Digitization at the New York Botanical Garden
John Mignault
Systems Librarian, The LuEsther T. Mertz Library
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The LuEsther T. Mertz Library
A prestigious botanical and horticultural library
Goals Strengthen collections Increase access Provide quality resources &
services Stewardship of collections
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Virtual Herbarium 7.5 million pressed
plant specimens 1.5 million
specimens digitized Running on KE Emu
software
http://sciweb.nybg.org/science2/VirtualHerbarium.asp
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The pilot project - Michaux
http://library.nybg.org/library/page1.php
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Why digitize?
More people now visit the Library virtually than physically
Need to expand access to materials to an increasingly online user population
Total Library usage (e-mails, onsite, website) = 120,800
Over 29,000 onsite visitors - 25% 82,300 visitors to the virtual library - 75%!
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Circa Instans, 1190
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How much of the Library’s collections should we digitize?
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Proposed Plan for Digitization
Criteria
contributes to a critical mass in a specific subject supports an online research or curriculum tool
Other factors
on demand research requests or interlibrary loans commercial use scans for product development collaborative potential preservation reformatting
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Library Digitization Plan
user studies and audience identification select collections to be scanned implement best practices image format and resolution preservation and conservation quality control and image management equipment selection and maintenance server space and digital archival storage assess staffing and funding needs
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Web-based access provides substantial benefits to library users worldwide
By making research materials that are out of copyright and in the public domain available digitally, we can drive traffic to the Garden’s website and expose all of our collections to a greater audience.
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Digitization of Caribbean material can support Garden research programs
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Research environmentTaxonomic intelligence toolsFull text available in BHL portalAdvanced search applications
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Book scanning in the Garden’s imaging lab
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Future efforts
Task force Technology infrastructure Develop staffing Integration with Virtual Herbarium Integration of library resources
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Links
NYBG: http://www.nybg.org Mertz Library:
http://library.nybg.org Virtual Herbarium:
http://tinyurl.com/2zuvfa BHL:
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
