Library and Information Science Commons^™

Using Metadata To Mitigate The Risks Of Digitizing Archival Photographs Of Violence And Oppression, Claudia A. Mallea

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

Questioning the archival imperative of access, this research article discussed how descriptive metadata can be used to contextualize and problematize digitized archival photographs, which are often inadequately described in the digital environment. Beginning with literature review of atrocity photos and their use and digitization to discuss the risks inherent to disseminating photos of or born from violence. Review continued into the digital environment and the risks inherent to making difficult archival collections accessible online and the conflict between the right to privacy of the individuals represented in archival materials and the archival imperative to provide access.

Expanding on the recommendations …

Reaping The Harvest: Developing The Idaho Harvester, Robert Perret, Michelle Shannon, Amy Thompson, Courtney Berge, Devin Becker

Journal of Western Archives

Social media platforms like Tumblr offer a quick, easy, and popular way for archives to conduct outreach and engage users with collections without requiring technical expertise like computer programming and web design. However, as the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Department discovered after years of using Tumblr for online outreach, there are significant disadvantages to using a third-party social media platform. Unable to control the discoverability, display, and preservation of blog posts, it became clear that Tumblr was no longer serving the department’s evolving needs, necessitating an alternative solution moving forward. Special Collections & Archives partnered with …

Amplifying Unheard Voices: A Community-Based Approach To Preserving Black History In The Inland Empire, Eric L. Milenkiewicz

Library Faculty Publications & Presentations

This presentation discusses the "Bridges That Carried Us Over Project: Documenting Black History in the Inland Empire," a community-based, collaborative initiative between three local area universities designed to capture the accounts, experiences, and personal narratives from members of the Black community in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Neon In Nevada: A Case Study In Statewide Collaboration, Amy J. Hunsaker, Cory Lampert, Teresa Auch Schultz

Journal of Western Archives

Neon signs in Nevada capture the spirit of glitzy gambling meccas, boom and bust towns, and frontier settlements that dot the vast geography of this unique state. However, many iconic and hidden signs are in constant danger of disappearing as populations shift and the elements naturally break down the physical aspects of the signs. In addition, neon signs in Reno and remote, Northern Nevada locales have remained relatively undiscovered. UNLV has had a long history of documenting the art of neon and has partnered with the Neon Museum in Las Vegas to preserve this rapidly disappearing cultural heritage. Digital Humanities …

Review Of Metadata For Digital Collections: A How-To-Do-It Manual, Elyse Fox

Journal of Western Archives

Review of Metadata for Digital Collections: A How-To-Do-It Manual, Second Edition by Steven Jack Miller.

Creating Knowledge Graphs For Collections And Lod Visualization: Some Cases, Sai Deng

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This presentation will share knowledge graphs and other Linked Open Data (LOD) visualization the author created or helped in creating for a few projects, including people in the Pemberton Correspondence Collection, WikiProject: Chinese Female Poets, and UCF Teachers & Researchers. It will also cover the current state of LOD in Ex Libris’ library services platform Alma. The purpose of this talk is to help our cataloging folks better understand LOD and be better prepared for the upcoming changes related to LOD in our library system.

Keynote Address: Curating The History Of Covid-19, Jeremy Myntti

Faculty Publications

Many libraries and archives have a mission to document local or regional history and current events. Rapid response collecting during a crisis has become increasingly necessary in recent years in order to curate content during an event rather than after the event has concluded. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, libraries across the world recognized the importance of documenting contemporary history for the current and future study of the pandemic. Many projects were created to document different aspects of the pandemic, each with a slightly different focus based on types of content, populations, or regions. This talk will …

Scaling Up Video Digitization At The University Of Maryland Libraries: A Case Study, Elizabeth M. Caringola, Pamela A. Mcclanahan, Robin C. Pike

Provenance, Journal of the Society of Georgia Archivists

In 2015, a team at the University of Maryland Libraries collaborated on a pilot project to digitize 100 VHS tapes from the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange collection and, in doing so, established organizational workflows for video digitization and access. After completing the pilot phase of the project, staff who worked on the project published a case study in this journal that articulated a question echoed throughout that process: “Is this enough?” Enough descriptive metadata? Enough technical metadata? Enough storage space? This article will reflect on the pilot project, detail how the digitization specifications and workflows established during the pilot project …

Digitize Your Yearbooks: Creating Digital Access While Considering Student Privacy And Other Legal Issues, April K. Anderson-Zorn, Dallas Long

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

Student yearbooks are distinctive cultural records. For the schools and universities that produced them, yearbooks promoted a shared sense of identity and experience among students and helped create enduring loyalty to the institutions long after the students graduated. For scholars and other users, yearbooks are unique primary sources that provide insight into past eras of local student life and culture. In regards to user engagement and preserving local histories, student yearbooks should be ideal candidates for digitization by libraries and archives. However, yearbooks are challenging digitization projects because they are likely to contain privacy-sensitive photographs and other information as well …

The Archives At The Tip Of Their Fingers: Exploring User Reactions To Large-Scale Digitization, Emily Lapworth, Su Kim Chung

Library Faculty Publications

Advances in digital image capture technology and the adoption of More Product, Less Process methods have resulted in special collections and archives large- scale digitization that creates a new kind of digital surrogate. Mirroring and reusing aggregate archival arrangement and description, these digital surrogates represent multiple items and are minimally described as a whole. The authors conducted interviews to explore user reactions to this digitization method at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This study found that large-scale digitization does have a positive impact for users, although additional strategies may be required to maximize the usefulness of the resulting digital …

Documenting University Life During Covid-19, Eric L. Milenkiewicz

Library Faculty Publications & Presentations

This presentation focuses on my efforts to launch and administer a community-centered documentation project to capture and collect first-hand accounts, personal narratives, and reflections from members of the CSUSB campus community detailing the direct impact of COVID-19 on their daily lives. Attention is also given to the resulting digital collection that was created from the content submitted as part of this project.

Managing Digital Collections: Case Studies In The Ethics Of Privacy, Kelley Rowan, Rebecca Bakker

Works of the FIU Libraries

This session explores the often unforeseen challenges and issues associated with the creation and management of digital collections and the privacy concerns that can arise. We will explore how to handle the need for digital anonymity on the part of content creators facing issues such as stalking, harassment, and violence. We will also discuss how to deal with the need for privacy when it stems from issues such as plagiarism and false claims of ownership that are almost always unexpected. We will offer possible solutions and creative ways in which FIU has helped its students, faculty, and researchers maintain their …

Privacy, Ethics, And Access In Digital Libraries, Kelley Rowan, Rebecca Bakker

Works of the FIU Libraries

This presentation shares privacy challenges that librarians in the Digital Collections Center at FIU have encountered when working with the creators of content in the institutional repository and digital collections. The presenters share a brief history of privacy laws and the ethical concerns inherent in the juxtaposition between access and privacy. This presentation suggests possible solutions for other digital librarians concerned about privacy and take down requests.

The Dark Side Of Digitized Content: Stalking, Consent, And Subpoenas, Kelley F. Rowan, Rebecca Bakker

Works of the FIU Libraries

Digital librarians work to balance the sometimes competing goals of stewardship and access all while being responsive to the needs of patrons, content owners, and creators. This presentation explores the often unforeseen challenges and issues that can arise with the creation and management of digital collections. While ingesting digitized works into a repository brings up ever-present concerns such as copyright, others challenges exist within the realm of privacy (stalking, harassment, digital anonymity), plagiarism, and ownership (false claims of ownership) that are almost always unexpected.

The goal is to further a discussion on these types of issues that digital librarians may …

Navigating Complex Issues In Modern Archival Collections: Privacy And Copyright, Virginia A. Dressler, Cindy Kristof

Virginia A Dressler

Digital Commons And Contentdm: Not Entirely Accessible, Channon Arabit

School of Information Student Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Toward Inclusive Description: Reparations Through Community-Driven Metadata, Jillian M. Ewalt

Marian Library Faculty Publications

This case study covers the process and policies involved in creating accurate and inclusive metadata for a historically marginalized community. The Japanese American Digitization Project was a consortial, collaborative digitization project with the goal of unifying and providing online access to tens of thousands of archival materials documenting the Japanese American experience. Traditionally, the Japanese American experience, particularly the internment during World War II, has been laden with euphemistic language. This article outlines community-driven metadata development, implementing an inclusive controlled vocabulary, and thinking about archival metadata as a process that can contribute to reparations.

Microfilm, Manuscripts, And Photographs: A Case Study Comparing Three Large-Scale Digitization Projects, Emily Lapworth, Sarah Jones, Marina Georgieva

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

This article is a case study comparing three large-scale digitization projects at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Libraries: the Culinary Union Workers Local 226 Photographs, the Nevada Digital Newspaper Project, and the Entertainment Project. The authors compare the project management, workflows, and decision-making related to the many aspects of digitizing special collections and archives materials. The projects used both outsourced vendors and in-house labor and equipment to digitize microfilmed newspapers, mixed-materials manuscript collections, and photographic prints and negatives. Roles and responsibilities; grant funding; copyright, privacy, and confidentiality; arrangement; formats; and metadata are all discussed in relation to large-scale …

Exploratory Evolution: Using Participatory Change To Rethink And Reorganize Digital Collections Services, Annie Benefiel, Jacklyn A. Rander, Matt Ruen, Leigh Rupinski

Scholarly Papers and Articles

Change is the only constant in digital collections work. Evolving technologies, resources, and needs require a constant flexibility in not only what work is done, but how and by whom. Over the course of the 2017-2018 academic year, Grand Valley State University Libraries held a series of facilitated conversations to analyze the workflows, organizational structure, and overall support for the management of digital collections and repositories. This article summarizes the facilitation process and highlights areas of opportunity, aspirations, and future directions.

The Digital Librarian: The Liaison Between Digital Collections And Digital Preservation, Marina Georgieva

Library Faculty Presentations

Poster session following the lightning talk at 2018 NDSA Forum Opening
Plenary about the role of the digital librarian and how it relates to digital
preservation.

It’s common misconception digital librarians are involved only in
digitizing historic materials. In fact managing digital projects is only
their visible role. Once it’s over, librarians embrace their new role of
information architects directly engaged in the digital preservation process
of archiving master files. The digital librarian is that unit in the prep
process for digital preservation that ensures meticulously organized archival
directories, easy navigation and smooth file retrieval. Part of session:
Minute Madness …

If We Build It, They Will Come: Improving Cala’S Institutional Repository, Sai Deng

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA)’s Academic Resources & Repository System (CALASYS) is an important initiative to curate its members’ research works, the organizational archival materials, and other cultural resources. CALASYS uses Omeka, an open source web-publishing platform, to store, link, display, and exhibit its collections. During its development, several aspects of the platform have been significantly improved due to the effort of the CALASYS Group and the CALA members.

To meet the emerging needs for improving data entry, description and access, the CALASYS group has explored and implemented multiple plugins. Among those implemented are Library of Congress (LC) Suggest, …

Archives Preppers: It's Not The End Of The World As We Know It! How To Survive An Anniversary Through Digital Projects, Daardi Sizemore, Heidi J. Southworth, Anne Stenzel

Library Services Publications

Preparing for a university anniversary is no easy feat! From in-house research to anticipating researcher needs, digital collections at Minnesota State University, Mankato have been invaluable as we begin celebrating the sesquicentennial of the university. In this lightning-round-style session, University Archives staff will present on current digital projects that have been instrumental as we embark on the 150th anniversary of the University. Topics will include: prioritizing digitization projects, digital collections and social media, use of institutional repository to present university publications, collaborations with campus departments, maximizing student involvement, and so much more.

Reflections On Digitization, Outreach, And The Value Of Ephemera In Special Collections: A Case Study, Gregory K. Seppi

Journal of Western Archives

This case study describes the process L. Tom Perry Special Collections used to create and promote a digital collection of ephemera on Internet Archive. It follows the process from selection to uploading, discusses how decisions related to digitization were made, and how the collection was promoted following digitization. This paper establishes the value of digitizing ephemera related to topics known to be of interest to patrons and demonstrates one approach to special collections outreach. Data gathered during the creation of this case study demonstrates that even small efforts to promote digital collections can significantly improve usage of niche ephemera collections …

Business In The Front, Party In The Back: Revising Metadata Processes Up-Front To Benefit Back-End Workflows, Scott Bacon

Library Faculty Presentations

When faced with the prospect of manually uploading thousands of collection objects into our digital repository, I knew I needed to create a workflow to automate batch uploading processes. This resulted in a workflow that allows me to take a metadata spreadsheet containing thousands of rows and transform it into a series of MODS XML files contained in one master file, using OpenRefine's templating tool. The csplit command can be used to split the master file up into thousands of fully-formed MODS XML files. Using a Perl script, the files can be batch renamed to match their corresponding digital object …

Finding Access And Digital Preservation Solutions For A Digitized Oral History Project: A Case Study, Krystyna Matusiak, Allison Tyler, Catie Newton, Padma Polepeddi

All Faculty Articles

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine affordable access and digital preservation solutions for digital collections developed by under-resourced small and mid-size cultural heritage organizations. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a case study of Jeffco Stories, a collection of digitized oral histories created by the Jefferson County Public Library in Colorado. Findings – This paper describes how the Jefferson County Public Library undertook a migration project of its oral history digital collection into an open access platform, Omeka and selected DuraCloud as a hosted digital preservation service.Research limitations/implications – As a case study, this paper is …

Finding Access And Digital Preservation Solutions For A Digitized Oral History Project: A Case Study, Krystyna K. Matusiak, Allison Tyler, Catherine Newton, Padma Polepeddi

Library and Information Science: Faculty Publications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine affordable access and digital preservation solutions for digital collections developed by under-resourced small and mid-size cultural heritage organizations.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a case study of Jeffco Stories, a collection of digitized oral histories created by the Jefferson County Public Library in Colorado.

Findings – This paper describes how the Jefferson County Public Library undertook a migration project of its oral history digital collection into an open access platform, Omeka and selected DuraCloud as a hosted digital preservation service.

Research limitations/implications – As a case study, this paper …

Maa & Mmdp: Fall Workshop 2016 With Mid-Michigan Digital Practitioners, Matt Schultz, Annie Benefiel

Matt Schultz

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers—Is It Working?! Meaningful Measurement Of Digital Collections, Allison Ringness

Central Plains Network for Digital Asset Management

After a digital project is completed and made available online, the work is not over: digital projects managers must quantify the value of these digital collections. There are a plethora of tools to measure usage, but inferring value from usage requires careful interpretation of the data. After interpretation, the results must be communicated effectively to administrators. This poster will identify sources of digital collection use data, identify pitfalls in these sources, explore ways to derive meaning from use data, and suggest strategies for communicating value measurements to library administrators.

This poster presentation is the first 15 minutes of video with …

The Rescuing Texas History Mini-Grant Program: Collaboration, Digital Collection Development And Preservation., Marcia Mcintosh, Jake Mangum

Central Plains Network for Digital Asset Management

The University of North Texas Libraries (UNT Libraries) have for, almost a decade, directed a digitization service called Rescuing Texas History Mini-Grant Program (RTH) with the goal of helping local and state-level cultural heritage institutions and private owners digitize and preserve their holdings. The RTH has allows UNT Libraries to work toward the goals of developing mutually-beneficial relationships with regional organizations while preserving and providing access to a large variety of historical items in The Portal to Texas History digital repository. Its overall structure can serve as a model for sustainable, large-scale digitization initiatives. The model described in this presentation …

The Born-Digital Deluge : Documenting Twenty-First Century Events., Rachel Howard, Heather Fox, Caroline Daniels

Carrie Daniels

With digital recording devices readily available to most people, events are documented and shared on-line in real time by the “person on the street.” The ease of creation and dissemination belies what archivists know will be the long-term challenges of organizing and preserving collections of born-digital information. While other processes require little modification, the inherent fragility of digital content and the ease of depositing files call for a substantial modification of established procedures. In this article, three University of Louisville archivists discuss their approach to the acquisition, copyright transfer, file naming, selection, description, and preservation of born-digital content donated by …