Finding access and digital preservation solutions for a digitized oral history project

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krystyna K. Matusiak ◽  
Allison Tyler ◽  
Catherine Newton ◽  
Padma Polepeddi
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Oral History ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Digital Preservation ◽  
Content Management ◽  
Jefferson County ◽  
Digital Collections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Preservation Solutions

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-sized 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 limited to one institution’s experience with selecting access and digital preservation solutions. Practical/implications This paper is relevant to librarians and archivists who are exploring access and preservation solutions for digital collections and to those who are considering migrating to open-access content management systems and cloud-based digital preservation solutions. Originality/value This paper presents a case of a public library and the challenges in finding affordable access and digital preservation solutions for small digital collections.

Investigating the use of metadata record graphs to analyze subject headings in the digital public library of America

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Edward Phillips ◽  
Hannah Tarver
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Quality Analysis ◽  
Common Denominator ◽  
Digital Collections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Metadata Record ◽  
Metadata Quality ◽  
Subject Headings ◽  
The Individual

Purpose This study furthers metadata quality research by providing complementary network-based metrics and insights to analyze metadata records and identify areas for improvement. Design/methodology/approach Metadata record graphs apply network analysis to metadata field values; this study evaluates the interconnectedness of subjects within each Hub aggregated into the Digital Public Library of America. It also reviews the effects of NACO normalization – simulating revision of values for consistency – and breaking up pre-coordinated subject headings – to simulate applying the Faceted Application of Subject Terminology to Library of Congress Subject Headings. Findings Network statistics complement count- or value-based metrics by providing context related to the number of records a user might actually find starting from one item and moving to others via shared subject values. Additionally, connectivity increases through the normalization of values to correct or adjust for formatting differences or by breaking pre-coordinated subject strings into separate topics. Research limitations/implications This analysis focuses on exact-string matches, which is the lowest-common denominator for searching, although many search engines and digital library indexes may use less stringent matching methods. In terms of practical implications for evaluating or improving subjects in metadata, the normalization components demonstrate where resources may be most effectively allocated for these activities (depending on a collection). Originality/value Although the individual components of this research are not particularly novel, network analysis has not generally been applied to metadata analysis. This research furthers previous studies related to metadata quality analysis of aggregations and digital collections in general.

Transformation of public library websites in Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 10-14
Author(s):  
Nove E. Variant Anna
Keyword(s):  
Public Library ◽  
External Information ◽  
Digital Collections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chat Reference ◽  
Reference Service ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Portal Website ◽  
Library Websites ◽  
Knowledge Portal

Purpose This paper aims to observe the province’s public library websites in Indonesia and to give some recommendation about knowledge portal website that can support the creation and invention of knowledge. Design/methodology/approach Data and information were gathered by observing library websites at the provincial level to see the digital survey and collection. This survey includes 34 province public library websites in the period from August 1 to 15, 2017. As the survey focuses on the availability of online digital collections, availability of digital services such as the user can have conversation with the librarian through a chat reference service, the availability of trusted external information sources, the availability of user forums for discussion. Findings The result of the research showed that the public library websites in Indonesia are still static (less interactive) and only give standard information about the library services, its operational hours, contact numbers and their collection. According to the result, it is recommended for every public library transforms its website into a knowledge portal website that can give a real and direct effect to the users, especially in the creation of innovation. Originality/value This paper also recommends a framework for a knowledge portal that includes e-resources, user needs, partnership, internet resources, integrated OPAC and collaboration. A survey on a library website is rarely conducted in Indonesia; therefore, this result will be beneficial for developing library websites.

More product, more process: metadata in digital image collections

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Therrell
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Digital Image ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Digital Collections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Less Is More ◽  
New York Public Library ◽  
Digital Collection ◽  
Collection Level

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implications of current theories that advocate for minimal levels of description in digital collections. Specifically, this paper looks at the archival theory of “More Product, Less Process” and its encouragement of collection-level description. The purpose of the study was to analyze how levels of description impact resource retrieval. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzed 35 images from a New York Public Library (NYPL) digital collection present on the NYPL website and on Flickr. The methodology was designed to reflect users’ information seeking behavior for image collections. There were two research questions guiding this study: what are the descriptive terms used to describe items in digital collections? and what is the success rate of retrieving resources using assigned descriptive terms? Findings The results of this study revealed that the images from the NYPL collection were more difficult to find on the institution’s website as compared with Flickr. These findings suggest that lesser levels of description in digital collections hinder resource retrieval. Research limitations/implications These findings suggest that lesser description levels hurt the findability of resources. In the wake of theories such as “More Product, Less Process”, information professionals must find ways to assign metadata to individual materials in digital image collections. Originality/value Recent research concerning description levels of digital collections is several years old and focuses mostly on the usefulness of collection-level metadata as a supplement to or substitute for item-level metadata. Few, if any, studies exist that explore the implications of description levels on resource retrievability and findability. This study is also unique in that it discusses these implications in the context of less-is-more theories of archival processing.

Public libraries and public primary school literacy: a Kenyan case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 689-701
Author(s):  
Peter Mose
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
School Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Teachers And Parents

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain how public libraries have been instrumental in early child school literacy teaching and learning. Most African public schools do not usually afford enough core textbooks and supplementary readers.Design/methodology/approachThis was a qualitative case study in Western Kenya amongst public library staff members, public primary school teachers and parents of library children clients. The following questions were addressed: What is the book situation in public primary schools in the study site? What school-type literacy-related services are offered by the sampled public library? and What are library staff members’, teachers’ and parents’ feelings about the public library services offered? Observations, interviews and document studies were used to collect data. Data were analysed thematically.FindingsPublic schools do not have enough core textbooks and the situation is worse for supplementary readers; the public library branch studied offers critical school-type literacies to school children both at the library building as well as at public schools registered with it; and library staff members, teachers, and parents express positive feelings about the services offered.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a case study whose findings might not apply to the larger situation and the study did not confirm actual literacy benefits of the library services amongst school children by, for instance, conducting literacy tests. The findings are, however, an index to the possible situation in the macro context.Practical implicationsThe relevant stakeholders should find ways of co-opting public libraries as associates of public schools in literacy teaching. This relationship is not straight forward in Kenya.Originality/valueThe findings reported are from original research.

What does it mean to adopt a metadata standard? A case study of Omeka and the Dublin Core

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 674-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Maron ◽  
Melanie Feinberg
Keyword(s):  
Rhetorical Criticism ◽  
Content Management ◽  
Dublin Core ◽  
Metadata Standard ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adoption And Implementation ◽  
Metadata Standards ◽  
Metadata Quality ◽  
The Way

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to employ a case study of the Omeka content management system to demonstrate how the adoption and implementation of a metadata standard (in this case, Dublin Core) can result in contrasting rhetorical arguments regarding metadata utility, quality, and reliability. In the Omeka example, the author illustrate a conceptual disconnect in how two metadata stakeholders – standards creators and standards users – operationalize metadata quality. For standards creators such as the Dublin Core community, metadata quality involves implementing a standard properly, according to established usage principles; in contrast, for standards users like Omeka, metadata quality involves mere adoption of the standard, with little consideration of proper usage and accompanying principles. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses an approach based on rhetorical criticism. The paper aims to establish whether Omeka’s given ends (the position that Omeka claims to take regarding Dublin Core) align with Omeka’s guiding ends (Omeka’s actual argument regarding Dublin Core). To make this assessment, the paper examines both textual evidence (what Omeka says) and material-discursive evidence (what Omeka does). Findings The evidence shows that, while Omeka appears to argue that adopting the Dublin Core is an integral part of Omeka’s mission, the platform’s lack of support for Dublin Core implementation makes an opposing argument. Ultimately, Omeka argues that the appearance of adopting a standard is more important than its careful implementation. Originality/value This study contributes to our understanding of how metadata standards are understood and used in practice. The misalignment between Omeka’s position and the goals of the Dublin Core community suggests that Omeka, and some portion of its users, do not value metadata interoperability and aggregation in the same way that the Dublin Core community does. This indicates that, although certain values regarding standards adoption may be pervasive in the metadata community, these values are not equally shared amongst all stakeholders in a digital library ecosystem. The way that standards creators (Dublin Core) understand what it means to “adopt a standard” is different from the way that standards users (Omeka) understand what it means to “adopt a standard.”

When the Nation is in crisis: libraries respond

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 465-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibi Alajmi
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Social Unrest ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Institutions ◽  
Traditional Roles

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the role of libraries as community institutions by reflecting on the experience of the Ferguson Municipal Public Library (FMPL), Missouri, USA, during the time of social unrest in the summer of 2014. The research explores the traditional and non-traditional roles of libraries during times of social unrest while focusing on relevant areas of crisis management preparedness and competencies necessary during crisis. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative approach in investigating the research problem and uses the case study method to collect relevant data. Findings This paper reports on the experience of the FMPL staff during this time. Their experience of what happened, how they dealt with it, and what their expectations were after the crisis are all documented. Originality/value Several scholars have studied how public libraries respond to disasters, yet little is known about whether public libraries proactively engage in community-wide disaster planning, and if so, what is the nature of those partnerships.

Chickens, aprons, markets, and cans

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-377
Author(s):  
Emily Marsh
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Management ◽  
Object Identification ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Exhibit Design ◽  
Content Management System ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Additional Support

PurposeThis paper describes how the content management system (CMS) Omeka supports the representation and presentation of the National Agricultural Library’s (NAL’s) digital exhibits, including some observations on its strengths and weaknesses. It also looks at Omeka’s major features through a theoretical lens of exhibit orientation that provides another way to assess it as a digital content tool. Design/methodology/approachThe case study method was selected to review four comparable exhibits from the same institution. The Omeka software was evaluated through a lens of exhibit design that includes two orientations (object vs information) and multiple goals (object identification and display, engagement, interpretation and education). FindingsOmeka is a valuable tool for digital exhibits because of its strength in knowledge representation through a standard metadata scheme, the ability to group items that have some aspect in common such as author or topic, and its support of narrative exhibits incorporating text and images. Omeka needs some additional support, however, to fulfill more complex goals such as user engagement, object interpretation and user education. Originality/valueThe paper grounds the examination of Omeka within a theoretical framework of exhibit orientation that enriches its observations and conclusions.

scholarly journals Digital preservation policies of the institutional repositories at Brazilian Federal Universities

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laerte Pereira da Silva Júnior ◽  
Maria Manuel Borges
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Digital Preservation ◽  
Information Policy ◽  
Institutional Commitment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Repositories ◽  
Digital Material ◽  
Preservation Policy

Purpose This paper aims to verify the implementation of digital preservation policies at the institutional repositories (IRs) of Brazilian Federal Universities. Design/methodology/approach The methodology used involved the verification of the information available in the Directory of Open Access Repositories (OpenDOAR) and on the websites of the IRs, to confirm the existence of published digital preservation policies. In this study, a sample of the 26 IRs of Brazilian Federal Universities registered with OpenDOAR, which represents 68 per cent of these repositories, was used. Findings The main conclusion is that the IRs of these universities do not have any published digital preservation policies, even though some repositories state their intention of preserving digital material in their institutional information policy. Originality/value The stakeholders of IRs need to implement a programme to guide their activities to preserve digital materials in the long term. In fact, similar to examples worldwide, this programme should take the form of an institutional commitment outlined in a digital preservation policy. IRs at Brazilian Federal Universities still have a long way to go to guarantee access to digital materials in the long term.

InDiPres: a statewide collaborative approach to digital preservation

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-230
Author(s):  
Cinda Ann May
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Memory ◽  
Digital Preservation ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Collaborative Group ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Preservation Solution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Collaborative Community

Purpose The purpose of this case study is to demonstrate how cultural memory organizations in Indiana used Library Services Technology Act grant funding as seed money to form a collaborative group to attain an affordable and sustainable digital preservation solution. Design/methodology/approach This case study relates how concern for digital content created across Indiana by an array of cultural memory organizations led to a multi-year quest to establish a community-based, cost-effective, open-source digital preservation solution to address a common problem. Findings Interest in a collaborative community-based digital preservation solution, especially among small- and mid-sized under-resourced organizations, exists across the spectrum of Indiana cultural heritage institutions, but education and commitment are key to the success of a statewide solution. Originality/value While focusing on cultural memory organizations in Indiana, the case study also provides information about the process of establishing a digital preservation collaborative to leverage resources to provide a cost-effective and sustainable long-term solution, particularly for small- to mid-sized institutions.

Managing making and makers in open-access craft studios: the case of Turning Earth

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-177
Author(s):  
Lauren Elizabeth England
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Creative Industries ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The aim of this paper is to develop understanding of how open-access (OA) studios as creative social enterprises (CSEs) can negotiate coexisting creative, social and economic missions, and manage the motivations of stakeholders. In particular, it explores how this affects management practices and ways in which diverse social actors engage with the organisation and each other. This paper expands on the existing literature on social enterprises in relation to multiple value and stakeholder management and also contributes to the makerspace and wider creative industries literature. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a qualitative, single-case case study of an OA studio established as a social enterprise based on analysis of secondary texts, interviews and observation. Findings It is identified that a multifaceted value system creates both challenges and opportunities in relation to communal resource management and community development. Tensions between the creative and economic priorities of members and both the economic imperatives of the organisation and its social mission are also highlighted. It is suggested that despite these challenges, the OA model presents an opportunity to develop more collective forms of creative practice and support a reframing of the creative economy. Research limitations/implications As a single case study in the geographical context of the United Kingdom, limited generalisations on OA management in other countries can be made without further investigation. Practical implications There are practical implications for OA and other CSE founders in relation to resource and membership management and facilitating inclusive access. There are creative industries policy implications in the encouragement of more sustainable collaborative approaches. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature on social entrepreneurship, makerspaces and the creative industries by developing the understanding of OA studios and CSE management and the internal dynamics that influence organisational and social outcomes.

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