MAIN LIBRARYTHE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES,

ST. AUGUSTINETRINIDAD & TOBAGO

DIGITAL INITIATIVE PROJECT

KATHLEEN HELENESE-PAUL

INTRODUCTION

This project involves the establishment of a digital initiative at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Trinidad and Tobago.

INTRODUCTION

It will have as its focus the digitization of the University Library’s special collections in order to provide to the people of the Caribbean region and beyond, access to these collections in digital format.

OBJECTIVES

To preserve the documents

To improve access

To increase the awareness of the University’s special collections

GOALS

To convert the library's special collections (our cultural heritage) from print format to electronic format.

To widen access to a new community of users so that more active scholarship is facilitated.

GOALS

To promote collaboration in the region with institutions which may have similar thematic collections and similar plans.

BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT

The material acquired over the periods 1983, 1988 and 1993, and which is housed at the library, includes:

Illustrations in Indian ink, poster paint and watercolors of the stage sets, scenes and costumes, of the Joker of Seville including posters and programmes.

BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT

A substantial collection of manuscripts of plays, poems, sketchbooks, photographs, correspondence, music scores, reel to reel tapes, and paintings.

Drafts and illustrations of his extended poem Omeros, 1992.

BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT

The collection is inventoried in a seven-page typescript prepared by Mrs. Irma Goldstraw, and is also entered in a CDS/ISIS database entitled DEREK.

RATIONALE

In 1999, the University of Toronto acquired Derek Walcott material relating to his work from the early 1980's to mid 1990's.

It is therefore timely of our institution to begin to prepare for possible institutional alliances.

RATIONALE

There are similar initiatives in various stages in universities in the region, viz.: The Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, and the University of Technology, Jamaica.

RATIONALE

The project therefore advocates that this venture, while starting at U.W.I., St. Augustine can extend itself in the long term to become a cooperative regional-based initiative, involving other libraries, museums and archives.

METHODOLOGY

Managed and undertaken in-house by the University Library to gain the advantage of developing digital imaging project experience by "active involvement" (project management, familiarity with technology, etc.)

METHODOLOGY

Capitalize on project experience in order to build expertise, systems and services best suited to the needs of the institution.

METHODOLOGY

Recruit and train relevant personnel for selection, document preparation and benchmarking for quality control.

TIME FRAME

This is a four -year project:

Year 1 – Establishment StageDevelopment of policyTraining

TIME FRAME

Year 2- Development stage

Scanning and indexing of materials – undergraduates.

Technical quality control checks - in-house staff.

File management – cataloguer.

TIME FRAME

Years 3 and 4 – Finishing stage

Networking Developing of a web-based productDevelopment of workstations

leading to user access to the digital image, all done by in-house staff

OUTCOME

This project aims:

To produce a networked deliverable electronic product of a substantial portion of Derek Walcott’s early works, in order to provide a new means of scholarship.

OUTCOME

To increase national, regional and international audiences and further complement the collection of his later works held at the University of Toronto.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MARKETING

To produce CD-ROM’s, and generate thumbnails and access images, for example JPEG’s and /or GIF’s from TIFF’s, and the development of websites.

MANAGEMENT

The Campus Librarian Dr. Margaret Rouse-Jones of the U.W.I., St.Augustine Library has been recently named as a member of the Regional Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean of the UNESCO Memory of the World, thereby ensuring a committed Management stake in the project.

MANAGEMENT

Collaboration between the “three agencies mainly responsible for the collection and oversight of” Trinidad and Tobago’s documentary heritage:

MANAGEMENT

The National ArchivesThe Heritage Library of the

National Library and Information Systems Authority (NALIS)

The University of the West Indies Library, the West Indiana and Special Collections Division.

MANAGEMENT

Ultimately, it is hoped that not only would the project provide the benchmark for similar initiatives in the region, but also

Contribute towards collaborative efforts with regard to the rationalization and preservation of the nation’s documentary heritage.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Scanning at the highest resolution appropriate to the informational content of the originals

Scanning at an appropriate level of quality to avoid rescanning and re-handling of the originals in the future

Creating and storing a master image file that can be used to produce derivative image files and serve a variety of current and future user needs

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Using system components that are non-proprietary

Using image file formats and compression techniques that conform to industry standards

Creating backup copies of all files on a stable medium

Creating meaningful metadata for image files or collections

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Storing media in an appropriate environment

Monitoring and recopying data as necessary

Outlining a migration strategy for transferring data across generations of technology

Anticipating and planning for future technological developments

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: HARDWARE

PC/Macintosh Large screen monitor (preferably 21")

Planetary Scanner Digital camera CD-recorder Back-up drive (DAT, zip® or jaz®) Color/black and white printer

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE

There are three types of software needed for most digital imaging projects:

The first is the scanning software that comes with the scanner.

The second type of software is the image editing software, normally applied to the image after it has been scanned.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE

Thirdly, Batch-processing software takes a large set of files and automatically performs the same process on them.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE

Additionally, for creating bibliographic records for the items converted, some kind of database management software must also be available to the Library. A relational database management system is preferred here.

STORING IMAGES

Storage media:

Removable hard drivesCD-ROMTape

STORING IMAGES

The issue of access will be covered using the most common "model" for digital projects which is to store master images offline on CD-ROM, and to make accessible thumbnail versions

Master images may be viewed upon request, in person, from the CD-ROM.

STAFFING

Project management Database development and administration

Cataloging Computer programming Web design

STAFFING

Subject matter specialists (curators, archivists, scholars, librarians, faculty, etc.)

Knowledge/experience in the preservation of materials

Knowledge/experience in photography

STAFFING

Artistic/graphic design Interest in fine arts, music, art history, humanities, sciences, and history--any subject matter that the digitization project may encompass.

WORK PLAN

Initial conversion starts with quality benchmarking and assessing the dimensions of a selected document and its significant detail(s).

Scanning and indexing will include the capture, file formatting, compression, metadata creation, quality control, and authentication.

WORK PLAN

File management will include storage, backup, scaling for access, error detection, correction, and migration.

Networking will examine what is needed for servers, protocols, authorization, and scalable architecture.

WORK PLAN

Display of the electronic information will include decompression, integration with image browser, and magnification.

Printing the electronic information will include decompression, page language interpretation, dithering, and scaling.

WORK PLAN

A procedure's manual developed for managing a digital project will need to reflect the full workflow.

IN-HOUSE RESOURCES

Digital project coordinator (Librarian)

Database development and administration skills

CDS-ISIS database of the Derek Walcott collection

Printed inventory of the collectionHP flat bed scanner

BUDGET: EQUIPMENT

PC/Macintosh USD 2000Large screen monitor (preferably 21") USD

1000Planetary Scanner USD 30000Digital camera USD 1200CD-recorder USD 800Back-up drive (DAT, zip® or jaz®) USD 300Color/black and white printer USD 1000

SUB TOTAL- US$36,300

BUDGET: SOFTWARE

Image database software USD 1000

Web design software USD 200

Authoring software USD 4000 OCR software USD 800 Scanning software USD 200 Software for writing and producing CD’s USD 200

SUBTOTAL- US$ 6,400

BUDGET:HUMAN RESOURCES

Consultant (International expert with specific experience in a library based digital initiative.)

USD 5000 Cataloguer…(f/t)………….. USD1500x 12 mths

USD18,000Text Keyer/Encoder (p/t) USD 450 x 12 mths

USD 5400Imaging Technician (p/t) USD 450 x 12 mths

USD 5400 SUBTOTAL- US$33,800

BUDGET : STAFF TRAINING

Imaging, Authoring, Quality Control USD 3000

(one full time staff member and two undergraduates)

GRAND TOTAL US$ 79,500

MAIN LIBRARYTHE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES,

ST. AUGUSTINETRINIDAD & TOBAGO

DIGITAL INITIATIVE PROJECT

KATHLEEN HELENESE-PAUL