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Mind the Gaps: Digital Collections. Edward Benoit III School of Information Studies, UW-Milwaukee. Introduction. Definitions Considerations Skills & knowledge required Training/education Networking Example. Some Brief Definitions. Digital Archives
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Mind the Gaps: Digital Collections Edward Benoit III School of Information Studies, UW-Milwaukee
Introduction • Definitions • Considerations • Skills & knowledge required • Training/education • Networking • Example
Some Brief Definitions • Digital Archives • Entire contents or selections from series, subseries, folder, etc. of a single collection • Adheres to archival principles (original order, provenance, etc.) • Digital Exhibition • Selections from multiple collections or repositories • Digitally aggregated • Digital Collections
Situation • Imagine… • Sagamore County Historical Society • Tasked with creating a digital collection • No background in digital collections • Now what do you do?
Considerations • Purpose • Users • Funding/resources • Time/labor required • Future directions • Required skills/knowledge
Skills & Knowledge Required • Technical vs. conceptual • Digitization processes • Format specific skills • Digital collection development planning • Metadata standards • Interface design • Social and legal issues • Digital collection evaluation
Training/Education • Limitations of formal archival education • Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) Curriculum and Certificate Program • Conference workshops • Personal learning/training • Learning through networking
Networking within the Archives Community • Digital collections as children • Formal networking opportunities • Regional conferences (MAC) • National conferences (SAA) • Collaborative projects • Wisconsin Heritage Online (http://wisconsinheritage.org/) • University of Wisconsin Digital Collections’ “The State of Wisconsin Collection” (http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/collections/WI) • The March on Milwaukee Civil Rights History Project (http://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/digilib/march/index.cfm)
Networking within the Archives Community • Informal networking opportunities • Identify others in similar situations • Setup a meeting (one-on-one or group) • Build an email “listserv”or private wiki • Wikidot (http://www.wikidot.com/) • Wikispaces (http://www.wikispaces.com/) • Graduate students • Internships/Fieldwork • Researchers • Consultation • Case study opportunities
Networking Outside the Archives Community • Other types of digital collections • Skill/knowledge overlap • Collaboration possibilities
Practical Example: Wisconsin Historical Organization/Archives without Digital Collections Historical Organization/Archives with Digital Collections http://mapalist.com/Public/pm.aspx?mapid=258532
Example Continued Historical Organization/Archives with Digital Collections Wisconsin Historical Society Area Research Center
Example Continued Digital Library/Museum Digital Archives/Exhibition http://mapalist.com/Public/pm.aspx?mapid=258536
Example Continued Digital Library/Museum Digital Archives/Exhibition
Summary and Tips • Review goals and purpose of digital collection • Assess the needed gaps in knowledge • Address these needs through a combination of: • Formal training/education • Personal development • Networking