Managing Serials in a Large Digital Library: Case Study of the UNT Libraries Digital Collections

The Portal to Texas History (http://texashistory.unt.edu) and the University of North Texas (UNT) Digital Library (http://digital.library.unt.edu) contain more than 445,000 items collectively, hosted by the UNT Libraries. These collections include a variety of serial publications such as newsletters, magazines, scholarly journals, annual reports, and yearbooks. Many of these serials are key resources for the user groups of both repositories. In this article, we discuss the importance of serials within our collections, some of the challenges, the standards we use, and how we leverage metadata to facilitate access to serials for diverse global users.     

Building a Shared Digital Collection: The Experience of the Cooperating Libraries in Consortium

Recognizing the digital opportunities available, the libraries of eight educational institutions in Minnesota built on a previously existing consortial relationship in order to explore the possibility of sharing a Digital Asset Management System (DAMS). This article discusses the experience of these institutions as they chose CONTENTdm and the considerations made when settling on an option viable for a consortium. It elaborates on the shared cost considerations, hardware purchases, and the consortium's experience as it purchased and implemented the software, formalized avenues of communication, and established collection standards. We close by discussing the opportunities, challenges, and rewards experienced by those involved.     

Assessment of Digitized Library and Archives Materials: A Literature Review

Professional literature about the assessment of digital libraries reflects a growing interest in both improving the user experience and in justifying the creation of digital collections to multiple stakeholders. This article explores some of the key themes in digital library assessment literature through a review of current literature (2004–14) gathered from both scholarly and popular resources online. The majority of scholarship about digital library assessment utilizes usability testing and Web statistics for data collection, while studies about altmetrics, the reuse of digital library materials, cost benefit analysis, and the holistic evaluation of digital libraries are also present in the literature. Exploring the literature about digital library assessment allows libraries to create effective and sustainable evaluation models based on the successes and shortcomings of previously completed projects.     

Effective Communication to Aid Collaboration for Digital Collections: A Case Study at Florida Gulf Coast University Library

ABSTRACT

Effective communication is one of the most important resources for successful outreach efforts. This article addresses the benefits that can emerge from successful communication as well as the negative effects that may stem from ineffective communication. A case study of Florida Gulf Coast University Archives, Special Collections, & Digital Initiatives' outreach efforts among local cultural heritage organizations will demonstrate methods used to approach these organizations and subsequent results. After attempting to provide several organizations with professional assistance regarding digitization and digital preservation of historic records, Archives, Special Collections, & Digital Initiatives sought to establish a formalized outreach approach. While there is a large amount of literature discussing broad outreach efforts, few articles delve into specific communication methods, potential benefits, and possible drawbacks. This article will show that with specific methods of communication, outreach can prove advantageous for both the community organization in need and the library institution providing the service.     

Digital Access to Cultural Heritage and Scholarship in the Czech Republic

ABSTRACT. This article looks at selected digital library projects in the Czech Republic, with a focus on two main domains of activity: digital preservation of cultural heritage, and providing digital access to scholarship through institutional repositories. With regard to digitization of national cultural heritage, the Czech Republic, largely through the leadership of the National Library, has established itself as one of the most active countries in the region. With regard to providing access to Czech research and scholarship, although there is quite a bit of interest among research institutions and universities, institutional repositories are currently in the exploratory stage and have not yet been widely implemented. Copyright laws are repeatedly cited by Czech librarians as one obstacle to improving access to digital resources in both spheres of activity.     

Women & Gender in Central and Eastern Europe,Russia, and Eurasia: A Comprehensive Bibliography. 2 vols

ABSTRACT

This article describes how The Search Engine for Online Historical Directories provides enhanced access for genealogical researchers to valuable family information contained in difficult-to-browse directories that have been made available online by institutions that have not provided sophisticated search tools.     

Understanding Ultimate Use Data and Its Implication for Digital Library Management: A Case Study

Information professionals and librarians have been studying, discussing, and developing digital libraries for more than two decades, but understanding ultimate use of images from digital libraries remains a mystery for many of them. Most articles written on digital library use focus on users’ search retrieval needs and behavior. Few mention how digital library patrons use the images they request. Like many digital libraries, archives, and special collections, the University of Houston Digital Library makes high resolution images available to its patrons. Image delivery is achieved by an automated system, titled the Digital Cart Service. An unexpected benefit of the Digital Cart Service is the reporting mechanism that produces data that includes intended use information. This article discusses the analysis of this data to determine why images were used, what products were created from the images, and what implications this has on digital library management. The authors believe that answering these questions creates an environment in which digital library innovators can better promote and design digital libraries, and describe and select the content in them.     

User Navigation in Large-Scale Distributed Digital Libraries: The Case of the Digital Public Library of America

ABSTRACT

This article presents the findings of a case study that examined user navigation in a large-scale digital library in the context of academic use. Using the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) as a case, the study explored user navigation and understanding of a distributed model of large-scale digital libraries. The DPLA model involves two- or three-step navigation pathways. Most study participants could navigate the DPLA distributed, multilayered system effectively. This study found some confusion among the participants when they must move through a three-step process to locate digital objects provided by a metadata aggregator service hub. The study participants also pointed out the advantages of a distributed model in collocating digital resources and connecting users to a wide range of digital libraries.     

Advocating for Sustainability: Scaling-Down Library Digital Infrastructure

ABSTRACT

Academic institutions have a long tradition of using content management systems (CMSs) for the production of networked scholarship in the digital environment. However, CMSs are complex and rapidly changing infrastructures that do not always meet the needs of smaller ad hoc collaborative projects. CMSs are also difficult to preserve in the library environment given their obsolescence over time. This article uses the History of the Book and Literacy Technologies project at UCLA to illustrate why library administrators should advocate for the systematic production of scaled-down platforms that can withstand the constantly evolving technical environment within libraries and foster more sustainable platform practices.     

Historypin and Pinterest for Digital Collections: Measuring the Impact of Image-Based Social Tools on Discovery and Access

ABSTRACT

For the past several years, the adoption of social media platforms has increased significantly as academic libraries have emphasized the importance of finding new ways to promote collections and services. Recently, many libraries have embraced Historypin and Pinterest because of their specific focus on images. This article examines the impact of these platforms on digital libraries and explains how each affects the discovery and access of digital collections.     

Communicating New Library Roles to Enable Digital Scholarship: A Review Article

ABSTRACT

Academic libraries enable a wide range of digital scholarship activities, increasingly as a partner rather than as a service provider. Communicating that shift in role is challenging, not least as digital scholarship is a new field with many players whose activities on campus can be disjointed. The library's actual and potential contributions need to be broadcast to a diverse range of internal and external constituencies, primarily academic staff, university management, library colleagues and related project teams, often with different perspectives. Libraries have significant contributions to offer and a focused communications strategy is needed to embed libraries in digital scholarship and to create new perceptions of their role as enabling partners.     

Wiki: The Collaborative Resource for Library Science and Information Technology Professionals

ABSTRACT

This paper looks at the value of wikis as a collaborative resource for library science and digital libraries, briefly explores the history of wikis, cites examples of why wikis are viewed with hope and suspicion, and illustrates a wiki in use by the Digital Conversion Team at The Library of Congress.     

Metadata Practices in Academic and Non-Academic Libraries for Digital Projects: A Survey

This article presents the results of a survey examining and comparing the metadata practices of academic and non-academic libraries regarding digital projects. It explores the types of metadata and vocabularies utilized, issues of interoperability, end-user-created metadata, and staffing for metadata planning and creation. Participants from 87 academic libraries and 40 non-academic libraries responded to the survey. The survey found that, despite their different environments, academic and non-academic libraries engage in similar metadata practices. The majority of the participating libraries have metadata librarians, who are the primary staff members responsible for all metadata activities. Academic libraries tend to use more metadata schemes, plan for metadata interoperability more frequently, and are more likely to have created new positions responsible for metadata for digital projects.     

Current Trends in Research Resources from Russia,Eastern Europe,and Eurasia: Implications for Reference Services and Resource Sharing

ABSTRACT

In the last 20 years, national, regional, and academic libraries and other cultural institutions in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia have introduced subject portals, research databases, journal repositories, digital collections, research guides, and indexing resources, which scholarly communities outside these regions rely on to advance their research portfolios. In order to address the significant developments in scholarly communication and the proliferation of academic content, this article discusses recent trends in online research resources and strategies for incorporating these resources into research consultations. In addition, as these extensive networks of online resources continue to proliferate, possible models for collaboration with national and regional libraries are needed to strengthen existing partnerships with Slavic librarians outside these regions.     

基于CCFE增强型知识共享许可协议的网络数字作品版权保护机制的构建

首先从技术协议构建层面,对当下热门的数字版权许可协议--知识共享许可协议(CCL)进行简要介绍;其次,在对原有CCL改进和增强的基础上,提出一个新的协议范式--知识共享文件扩展名协议（CCFE）,旨在修正现有CCL存在的缺陷并进一步优化其框架结构;最后,阐释如何借助这一新的协议范式构建数字图书馆数字化资源以及使用搜索引擎在版权规范指导下收集和获取网上数字化内容。     

Google and Libraries in Russia: First Experience

The paper describes the Russian library system's current landscape and outlines its relationship with electronic technologies and Internet technologies in particular. The author discusses Google projects in Russia, and then analyzes possibilities for more substantial and elaborate Google activities in the Russian and CIS library and information sector. The paper concludes with specific project proposals.     

Digital Archiving and Preservation: Technologies and Processes for a Trusted Repository

SUMMARY

This article examines what is implied by the term “trusted” in the phrase “trusted digital repositories.” Digital repositories should be able to preserve electronic materials for periods at least comparable to existing preservation methods. Our collective lack of experience with preserving digital objects and consensus about the reliability of our technological infrastructure raises questions about how we should proceed with digital-based preservation practices, an emerging role for academic libraries and archival institutions. This article reviews issues relating to building a trusted digital repository, highlighting some of the issues raised and possible solutions proposed by the authors in their work of implementing and acculturating a digital repository at Rutgers University Libraries.     

From the ACRL 13th National Conference: Collaborative Solutions to Digitization for College Library Special Collections

ABSTRACT

While much has been written on individual digital project planning, little has been discussed in the area of collaborative digital projects, especially at the college library level. The aim of this article is to examine a variety of collaborative solutions that have been implemented by Franklin and Marshall College at the institutional, local, regional, and national levels. With the assistance of an analytical questionnaire, readers will learn to evaluate their college library collections for successful digitization and identify collaborative opportunities at various levels.     

We Are All Teachers: A Collaborative Approach to Digital Collection Development

ABSTRACT

In libraries and archives, efforts to document underrepresented communities and diversify collections can be fraught with political tension. We explore an interdepartmental collaboration to create and preserve a digital collection documenting the Urban Native Relocation Program of the mid- to late-twentieth century in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Involving the Grand Valley State University Libraries, the Kutsche Office of Local History, and the university's Native American Advisory Board, the project serves as a model not just for collaborative collection development but also for community engagement and outreach. We find that process is as important as product in developing collaborative digital collections.     

Multilingual Digital Libraries: A review of issues in system-centered and user-centered studies,information retrieval and user behavior

Abstract

This study aims to identify, collect and critical review the research literature on Multilingual Digital Libraries in English language from 1997 to 2012.

Design/methodology/approach: The present literature review has followed the rules of systematic review. In particular, the identified relevant papers were categorized based on their expressed aim on two core themes, that of system-centered and user-centered studies. The assigned papers were further analyzed and six sub-themes emerged for the system-centered studies and four for the user-centered studies. Additional categorization was also provided according to type of publication.

Findings: The literature concerning Multilingual Digital Libraries is vast and mainly focuses on two aspects the “System” and the “Users”. The majority of papers tried to meet the challenges raised for enabling multilingual information retrieval in Digital Libraries. Unfortunately, these efforts undertaken by a small number of researchers or research groups apparently working in isolation and therefore resulting in the development of numerous different tools and techniques. Relatively few studies have focused on the user and aimed to explore users' behavior and expectations when interacting with Multilingual Digital Libraries. As a result, further research is needed to reach to some tangible and usable findings.

Originality/value: This literature review captures the diversity of the research conducted regarding multilingual information access and retrieval in Digital Libraries. It organizes the vast literature in comprehensive themes and sub-themes enabling easy access to specific information.

Limitations: This study reviews only papers in English due to language restrictions from 1997 to 2012.