MAIN LIBRARY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINE TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

1. MAIN LIBRARYTHE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINETRINIDAD & TOBAGO DIGITAL INITIATIVE PROJECT KATHLEEN HELENESE-PAUL

2. INTRODUCTION • This project involves the establishment of a digital initiative at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Trinidad and Tobago.

3. INTRODUCTION • It will have as its focus the digitization of the University Library’s special collections in order to provide to the people of the Caribbean region and beyond, access to these collections in digital format.

4. OBJECTIVES • To preserve the documents • To improve access • To increase the awareness of the University’s special collections

5. GOALS • To convert the library's special collections (our cultural heritage) from print format to electronic format. • To widen access to a new community of users so that more active scholarship is facilitated.

6. GOALS • To promote collaboration in the region with institutions which may have similar thematic collections and similar plans.

7. BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT • The material acquired over the periods 1983, 1988 and 1993, and which is housed at the library, includes: • Illustrations in Indian ink, poster paint and watercolors of the stage sets, scenes and costumes, of the Joker of Seville including posters and programmes.

8. BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT • A substantial collection of manuscripts of plays, poems, sketchbooks, photographs, correspondence, music scores, reel to reel tapes, and paintings. • Drafts and illustrations of his extended poem Omeros, 1992.

10. BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT • The collection is inventoried in a seven-page typescript prepared by Mrs. Irma Goldstraw, and is also entered in a CDS/ISIS database entitled DEREK.

11. RATIONALE • In 1999, the University of Toronto acquired Derek Walcott material relating to his work from the early 1980's to mid 1990's. • It is therefore timely of our institution to begin to prepare for possible institutional alliances.

12. RATIONALE • There are similar initiatives in various stages in universities in the region, viz.: The Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, and the University of Technology, Jamaica.

13. RATIONALE • The project therefore advocates that this venture, while starting at U.W.I., St. Augustine can extend itself in the long term to become a cooperative regional-based initiative, involving other libraries, museums and archives.

14. METHODOLOGY • Managed and undertaken in-house by the University Library to gain the advantage of developing digital imaging project experience by "active involvement" (project management, familiarity with technology, etc.)

15. METHODOLOGY • Capitalize on project experience in order to build expertise, systems and services best suited to the needs of the institution.

16. METHODOLOGY • Recruit and train relevant personnel for selection, document preparation and benchmarking for quality control.

17. TIME FRAME This is a four -year project: Year 1 – Establishment Stage • Development of policy • Training

18. TIME FRAME • Year 2- Development stage • Scanning and indexing of materials – undergraduates. • Technical quality control checks - in-house staff. • File management – cataloguer.

19. TIME FRAME • Years 3 and 4 – Finishing stage • Networking • Developing of a web-based product • Development of workstations leading to user access to the digital image, all done by in-house staff

20. OUTCOME • This project aims: • To produce a networked deliverable electronic product of a substantial portion of Derek Walcott’s early works, in order to provide a new means of scholarship.

21. OUTCOME • To increase national, regional and international audiences and further complement the collection of his later works held at the University of Toronto.

22. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MARKETING • To produce CD-ROM’s, and generate thumbnails and access images, for example JPEG’s and /or GIF’s from TIFF’s, and the development of websites.

23. MANAGEMENT • The Campus Librarian Dr. Margaret Rouse-Jones of the U.W.I., St.Augustine Library has been recently named as a member of the Regional Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean of the UNESCO Memory of the World, thereby ensuring a committed Management stake in the project.

24. MANAGEMENT • Collaboration between the “three agencies mainly responsible for the collection and oversight of” Trinidad and Tobago’s documentary heritage:

25. MANAGEMENT • The National Archives • The Heritage Library of the National Library and Information Systems Authority (NALIS) • The University of the West Indies Library, the West Indiana and Special Collections Division.

26. MANAGEMENT • Ultimately, it is hoped that not only would the project provide the benchmark for similar initiatives in the region, but also • Contribute towards collaborative efforts with regard to the rationalization and preservation of the nation’s documentary heritage.

27. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS • Scanning at the highest resolution appropriate to the informational content of the originals • Scanning at an appropriate level of quality to avoid rescanning and re-handling of the originals in the future • Creating and storing a master image file that can be used to produce derivative image files and serve a variety of current and future user needs

28. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS • Using system components that are non-proprietary • Using image file formats and compression techniques that conform to industry standards • Creating backup copies of all files on a stable medium • Creating meaningful metadata for image files or collections

29. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS • Storing media in an appropriate environment • Monitoring and recopying data as necessary • Outlining a migration strategy for transferring data across generations of technology • Anticipating and planning for future technological developments

30. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: HARDWARE • PC/Macintosh • Large screen monitor (preferably 21") • Planetary Scanner • Digital camera • CD-recorder • Back-up drive (DAT, zip® or jaz®) • Color/black and white printer

31. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE • There are three types of software needed for most digital imaging projects: • The first is the scanning software that comes with the scanner. • The second type of software is the image editing software, normally applied to the image after it has been scanned.

32. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE • Thirdly, Batch-processing software takes a large set of files and automatically performs the same process on them.

33. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: SOFTWARE • Additionally, for creating bibliographic records for the items converted, some kind of database management software must also be available to the Library. A relational database management system is preferred here.

34. STORING IMAGES • Storage media: • Removable hard drives • CD-ROM • Tape

35. STORING IMAGES • The issue of access will be covered using the most common "model" for digital projects which is to store master images offline on CD-ROM, and to make accessible thumbnail versions • Master images may be viewed upon request, in person, from the CD-ROM.

36. STAFFING • Project management • Database development and administration • Cataloging • Computer programming • Web design

37. STAFFING • Subject matter specialists (curators, archivists, scholars, librarians, faculty, etc.) • Knowledge/experience in the preservation of materials • Knowledge/experience in photography

38. STAFFING • Artistic/graphic design • Interest in fine arts, music, art history, humanities, sciences, and history--any subject matter that the digitization project may encompass.

39. WORK PLAN • Initial conversion starts with quality benchmarking and assessing the dimensions of a selected document and its significant detail(s). • Scanning and indexing will include the capture, file formatting, compression, metadata creation, quality control, and authentication.

40. WORK PLAN • File management will include storage, backup, scaling for access, error detection, correction, and migration. • Networking will examine what is needed for servers, protocols, authorization, and scalable architecture.

41. WORK PLAN • Display of the electronic information will include decompression, integration with image browser, and magnification. • Printing the electronic information will include decompression, page language interpretation, dithering, and scaling.

42. WORK PLAN • A procedure's manual developed for managing a digital project will need to reflect the full workflow.

43. IN-HOUSE RESOURCES • Digital project coordinator (Librarian) • Database development and administration skills • CDS-ISIS database of the Derek Walcott collection • Printed inventory of the collection • HP flat bed scanner

44. BUDGET: EQUIPMENT • PC/Macintosh USD 2000 • Large screen monitor (preferably 21") USD 1000 • Planetary Scanner USD 30000 • Digital camera USD 1200 • CD-recorder USD 800 • Back-up drive (DAT, zip® or jaz®) USD 300 • Color/black and white printer USD 1000 • SUB TOTAL- US$36,300

45. BUDGET: SOFTWARE • Image database software USD 1000 • Web design software USD 200 • Authoring software USD 4000 • OCR software USD 800 • Scanning software USD 200 • Software for writing • and producing CD’s USD 200 • SUBTOTAL- US$ 6,400

46. BUDGET:HUMAN RESOURCES • Consultant (International expert with specific experience in a library based digital initiative.) USD 5000 • Cataloguer…(f/t)………….. USD1500x 12 mths USD18,000 • Text Keyer/Encoder (p/t) USD 450 x 12 mths USD 5400 • Imaging Technician (p/t) USD 450 x 12 mths USD 5400 • SUBTOTAL- US$33,800

47. BUDGET : STAFF TRAINING • Imaging, Authoring, Quality Control USD 3000 • (one full time staff member and two undergraduates) • GRAND TOTAL US$ 79,500

48. MAIN LIBRARYTHE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINETRINIDAD & TOBAGO DIGITAL INITIATIVE PROJECT KATHLEEN HELENESE-PAUL