. Contact [your institution] for information regarding permissions and reproductions.
COPYRIGHT TOOLS - DEMO
• Public Domain Sherpa: Public Domain Calculator• http://www.publicdomainsherpa.com/calculator.html
• Copyright Advisory Network• Copyright Slider: http
://librarycopyright.net/resources/digitalslider/ • Copyright Genie: http
://librarycopyright.net/resources/genie/
POTENTIAL PROJECT COSTS
• Scanner• Outsourcing imaging to a
commercial vendor• Digital camera and related
equipment• Internet access• Storage for digital files• Software for online access• Archival storage supplies• Be sure to budget for TIME
and SPACE
Merrill Historical Society
FUNDING
• Grants• Historical societies: WI Council
for Local History mini-grants• Public libraries: LSTA Digitization
of Local Resources grants (Dep’t of Public Instruction)
• Local corporations or foundations
• In-kind contributions• Tech support• Equipment use
• Biggest expense is TIME• Paid staff time• “Free” volunteer time• Students/interns
Ripon College
CREATING DIGITAL IMAGES
Computer center, 1972St. Norbert College
DIGITAL IMAGING
• Goals of imaging:• Create a digital
representation that’s faithful to the original item
• Create the highest quality image you can with available resources
• Anticipate multiple uses (online, print publication, exhibit, etc.)
• Scan once—don’t expect to return to re-digitize
UW-Madison Archives
CHOOSING A SCANNER
• Some features to look for:• Transparency unit
--for scanning slides and negatives• Size of scanning bed• Image editing software
--many new scanners come with Photoshop Elements• Compatible with your computer’s operating system• Is your computer fast enough to process large image files?
SCANNING PHOTOGRAPHS
• Scan all photographs in 24-bit color, even if image is black and white
• Scanning resolution (ppi) depends on size of original item• Longest side of item longer
than 7” = 300ppi• Shorter than 7” = 600ppi
• Save two copies of each scan:• High resolution TIFF (20-
40MB) for archiving and printing
• Lower resolution JPEG (1-5MB) for online collection, email, social media
UW-La Crosse
TIP: USE YOUR HISTOGRAM
• A histogram is a graph that shows the distribution of dark and light pixels in a digital image.
• Using the Histogram function improves the accuracy/fidelity of your scan• Do a preview scan• In advanced/professional/
custom mode, select the Histogram function
• Move the left and right sliders to each end point of the histogram
• Do not move the sliders INTO the histogram
• Scan the image
TIP: PLACE IMAGES CAREFULLY
Leave a border on all four sides OR crop all four sides evenly.
SCANNING DOCUMENTS
• Handwritten texts • Scan in 24-bit color to
retain character of original• 300-400ppi is generally
sufficient• If feasible, create a
transcription• Use care when unfolding
papers or handling tightly bound volumes
Wisconsin Historical Society
SCANNING DOCUMENTS
• Printed texts• Scan in 8-bit grayscale or
24-bit color• 300ppi is generally sufficient• Use OCR (Optical Character
Recognition) software to make the text computer-searchable• May be provided with your
scanner software• ABBYY Fine Reader• Adobe Acrobat• OCR is never 100% accurate,
but that’s ok L. E. Phillips Memorial Library, Eau Claire
WORKING WITH PRINTED TEXT? OCR!
• OCR = Optical Character Recognition• Software that makes printed text computer-readable and fully
searchable
• Very valuable when scanning books, yearbooks, city directories, newspaper clippings, etc.
• A couple of options…• ABBYY Finereader ($100-$170)• Adobe Acrobat ($45 through techsoup.org)
WHEN NOT TO SCAN IT YOURSELF
• Look to a vendor for scanning…• Oversized materials
--maps, blueprints, etc.• Fragile books or scrapbooks
--bindings can be damaged by laying flat to scan• Anything with flaking, cracked or otherwise fragile surface• Microfilm
--newspapers
• Potential vendors• Northern Micrographics, La Crosse• A/E Graphics, Milwaukee• Wisconsin Historical Society (for microfilm)
METADATA
Syl carving his name in tree, 1902Wisconsin Historical Society WHi-69022
METADATA: WHAT IS IT?
• Information about stuff• Technical metadata = information
about the digital file (size, type, etc.)
• Descriptive metadata = information about the content of the item (what are we looking at?)
• Helps users find what they’re looking for
• Organized, standardized, consistent, searchable
Grant County Historical Society
SAMPLE METADATA
Field Name Sample Data
Title DiVall barber shop, Middleton, 1925
Subjects Barbers; Barbershops
Type Still image
Format image/tiff
Rights statement This material may be protected by copyright law. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright.
File name 2006_01_12.tif
Submitter Middleton Area Historical Society
Date digitized 2013-04-05
Middleton Area Historical Society
SAMPLE METADATA
Field Name Sample Data
Creator Bartle, F. C.
Date Created 1925-09-12 OR 1920-1930
Materials Photographs
Description Ralph DiVall (left) and Edwin T. Baltes (right) shave two men seated in barber chairs. According to a family history on file at the Society, DiVall operated this barber shop from the 1920s until his retirement on July 1, 1966.
Location Middleton, Dane County, Wisconsin
Collection DiVall Family Collection
Identifier 2006.01.12
Middleton Area Historical Society
PHOTOGRAPHS – ASSIGNING TITLES
The photograph may already have a title.
EXISTING TITLES
If the photograph contains a title or caption, transcribe it exactly.
Birds-eye-view, No. 4, 1908, Barneveld, Wis.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD TITLE?
If the photo does not already have a title, you’ll need to create one.A useful title is…• Descriptive and specific • Brief• Follows specific formatting rules• Capitalize first word and proper names (people, places, institutions) • Don’t start with “A” or “The”• Period not needed at the end
SUBJECT, LOCATION, DATE
Person, object, building, etc.
City OR township OR county
Year or date range
BASIC FORMULA FOR CREATING TITLES
Only include an element IF KNOWN
PEOPLE & PORTRAITS
• Identify the person’s name (first name, last name)
• Identify the location to the most specific level possible (City OR Township OR County)• do not include state
• Identify the date (Specific year? Date range?)
Albert Townsend, Clintonville, 1927(SUBJECT, LOCATION, DATE)
PEOPLE & PORTRAITS
• Identify…Who? Where? When?• Women• Children• Babies• Carriages/strollers• Stores/shops• Boardwalk• Marathon County• 1890-1899
Women and children with babies in carriages, Manitowoc County, 1890-1899
(SUBJECT, LOCATION, DATE)
BUILDINGS AND CITYSCAPES
• Identify the name of the street or view• Identify the location (City OR Township OR County)
• Identify the date (Year? Date range?)
100 block of South Main Street, Fort Atkinson, 1940-1949
(SUBJECT, LOCATION, DATE)
SUBJECT, ACTIVITY, LOCATION, DATE
Person, object, building, etc.
City OR township OR county
Year or date range
EXPANDED FORMULA FOR CREATING TITLES
Action or event
Only include an element IF KNOWN
Identify…Who? What are they doing? Where? When? • Tailor and customer
• Measuring
• Two Rivers
• Date unknown – 20th century
ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
Tailor measuring man in suit, Two Rivers(SUBJECT, ACTIVITY, DATE)
ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
Identify…Who? What are they doing? Where and when?
• Circus elephant• Trainer• Woman on swing• Evansville• 1940-1949
Trainer with circus elephant holding woman on swing, Evansville, 1940-1949
(SUBJECT, ACTIVITY, LOCATION, DATE)
EXERCISE - ASSIGNING TITLES
Work in small groups to assign a title to a historic photograph.
Remember the basic title formulas:• SUBJECT, LOCATION, DATE• SUBJECT, ACTIVITY, LOCATION, DATE
ASSIGNING SUBJECT HEADINGS
• Subject headings are terms or phrases assigned to an item to facilitate searching and browsing a collection.
• Consistent use of subject headings helps link related content in your collection and across disparate collections.
CONTROLLED VOCABULARIES
• A controlled vocabulary is a standardized, pre-determined list of subject headings.
• Some examples of controlled vocabularies:• Library of Congress Thesaurus
for Graphic Materials
• Library of Congress Subject Headings
• Getty Art and Architecture Thesaurus
• Nomenclature 3.0 New Berlin Historical Society
TIPS FOR ASSIGNING SUBJECT HEADINGS
• Consider the following elements to help select terms:• WHO? People - age, gender, occupation, ethnicity• WHERE? Building or other setting• WHAT? Activities or events
• Always copy terms exactly from the controlled vocabulary.• Think of your own “tags,” then search the controlled
vocabulary list for correct terms. • How did others do it? Look at similar photos for
examples/ideas.• Aim for 1-5 terms.• There is no one right answer!
SAMPLE SUBJECT HEADINGS
SAMPLE SUBJECT HEADINGS
Railroads; Railroad stations; Carts & wagons
SAMPLE SUBJECT HEADINGS
SAMPLE SUBJECT HEADINGS
Students; Music education; Youth orchestras
EXERCISE – ASSIGNING SUBJECTS
Work in small groups to assign subject headings to a historic photograph (choose a maximum of 5 terms).
Select terms from the short list extracted from the Library of Congress Thesaurus for Graphic Materials. The full version of this controlled vocabulary is available online: http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/tgm1/
FILE NAMING AND ORGANIZATION
Sixty Years of Quality Canning by the Lakeside Packing Company, ca. 1947. Manitowoc Public Library/ University of Wisconsin Digital Collections
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
• To create organizational standards• To help you find it again• To prevent accidental overwriting• To eliminate (minimize) duplication of files
Train Wreck Image ID: WHi-2011
FILE NAMING
• Keep folder / document titles short and descriptive
• Use only lower case letters, numbers, and dashes or underscores
• Don’t use spaces or punctuation
• Don’t use special characters in your file/folder titles (^”<>|?\ / : @’* &.) (Just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD…..)
Typing at Dickinson Secretarial SchoolImage ID: WHi-19562
FILE NAMING
• Date your documents consistently• yyyymmdd_brieftitle.xxx
• Use leading zeroes for consecutive numbering. For example, a multi-page letter could have file names mac001.tif, mac002.tif, mac003.tif, etc.
• Tie your file names to existing catalog numbers if possible
EXAMPLES
• Photograph with accession # 2011.32.1 = 201132001.tif –OR– 2011_32_001.tif
• Series of images by photographer John Smith = smith001.tif, smith002.tif, smith003.tif
• Not so good: Glassplate16039 Auto repair in basement 025.tif
RESOURCES
• State Library of North Carolina – • Web
http://www.archive.org/details/WhyFileNamingIsImportanthttp://www.archive.org/details/HowToChangeAFileNamehttp://www.archive.org/details/WhatNotToDoWhenNamingFileshttp://www.archive.org/details/WhatToDoWhenNamingFiles
• YouTube http://digitalpreservation.ncdcr.gov/tutorials.html
FILE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
• Centralize your files• Minimize your layers• Leave breadcrumbs
(AKA “READ ME”)• Determine what you
don’t know
IH General Office Mail RoomImage ID: WHi-12016
WHAT NOT TO KEEP?
• Backups/copies/drafts• Supplementary files that
provide no additional long-term value• Corrupted files• Same item – different
file formats• Items that don’t fit your
organization’s purposeBoy on Curb near Trash PileImage ID: WHi-57208
DOCUMENT YOUR DECISIONS….
Sinclair Lewis TypingImage ID: WHi-51874
WRAPPING UP – FINAL THOUGHTS
Commencement, 1978UW-Madison Archives
TIPS FROM OTHER DIGITIZERS
• If I could do it all over again, I would:• Tackle a smaller group of
materials at first• Make sure two people started
the project at the same time so we could help each other
• Start with a clearer plan• Take the time to sort and
research the physical collection before digitizing
• Have firm deadlines to help me stay on track Langlade County Historical Society
NEXT STEPS/TO DO LIST
• Review collections and set priorities for digitization.• Consider developing a written selection policy.• Determine the copyright status of any materials you
plan to share online and secure permissions from copyright holders if materials are not in public domain.• Acquire scanning equipment or make other plans for
conversion.• Familiarize yourself with good, useful metadata by
looking at other online collections.• Develop a file naming convention document.
THANK YOU!
• Sarah Grimm, Wisconsin Historical [email protected]
608-261-1008
• Emily Pfotenhauer, [email protected]
• Slides and handouts available at http://recollectionwisconsin.org/localhistory2013
South Wood County Historical Museum
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