The Subject Librarian's Role

in Building Digital Collections:

Where Information Management and

Subject Expertise Meet

Ruth VondracekOregon State UniversityOnline NW 2003February 28, 2003

Outline Context & Definitions The Cast of Characters Digital Collection Life Cycle Subject Librarian Role

Context

Focus on academic environment Non-commercial digital libraries Using examples from OSU

Braceros in Oregon Linus Pauling collections

Subject Librarian = Library Subject Specialist

Knowledgeable about a specific discipline from a library perspective

Generally, not always, in a public service role Wears many hats: reference, instruction,

collection development, cataloging Acts as liaison to subject experts, such as:

faculty, researchers, other professionals AKA: Collection Development Librarian, Subject

Bibliographer, Reference Librarian, Information Consultant, Subject Cataloger, Archivist

Information Management

“This interdisciplinary field draws on and combines skills and resources from librarianship and information science, information technology, records management, archives and general management. Its focus is information as a resource, independently of the physical form in which it occurs.”

Leonard Will http://www.willpowerinfo.co.uk/

Digital Libraries"An informal definition of a digital library is a

managed collection of information, with associated services, where the information is stored in digital formats and accessible over a network. A crucial part of this definition is that the information is managed. A stream of data sent to earth from a satellite is not a library. The same data, when organized systematically, becomes a digital library collection."

William Y. Arms. Digital Libraries and Electronic Publishing. MIT Press. 2000

Cast of Characters Project Managers Catalogers or metadata specialists Information Architects Software / Hardware experts Digitization staff Subject Experts Content Users

CreateCreate

SelectSelect

Digitize&

Store

Digitize&

Store

Organize &

Describe

Organize &

Describe

CaptureCapture

PromotePromote

Build ContextBuild

Context

Design InterfaceDesign

Interface

UseUse

Digital Collection Life Cycle

Collection GoalsSupport

&

Maintenance

Licensin

g

IdentifyIdentify

Activities Build relationships with subject experts

Stay aware of current or emerging research areas

Seek out information stores or knowledge bases

Skills & Expertise Requires liaison and consulting skills

Collaboration Subject experts: faculty, researchers, other

professionals

Identify (Scouting)

Select Activities

Select content that meets library and organizational goals

Determine ‘fit’ with other library collections

Unique, complementary, or duplicate Determine which information is useful to the

selected audience Determine scope Identify formats; determine requirements to

digitize

Select Activities

Determine how it will be used and how would use it Verify accuracy & authority Secure licensing and copyright

Skills Content development and analysis

Negotiation and licensing skills

Collaboration Subject experts, Information technologists,

Acquisition staff

CreateCreate

SelectSelect

Digitize&

Store

Digitize&

Store

Organize &

Describe

Organize &

Describe

CaptureCapture

PromotePromote

Build ContextBuild

Context

Design InterfaceDesign

Interface

UseUse

Digital Collection Life Cycle

Collection GoalsSupport

&

Maintenance

Licensin

g

IdentifyIdentify

Organize & Describe Activities

Identify appropriate existing controlled vocabularies and existing thesauri or

Work with subject experts and catalogers/metadata specialists to create vocabularies and thesaurus

Collaborate on applying metadata and cataloging standards

Influencing information architecture to ensure effective retrieval

Assist with description of materials

Organize & Describe Skills

Understanding language of the discipline

Understanding of organization of information within a particular discipline

Understanding impact of information architecture on search and retrieval

Collaboration Catalogers/Metadata experts; Subject specialists,

Information technologists and architects

CreateCreate

SelectSelect

Digitize&

Store

Digitize&

Store

Organize &

Describe

Organize &

Describe

CaptureCapture

PromotePromote

Build ContextBuild

Context

Design InterfaceDesign

Interface

UseUse

Digital Collection Life Cycle

Collection GoalsSupport

&

Maintenance

Licensin

g

IdentifyIdentify

Build Context Activities

Create content to support collection

Solicit content from subject experts

Point to other existing resources Webliographies or Bibliographies

Skills Knowledge of related resources

Collaboration Subject experts

Build Context Activities

Create content to support collection

Solicit content from subject experts

Point to other existing resources Webliographies or Bibliographies

Skills Knowledge of related resources

Collaboration Subject experts

Design Interface Activities

Influence interface design to support needs of end users

Conduct usability testing with end users

Skills Understanding of how users search for and use

information

Understanding of web design

Collaboration Web specialists, subject experts, users

Design Interface Activities

Influence interface design to support needs of end users

Conduct usability testing with end users

Skills Understanding of how users search for and use

information

Understanding of web and information design

Collaboration Web specialists, subject experts, users

CreateCreate

SelectSelect

Digitize&

Store

Digitize&

Store

Organize &

Describe

Organize &

Describe

CaptureCapture

PromotePromote

Build ContextBuild

Context

Design InterfaceDesign

Interface

UseUse

Digital Collection Life Cycle

Collection GoalsSupport

&

Maintenance

Licensin

g

IdentifyIdentify

Promote & Disseminate Activities

Promote collection on library web site, local and organization media, in relevant journals and web sites

Incorporate into appropriate instruction sessions and research guides

Ensure cross-linking with other related collections and sites

Skills Promotion and marketing skills

Collaboration Subject experts, users, other libraries and organizations

Use Activities

Facilitate use of collection by end users

Serve as use advocate Anticipate issues concerning collection use

Document needed changes and updates

Refer individuals to appropriate contacts

Skills Reference and research skills

Collaboration Subject experts, users, other libraries and organizations,

technology support

Skills & Expertise Liaison and consulting skills Knowing what information is useful in

which context and by whom Understanding of how information is

organized in a general sense and within certain disciplines

Understanding of how people search for, retrieve and use information

Building context and research guides

What does it take to get there? Appropriate training Opportunities for participation Development of negotiation and

communication skills Interaction with appropriate team

members

The Subject Librarian's Role in Building Digital Collections:

Where Information Management and Subject Expertise Meet

http://osulibrary.orst.edu/projects/ONW2003/subj_lib_role/

Ruth Vondracek

Oregon State University

Online NW 2003

February 28, 2003