Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Applying MPLP to Digitization
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft LibraryUniversity of California
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Shifting Strategies and Results
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
More Product, Less Process
Mark A. Greene/Dennis Meissner “More Product, Less Process: Pragmatically Revamping Approaches to Deal with Late 20th Century Collections” (2004)
http://ahc.uwyo.edu/documents/faculty/greene/papers/Greene-Meissner.pdf
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Forum: Digitization Matters
Ricky Erway and Jennifer SchaffnerShifting Gears: Gearing Up to Get Into the Flow (2007)
www.oclc.org/programs/publications/reports/2007-02.pdf
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Traditional Practice
• Principles– preservation and access (dual goals)
– Do it once and do it right “to perfection”– Item level description most desirable– Highest quality always warranted
– Accomplish more, and more, and more...
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Forces at Work
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/02/05/070205fa_fact_toobin#ixzz0ls3xqhK2
• Lack of funding
• Mass digitization
• User expectations
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
More Product, Less Process
• Principles for Change– Maximize user access (preeminent goal)– Golden minimum “good enough” is realistic– Arrange and describe at a common, aggregate level– Reserve exceptional effort only when warranted– Accomplish more by trying to do less
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
More Product, Less Process
• Principles for Change– Maximize user access (preeminent goal)– Golden minimum “good enough” digitization is realistic– Arrange, describe and digitize at a common, aggregate
level– Reserve exceptional digitization effort only when
warranted– Accomplish more digitization by trying to do less
(my co-opted version!)
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Microfilm Pilot (2003)
• George and Phoebe Apperson Hearst Papers (selections)
• Newly created microfilm
• Targets present (aggregate grouping)
• 4000 frames scanned @ $0.50/frame
• Folder level digital objects– Extant metadata from finding aid
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Microfilm Production (2008)
• Archives of California (complete)
• Microfilm created in 1960s
• No targets present (no aggregate grouping)
• 25,000 frames scanned @ $0.10/frame
• 64 reel level digital objects (as pdf)– Extant metadata from MARC record
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Muir Letters (2008-2009)
• Correspondence of John Muir (complete)
• Microfilm created in 1980s
• Md cards present (extant md, aggregate grping)
• 12,500 frames (6500 letters) @ $0.26/frame
• Images, metadata and hand-transcription
• Letter level digital objects– CDM compound objects– METS complex objects
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Negative Scanning Projects
• San Francisco News-Call Bulletin Newspaper Photograph Archive (2004)
• ca. 500,000 negatives
• 500 negatives in 93 sleeves selected
• Sleeve-level digital objects– Multiple negatives per sleeve– Extant Sleeve level description– No additional description provided
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Examiner Pilot (2007-2009)
• San Francisco Examiner Photograph Archive (selections)
• ca. 3,600,000 negatives total
• Pilot: 10,000 nitrate negatives• Sleeve-level digital objects• Two digitization workflows
– in house and vendor
• Goal: assessment of workflows, appraisal, and access
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Microfilm Scanning• ~400,000 images from MSS Collections
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
MF Scanning
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Negative Scanning• ~20,000 images from Pictorial Collections
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Neg Scanning
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Results (…mileage may vary)
• Traditional practice:– Paintings, Drawings, Prints
• 2,700 images in two years• $20 per image
• MPLP practice:– Microfilm
• 80,000 images in two years• $0.10 - $0.30 per image
– Historic Negatives• 23,000 images in two years• $2.50 per image
Mary W. ElingsArchivist for Digital Collections
The Bancroft Library
Applying MPLP to Digitization• Focus on increasing online access• Use “good enough” digitization where appropriate • Use extant metadata when available, gather
automatically• Use aggregate groupings to streamline digitization
and description• Reserve exceptional digitization effort when
warranted (or do more later!)• Look for ways to increase your output of digital
collections