The UCLA/Getty Summer Institute 2001 provided a forum for intensive
exploration of theoretical and practical applications in the field
of information management and knowledge-sharing by museums, libraries,
archives, and other cultural heritage institutions. The program
included sessions on digitization projects, organization and access
to digital resources, collaborating, and funding, all of which will
be critical to the success of the Libraryís Center
for Digital Initiatives.
Instructors felt that our Library has some unique opportunities
and faces some interesting challenges in regard to creation and
delivery digital products. As a member of the Digital Initiatives
Group, and based on my experience working on our 
African
American Sheet Music Project, I was happy to discuss my
work on that resource, as well as our upcoming plans. Participants
were very complimentary of our web site, our preparations to launch
the Center, and the sheet music site.
WThe Centerís Planning Committee was formed last Fall and charged
with recruiting a Digital Initiatives Librarian, laying the groundwork
for the physical facility, and identifying possible programming.
The group began its work by identifying a number of potential projects,
intending to build staff expertise in preparing and managing digital
projects and to provide a basis for collaboration with faculty and
consortial partners. At the same time, we began to develop selection
criteria, a web page, and an interdisciplinary approach to the program.
In August, we welcomed our Digital Initiatives Librarian, Patrick
Yott, formerly of the University of Virginia, where he served as
Director of Digital Services Integration. So detailed preparations
are underway for equipment, staffing, collaboration, and funding.
One of the many lessons learned from the African American Sheet
Music Project was that digital imaging projects involve many
issues not encountered in building text-based resources. The audience
has special usability and access requirements. Considerations include
user interfaces, vocabulary, and methods of navigation. These should
be dealt with prior to the selection of materials and the determination
of metadata standards and method of digitization.
Other speakers outlined the essential elements for a successful
digital project: content, curation, cataloging, controlled vocabularies,
and copyright. This means having a critical mass of content that
is somehow thematically related; intellectual curation or shaping
by a qualified scholar; item-level cataloging by trained catalogers;
the use of controlled vocabularies; and, attention to copyright
issues. In addition to many technical issues, interdisciplinary
teams led intellectually by a scholar or curator and logistically
by an experienced project manager must develop high quality projects.
Time, labor, workflow, storage, preservation, and the impact on
various departments and staff are more crucial elements to be considered.
Presenters emphasized that digital projects, expensive and time-
consuming, cannot be online versions of analog resources, but must
be conceptualized in their own right. It is important to consider
the condition of the objects, institutional priorities, the interests
and expectations of both audience and supporters. Collaboration
can be rewarding and helpful in cost sharing and providing additional
content and expertise, but can also increase the logistical complications
exponentially, and lead to conflicts between various priorities.
Leadership must provide, "A compelling vision that is specific and
conceived in long-range terms."
With all of this in mind, the Centerís projects will support the
primary teaching and research needs of our faculty and students
and will provide easily accessed versions of rare and fragile works
from our collections. In collaboration with faculty, curators, and
subject specialists, the Center will develop a roster of demonstration
projects, secure resources, and will test feasibility and methodology.
For more information, go to: Digital
Projects at Brown University Library.
-Robin Rao
http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/University_Library
