Digitization Projects:

1
Digitization Projects
Internal Development vs. Outsourcing
Productionor D.I.Y. vs. The Pros
2
Project Motivations

• Do It Yourself - FM
• In 2001/02, the FM Library was interested in
  creating its first digital collection.
• The 2002 LSTA grant application provided the
  catalyst to conceptualize (and potentially fund)
  the librarys first digital project!

• The Pros - Olive
• In 2003/4, the College Archives was interested in
  digitizing the FM student newspaper to increase
  access and ensure ongoing preservation.
• Olive software provided the means to achieve
  these goals, and create a keyword searchable
  index for the first time.

3
Project Scope

• Do It Yourself - FM
• Digitize 325 pieces (644 pages) of military and
  family correspondence from the Reynolds Family
  Papers.
• Digital content managed with Cumulus software and
  hosted on the FM library web server.

• The Pros - Olive
• Digitize and OCR 14 years (1987-2001) of the FM
  student newspaper, The College Reporter.
• Scan 6 reels of 35mm microfilm and perform Olive
  distillation and processing (5,510 pages)
• OCLC to host Olive data and web interface for
  three years.

4
Project Funding

• Do It Yourself - FM
• Initial project funded through 2002 Library
  Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant award of
  15,000.
• FM contributed 4,000 in indirect costs for
  professional conservation of letters, and
  participation in the Digital Training Workshop,
  Cornell Univ.

• The Pros - Olive
• Initial project fees funded through the Friends
  of the Library and the office of former FM
  president Richard Kneedler.
• Ongoing storage fees absorbed into Electronic
  Resources annual budget cycle.

5
Project Staffing

• Do It Yourself - FM
• FM Archives and Special Collections1
  administrator, 3 technicians
• LSTA granting agency1 administrator
• Total 5 (FM 4, Other 1)

• The Pros - Olive
• FM Archives and Special Collections1
  administrator
• OCLC Preservation Service Centers1
  administrator, 3 technicians
• OCLC Digital and Preservation Solutions2
  administrators, 2 technicians
• Total 9 (FM 1, Other 8)

6
Project Technology

• Do It Yourself - FM
• Epson 1660 Scanner with Epson Smart Panel driver
  software.
• Powerbook G4 Laptop
• Cumulus 5.5 Single User Edition image management
  software.
• Microsoft Word (MS Office 2000)
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

• The Pros - Olive
• Scanning and PipeX? distillation of all newspaper
  images.
• ActivePaperArchive? created and sent to OCLC
  Olive Hosting, Dublin, Ohio.
• Olive web interface customized for FM.
• All image files and metadata recorded on to DVD
  and shipped to FM.

7
Project Initial Costs

• Do It Yourself - FM
• Grant Equipment and Supplies7,721.90
• Grant Staff (part-time)3,249.00
• Total - 10,970.90

• The Pros - Olive
• Scanning and Distillation of 5,510
  pages7,052.80
• Olive Hosting for 3 years (.10 per
  page)1,653.00 1,000 set up fee.
• Other Charges (DVDs, shipping, etc.)55.00
• Total - 9,760.80

8
Project Maintenance

• Do It Yourself - FM
• Windows 2000 Server maintenance, security, and
  upgrades.
• Web interface maintenance and statistics.

• The Pros - Olive
• Virtually no maintenance
• Olive Hosting contracts, invoices, etc.

9
Project Ongoing Costs

• Do It Yourself - FM
• Virtually no short-term ongoing costs, standard
  server and software upgrades.
• Note potential long-term costs in migrating
  content and images to another system.

• The Pros - Olive
• Olive Hosting fee of .10 per page. For the FM
  newspaper, a cost of 551per year for current
  content (1987-2001).
• Hosting fees will increase as new content is
  added.

10
Project Timelines

• Do It Yourself - FM
• LSTA grant monies received September 2002.
• Quarterly grant progress reports due Sept 2002,
  Dec 2002, and March 2003.
• Project finished May 31, 2003.
• Final grant report submitted June 2003.
• Total - 9 months

• The Pros - Olive
• OCLC quote sent to FM in January 2004.
• FM microfilm scanned in February 2004.
• ActivePaperArchive?produced and sent to Dublin,
  Ohio in April 2004.
• Olive Hosting of FM content and web interface
  established in May 2004.
• Total - 5 months

11
Project Conclusions - D.I.Y.

• Benefits to D.I.Y.
• More control of project staff, procedures,
  timeline, final web interface.
• Little to no ongoing costs, contracts, or
  invoicing.
• Once completed, technical infrastructure in place
  for future D.I.Y. projects.
• Driver vs. Passenger

• Challenges to D.I.Y.
• Greater technical proficiency needed.
• Hiring and training of project staff.
• Available space and technical infrastructure to
  support scanning shop.
• Ongoing web server maintenance and security.

12
Project Conclusions - The Pros

• Benefits to Outsourcing
• Very quick from start to finished product.
• Very little institutional staff needed.
• Only cursory technical knowledge needed.
• Standardization of scanning technologies, file
  types, web interfaces, etc.
• Passenger vs. Driver

• Challenges to Outsourcing
• Potential vendor instability, price increases.
• Less control of project details, timeline, final
  web interface.
• Can cost more than D.I.Y., especially storage and
  licensing costs over time.

13
Future Projects

• Do It Yourself - FM
• FM will serve as a pilot institution for the new
  OCLC Content Cooperative Project.
• The project will explore a new method of
  uploading digital content directly into WorldCat
  using the Connexion cataloging tool.

• The Pros - Olive
• FM has digitized the next 22 years (1964-1986)
  of The College Reporter, and will make the
  expanded collection available to the public in
  December 2005.

14
Christopher M. Raab

• Archives and Special Collections Librarian
• Franklin and Marshall College
• PO Box 3003
• Lancaster, PA 17604-3003
• craab_at_fandm.edu
• Tel. [phone]
• FM Archives Special Collections
• http//library.fandm.edu/archives/new_archives.htm
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