Citation
(2003), "New & noteworthy", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 20 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/lhtn.2003.23920gab.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
New & noteworthy
StanfordUtilizing Robot for Mass Digitization
The Stanford University Libraries & Academic Information Resources (SUL/IAR) is utilizing a robotic page-turning and scanning device for mass digitization of bound print materials as an integral part of the libraries' Digital Library Program (DLP). The robotic book scanning device, called the Digitizing Line (DL), is housed in a new book scanning lab that is part of the DLP's effort to increase online access to the vast intellectual resources of the University Libraries.
Manufactured by 4DigitalBooks in Switzerland, the DL can produce digital images of bound print materials at throughput rates as high as 1,160 pages per hour. It can handle a wide range of book sizes, a variety of book structures and a variety of paper types, and produces high quality black and white, grayscale and color TIFF images at resolutions of up to 600 dpi.
The DL is supported by a comprehensive hardware and software system. Designed in partnership with the imaging hardware and software firm Image Access of Boca Raton, Florida, the system allows for the manual creation and automated capture of descriptive, administrative and technical metadata, and the creation of derivatives for online access in JPEG, image-only PDF, searchable PDF, and plain text formats. The workflow engine includes modules for manual entry of descriptive metadata, automatic cropping, splitting and image processing of open-book scans, manual review and treatment of images, uncorrected conversion of images to text (via optical character recognition or OCR), and creation of searchable PDFs and text derivatives. The software allows operators to associate chapters or other subsections of a book with ranges of page images for the creation of PDF bookmarks or encoded texts. The system also automatically captures comprehensive technical metadata for all master TIFF images and derivative files.
The two primary pilot projects to test the DL in a production environment, and help refine the software and processing workflow of the book scanning lab, were to be completed in May 2003. Once the pilot projects and resultant refinements in the workflow and image processing tools are completed, the first large-scale project planned for the new lab is the digitization of approximately 2,500 books published by the Stanford University Press.
http://library.stanford.edu/depts/diroff/DLStatement.htmlwww.4digitalbooks.comwww.imageaccess.com/
Arizona State UniversityDelivers Distance Learning with Mediasite Live
Arizona State University (ASU) is using Mediasite Live, a media Web presentation system from Sonic Foundry, Inc., to capture and stream distance learning classes for the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Following a positive experience with graduate engineering classes during the spring 2003 semester, the university purchased additional systems to integrate into its television studio classrooms for courses beginning this fall.
ASU began offering distance learning via television in 1959 and today has more than 165 online courses available through its Distance Learning and Technology division. Despite its long history in distance education, ASU felt burdened by all the labor-intensive, post-production work required of the video streaming systems it has used in the past. For the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the challenge of getting its courses "Web-ready" was particularly significant due to the complex graphics and simulations used by the professors.
A team of evaluators from the school's Center for Professional Development and Distance Education, together with Distance Learning and Technology, selected Mediasite Live because it is the only product it evaluated that:
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does not require professors to modify their teaching style or the tools they use;
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eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming post-production;
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integrates easily into their existing TV broadcast facilities; and
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provides high-quality video streams and graphics for the online students.
Eight professors within the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences first began using Mediasite Live for the spring 2003 semester. All of the classes are graduate-level engineering courses with approximately 75 percent of the students enrolled as traditional classroom students and 25 percent who are distance learners. The positive response from the engineering faculty, students and the multimedia professionals behind the scenes has led professors in other departments to sign up to use Mediasite Live in the fall.
Mediasite Live captures virtually any type of presentation device in real time – projectors, document cameras, graphics tablets, smart boards, even traditional chalk boards – and synchronizes the content with the audio and video of the presenter and streams it live to the Web. The captured presentation also is immediately archived and made available for convenient on-demand playback to end-users' PCs.
Sonic Foundry, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is a provider of media tools, systems and services for creating, managing, analyzing and enhancing media for government, business, education and entertainment.
Credit SuisseSelects TopClass as e-Learning Solution
WBT Systems has announced that Credit Suisse Financial Services has chosen the TopClass e-Learning Suite as their corporate e-Learning solution. This enterprise-wide contract follows a successful three-year deployment at Credit Suisse Private Banking where TopClass was used to deliver online learning to 8,500 employees. The initial focus of the expanded deployment is legal and compliance training to all 50,000 staff and sales training to the Group's 4,000 strong sales team.
WBT Systems is a leading provider of Enterprise e-Learning Solutions. WBT Systems' TopClass e-Learning Suite enables the rapid creation, deployment, and management of knowledge delivery across the enterprise. It is a robust, easily deployed, Web-based learning platform with over two million users worldwide. Their implementation experience spans a variety of industries, including financial services, healthcare, government, pharmaceuticals and higher education.
XML DTDDescribes Standard Content Model for Electronic Archiving and Publishing of Journal Articles
The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) has created two XML DTDs that will simplify electronic journal publishing and increase the accuracy of the archiving and exchange of scholarly journal articles.
The Journal Publishing DTD (http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov/publishing) and the Archiving and Interchange DTD (http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov) were both created from the Archiving and Interchange Tagset.
The Publishing DTD defines a common format for the creation of journal content in XML. The Archiving DTD also defines journal articles, but it has a more open structure; it is less strict about required elements and their order. The Archiving DTD defines a target content model for the conversion of any sensibly structured journal article and provides a common format in which publishers, aggregators, and archives can exchange journal content.
The DTDs were created after collaboration between the Harvard University E-Journal Archiving Project and NCBI. This collaboration was inspired by Inera Inc.'s (www.inera.com) "E-Journal Archival DTD Feasibility Study" (www.diglib.org/preserve/hadtdfs.pdf). Harvard and Inera's participation was supported by the Mellon Foundation.
Mulberry Technologies (www.mulberrytech.com) and Inera examined thousands of articles from hundreds of journals to be sure that the content models being defined were comprehensive.
After this extensive modeling, the consultants worked with NCBI to create the Archiving and Interchange DTD, then NCBI and Mulberry created the Journal Publishing DTD to help publishers who had not yet selected a format for their electronic content.
The DTDs may be used as is, or the Tagset can be used to construct other DTDs. These DTDs and the Tagset are in the public domain. Complete information and documentation can be found at http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov
Archiving and Interchange DTD: http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov/
Journal Publishing DTD: http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov/publishing/
DOI FoundationReleases New Edition of DOI Handbook
The DOI Handbook edition 3.0 has been released and is available on the International DOI Foundation Web site. This edition now fully describes how to create applications providing extensible DOI services through multiple resolution and the DOI metadata system. The new, shorter, handbook now fully describes tools such as DOI Application Profiles and the indecs Data Dictionary. The metadata work (based on indecs) is covered in detail in two appendices. A new glossary and completely rewritten chapters are part of the handbook release.
DOI Handbook, 3ed.: http://dx.doi.org/10.1000/182
www.doi.org/news/030501Libraries.html#applications
TLC NCIPToolkit Available
The Library Corporation (TLC) is making available its National Circulation Interchange Protocol (NCIP) Toolkit to other ILS vendors and library organizations in an effort to support rapid implementation of the standard.
NCIP defines the various transactions needed to support circulation activities among individual library systems. NCIP is based on the SIP and Standard Interchange Protocol (SIP2) communications scheme originally developed by 3M. In March 2002, TLC and epixtech, inc. (now Dynix) successfully implemented the industry's first NCIP communication exchange between two different library systems.
TLC's NCIP Toolkit will promote an "open systems" standard in the library industry. It is a middleware solution that will power circulation management functions and activities. The NCIP protocol defines three major applications areas: direct consortia borrowing, circulation/interlibrary loan interaction, and self-service circulation. These areas enhance the library user's ability to efficiently access materials outside his home library, and work more efficiently within his home library. NCIP's success depends on structured messages being seamlessly exchanged between library partners.
www.tlcdelivers.com/tlccarl/news/pressreleases/pr050603.asp
Answerland ProjectProvides Online Reference to Academic, Public, School Libraries
The Answerland Pilot Project, a first step toward linking academic, public, and school libraries throughout the state of Oregon in order to provide real-time, online reference directly to library patrons, opened in April 2003. The new service is intended to replace the Oregon Reference LINK tiered reference service, which offered library-to-library reference support only.
All academic, public, and school libraries in Oregon are invited to participate, and 21 libraries have been selected for the pilot effort. Assessment of the pilot will be completed and the next phase of the project will begin in the fall of 2003.
Funding for the Answerland Project is provided by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant funds through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Oregon State Library. The fiscal agent for the pilot project is Multnomah County Library. The Advisory Committee for this project represents a cross-section of library types and geographic locations in Oregon.
IMLSLaunches Online Project Planning Tutorial
The Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Washington DC, has launched an online tutorial to help libraries, archives, and museums develop project plans for its National Leadership Grant applications. This tool is designed to make it easier to develop good, competitive applications for federal IMLS grants. Others will also find the tutorial useful for planning projects and IMLS welcomes all users.
The tutorial is divided into four sections taking the user from project planning through implementation. It begins with a step-by-step process for getting projects underway, including analyzing organizational needs, identifying target audience, and formulating goals. The second section helps to develop the components of a project plan, including activities, evaluation approach, schedule, and resources. The third and fourth sections offer tips for writing applications and implementing successful projects. Throughout the tutorial the need to identify and communicate with stakeholders is emphasized.
While this planning tool is designed for developing IMLS grant applications, it can be used by anyone who would like to learn more about project planning and development. Senior program officers at IMLS with years of experience coaching applicants worked together with museum professionals and librarians to develop this powerful learning resource. IMLS hopes that it will be useful in many different settings, including professional education and development, staff training, and a wide array of project planning activities.
http://e-services.imls.gov/project_planning
JISCReleases Draft Report on Preservation of E-Prints
E-prints and institutional repositories are a new and high profile area, both for the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and for institutions in the UK and elsewhere. The initial focus of activity has been on the process of establishing repositories, depositing articles and promoting discovery and access, together with an emphasis on encouraging the cultural change necessary for successful development of e-print repositories. This focus is reflected in the JISC-funded Focus on Access to Institutional Resources (FAIR) programme. However, if the e-print content of these repositories is to continue to be made available into the future, the concept of preservation needs to be bought into the equation.
JISC's draft report, Feasibility and Requirements Study on Preservation of E-Prints, provides recommendations for further research and the development of services and tools to support the long-term preservation of UK e-print content, in the context of the JISC Information Environment (IE) and the JISC Continuing Access and Digital Preservation Strategy 2002-2005. The report sets forth a description of the properties of e-prints, lists reasons to preserve e-prints, and reviews file formats, metadata, cost models and organizational models for the preservation of e-prints.
www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/e-prints_report_1-0.pdf
ASISTConference Presentations Available Online
Presentations from the following conferences and meetings are now available online.
American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST) Information Architecture Summit 2003 "Making connections", March 21-23, 2003. "Making connections" was the fourth Information Architecture Summit, the largest dedicated meeting for information architecture professionals. Case studies, tutorials, seminars, and presentations ranged from the theoretical to the pragmatic, bringing together presenters and attendees from business and academic communities to experience thought provoking and inspiring perspectives on the theory and practice of IA.
www.asist-events.org/IASummit2003/speakers.shtml
Selection and Collaboration in Digital Preservation: An RLG-JISC Symposium, 24-25 March 2003. This event was jointly developed to address the critical issues of selection and collaboration in preserving digital materials. Leading speakers from the USA and Europe described their experiences and future plans. Through presentations, discussion, and breakout groups, participants had opportunities to contrast different approaches, consider which approaches were relevant for their own institution and interests, and further explore opportunities for collaboration in digital preservation across organizational and national boundaries. This event was the latest in a series of collaborations between JISC and RLG begun in 1996 and resulting in conferences, research projects and publications.
www.rlg.org/events/2003rlgjisc/
Ready to Wear: Metadata Standards to Suit Your Project, an RLG-CIMI Forum, 12-13 May 2003. This one-and-a-half forum presented standards and metadata issues in a unique format aimed at demystifying a bewildering field of promise and practice. Speakers covered a wide range of standards applicable to cultural heritage institutions – from item- to collection-level descriptive standards, from digital preservation to emerging multimedia specifications.
www.rlg.org/events/metadata2003/
Sun Education and ResearchNew Whitepapers Available from Sun
Sun Education and Research has posted to its Web site several new whitepapers of interest to the library community:
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The Digital Campus Primer.
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The E-Learning Architectural Framework.
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Information Technology Advances in Library.
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The Digital Library Toolkit, Version Three.
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Digital Rights Management: Managing the Digital Distribution Value Chain.
www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/edu/cgi-bin/sort_list.cgi?type=wp&sort=date
EinsteinArchives Online Opens
The Einstein Archives Online Web site, opened in May 2003, provides the first online access to Albert Einstein's scientific and non-scientific manuscripts held by the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and to an extensive Archival Database, constituting the material record of one of the most influential intellects in the modern era. The project is the result of the joint cooperative effort of the Hebrew University's Albert Einstein Archives in collaboration with the Information Technology and Photo-Reprography Departments of the Jewish National and University Library (JNUL) and of the Einstein Papers Project at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
The Einstein Archives Online Web site allows viewing and browsing of approximately 3,000 high-quality digitized images of Einstein's writings, available for viewing in two sizes: a standard resolution image, as well as a high-resolution image for closer inspection. The site also provides access to the online version of the Albert Einstein Archives Finding Aid, a comprehensive description of the entire repository of Albert Einstein's personal papers held at the Hebrew University. The Finding Aid, presented in Encoded Archival Description (EAD) format, provides the following information on the Einstein Archives: its identity, context, content, structure, conditions of access and use. It also contains a list of the folders in the Archives, which enables access to the Archival Database and to the Digitized Manuscripts.
The Archival Database allows direct access to approximately 43,000 records of Einstein and Einstein-related documents. The records published in this online version pertain to Albert Einstein's scientific and non-scientific writings, his professional and personal correspondence, notebooks, travel diaries, personal documents, and third-party items contained in the original collection of Einstein's personal papers. The Archival Database also presents records for all items that have been published since 1986 in the Collected Papers of Albert Einstein – scientific and non-scientific writings, notebooks, and correspondence – including an additional 534 items that were not part of the original Einstein Archive. Supplementary archival holdings and databases pertaining to Einstein documents have been established at both the Einstein Papers Project and the Albert Einstein Archives for scholarly research.
Library of CongressNew Web Site Highlights Courage, Patriotism, Community
The Library of Congress has created a new Web site highlighting its collections of veterans' stories, patriotic music and community life. The new site, called Courage, Patriotism, Community, comprises three presentations: Experiencing War, Patriotic Melodies, and Community Roots.
Experiencing War features selected stories taken from the thousands contributed to the Library's Veterans History Project. Showcased are video, audio and written personal accounts from 21 veterans and civilians, along with pictures, diaries, and scrapbooks. The vivid and heartfelt accounts were gathered by grassroots groups all across the USA.
Patriotic Melodies features some of the USA's most beloved patriotic music. Users of the site can page through sheet music, listen to sound recordings, view related items, and learn interesting facts about familiar national songs. Patriotic Melodies illustrates the close connection between patriotism, music, and the expression of the US spirit.
Community Roots celebrates the US through local festivals, community events, and other grassroots activities. For this online presentation, one representative event has been selected for each US state, territory or commonwealth, in order to highlight the many ways that Americans come together and celebrate their communities, heritage, and country.
Meeting of FrontiersAdds Collections from the USA, Russia and Germany
The Meeting of Frontiers Web site of the Library of Congress has added collections from the Library of Congress, the State and University Library (SUB) of Lower Saxony, Göttingen, Germany, the National Library of Russia (NLR), and the Russian State Library (RSL). This is the sixth upgrade and expansion of the site since its launch in December 1999.
Meeting of Frontiers is a bilingual, multimedia English-Russian digital library that tells the story of the US exploration and settlement of the West and the parallel exploration and settlement of Siberia and the Russian Far East. With the latest additions, the site now includes over 330,000 digital images that are available for use in schools and libraries and by the general public. Meeting of Frontiers is the world's largest bilingual collaborative library site, and is part of the Library's Global Gateway initiative to create digital partnerships between the Library of Congress and leading libraries around the world.