Report WDL Content Selection Working Group

1. Report WDL Content Selection Working Group Rifaat Hilal Co-Chair Sreten Ugricic Co-Chair

2. Agenda Introduction. Objectives and Definition. Selection and Audience. Selection Philosophy. General Guidelines for Content selection. Concluding Remarks. Content Selection Standing Committee. Further discussion.

3. Introduction One of the first working groups. First meeting in Paris October 2007. Co-chaired by Galina Kislovskaya Focus on the type of material and limitation of its selection.

4. Introduction Second meeting, in Cairo Jan. 2009. Discussion of content selection Criteria. Selection Philosophy. Role of national committees. Integration with UNESCO memory of the world and other national memory of...

5. Objectives and Definition According to WDL Charter.. Fulfill WDL objectives to promote international and intercultural understanding and awareness. Content will include materials representing the culture and history of all countries. Digital versions of important culture materials. Provide resources to educators. Contribute to scholarly research.

6. Selection and Audience Mission Develop a selection Philosophy and selection guidelines. Audience Content should appeal to a range of audiences on a worldwide basis, students, teachers, information professionals and the general public.

7. Selection Philosophy The World Digital Library (WDL) presents sources for understanding the history of humanity. The mission of the selection working group is to show how partners will approach the selection of sources that will present the history of humanity to the worldwide audience through the WDL.

8. Sources for the History of Humanity Partner institutions are encouraged to select items or collections of items that best present their respective national cultures. Partner institutions are encouraged to contribute to the WDL collections from their holdings that relate to the history and culture of other countries. The WDL Content Selection Committee may designate selected, high-profile subjects for treatment in an international comparative perspective, e.g., “the history of writing," and call for contributions from partner institutions that relate to these subjects.

9. Sources for the History of Humanity Partner institutions are especially invited to contribute items or collections from their holdings that are included in the Memory of the World Registry. WDL selection guidelines may be reviewed and enhanced over time, with particular reference to the "Memory of the World" guidelines. Prior to final selection, partner institutions are requested to submit information, on a standard template , describing the collection of material proposed for submission, its importance, size, intellectual property status, and so forth.

10. General Guidelines for Content Selection Manuscripts Key historical documents; illuminated and illustrated manuscripts; (e.g., pre-print materials); examples of calligraphy in all scripts; sacred texts and other religious texts; personal diaries and letters of general interest. Books Rare and significant volumes of history, culture, literature, science, and other topics, in all languages. Books that complement special format materials (e.g., books that explain manuscripts or photographs). Other Printed Materials Pamphlets and ephemera that are of interest to scholars (e.g., railroad and shipping timetables, early advertisements and directories) and that help to convey a sense of popular culture and everyday life.

11. General Guidelines for Content Selection…..Continue Maps, Atlases Hand-drawn maps by explorers; early printed maps; printed maps that played significant roles in shaping national consciousness in different countries; maps by indigenous peoples or that show geographic knowledge obtained from indigenous peoples; topical maps showing industry, transportation, ethnographic and linguistic distribution. Prints, Drawings Printed pictorial materials from the pre-photographic era, for example, posters associated with important personalities, events and social, cultural, economic, scientific, and technological developments.

12. General Guidelines for Content Selection…..Continue Photographs Collections that document everyday life, buildings, and infrastructure; albums (published or unpublished) created for special occasions such as visits and anniversaries; collections owned or created by important historical personages. Images of monuments that have been included in national registers as national treasures. Images of unique natural monuments, national parks, and notable events. Films Early films; documentary clips that show events and individuals of historic importance. Sound Recordings Recordings of important historical and cultural events, developments, and oral history (e.g., intangible heritage).

13. Concluding Remarks There are no hard and fast rules for selection – no simple answer of what kind of material should be included in or excluded from the World Digital Library that can be applied to every country and time period. Countries and cultures are different. Some countries have more of an oral than a written tradition. Some countries are newly independent; others have been established for a long time. The same kinds of content cannot be selected for all countries or categories of countries.

14. Continue Concluding Remarks National and thematic selection committees are needed to ensure that the content being chosen for digitization will support creation of the “memory of” sections. Is it the right content? Is it important content? Does it cover the whole history? The selection committees also should ensure balance. Are minorities adequately represented? Are all periods covered?

15. Content Selection Standing Committee The Selection Working Group (Content Selection Standing Committee) can function like the overall editorial board of a monographic series or a journal. It should ensure quality and diversity, within the broader framework of the overall guidelines.

16. Further discussion Related subjects as: The role of specialized content-selection. subcommittees for particular themes or countries. Inclusion of archival collections, and Treatment of three-dimensional materials.

17. Thank You Questions?!