Digitising someone else’s collection

Picture Coffs Harbour – a joint digitisation project of Coffs Harbour City Library and

Coffs Harbour Regional Museum

Enzo Accadia – Project/Library Manager

Digitisation Seminar, State Library of NSW, 15 Feb 2011

Road map • The back story• Forming a partnership• Making it work• Doing it right• Outcomes• What next

The back story • Our community• The library• The museum

Oral history digitisationVoice of Time collection

Museum’s picture collection

• Large collection• Subject folders• Manual system• Some digitisation!• Documentation

challenges

Spydus Picture Maroochy

Show me the money!

Library Development Grant for $64,000

Forming a partnership• Concerns• Compromises• Common ground• Communication

Making it work • Equal partners – joint statement• Branding• www.picturecoffsharbour.org

Library & Museum – similar but different!• Division of work based on strengths/weaknesses & logic

Museum: • Scanning (create TIFF)• Basic catalogue record• Apply local knowledge

Library:• Batch process images• Upgrade record• Maintain systems• Technical knowledge

Coffs Harbour Regional Museum - mus07-7678Coffs Harbour Regional Museum - mus07-7678

Making it work• Detailed documentation• Custom web worksheet• Batch image processing

Adobe Photoshop CS3

Tyranny of distance!• Two work sites• Communication• File storage/delivery• The metadata gap• Intranet site• The ‘Snag Log’

Pictured: the intranet site

Snag Log

Microsoft Sharepoint

Doing it right – standards & technical stuff

• Digital Practice• Scanning quality

(6,000 pixels longest side or 1,200 dpi TIFF files)

• OPAC consistency (fixed image sizes)

• Copyright – non-displayed images (post ’55)

• Glass plate/acetate negatives• APT & LCSH subject headings• Picture Australia

Doing it right – standards & technical stuffShared project documentation – http://tinyurl.com/pch-docs

• Over 2,000 photographs digitised• Flagship online Council resource• Improved access/awareness• Value of participating in Picture Australia• Digital safeguarding of our pictorial heritage• Relationship with the museum

Outcomes

What next …

• ‘Loaned’ photos• Flickr• Photographer bio’s• OPAC enhancements• Google Maps

My advice

• Clear agreed objectives from the start

• Maintain relationship with partner(s)

• Document everything• Stick to standards• Share with others• Just do it!

Further information

http://www.picturecoffsharbour.org

http://tinyurl.com/pch-docs (shared docs)

Enzo Accadiat: 02 6648 4129e: enzo.accadia@chcc.nsw.gov.au