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Steps Toward a Globally Distributed Mathematics Library . The University of Michigan Experience Sara Rutter March 18, 2002. Overview. Selecting and digitizing the books Linking the collection to an interoperable distributed digital library of mathematical monographs.
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Steps Toward a Globally Distributed Mathematics Library The University of Michigan Experience Sara Rutter March 18, 2002
Overview • Selecting and digitizing the books • Linking the collection to an interoperable distributed digital library of mathematical monographs
Background Digital Landscape (late 1998) • Cornell Historic Math Book Collection • Jahrbuch Project • Linking from Mathscinet to journal articles • Making of America Project at the University of Michigan
Local Conditions • Strong collection of 19th century mathematics monographs at UM • Mathematicians, philosophy researchers, needed to use historical mathematics books • Mass deacidification project, pizza box project
Proposal • Scan/digitize and OCR, crumbling books • Focus on non-Euclidean geometry; grow out from that center • Capture important time in mathematics
Bibliographies Used • D.M. Y. Sommerville’s Bibliography of Non-Euclidean Geometry, 2nd ed. • George Halsted’s Bibliography of Hyper-Space and Non-Euclidean Geometry, American Journal of Mathematics 1(1878)
Grand Scheme • Digitize as many of the core works in the bibliographies as possible • Create/show intellectual links; make connections • Link to the Jahrbuch • Link to the Catalogue of scientific papers (when digitized)
Access and Preservation • Provide access to content often difficult to access because of physical condition, location • Preserve content in a way that will enhance scholarly productivity
Selection Process • File extracted from online catalog of mathematics monographs with publishing dates between 1800-1925 • Selected works with connection to development of non-Euclidean geometry • Shared list with faculty within UM and with other interested scholars
Digitizing • Find the books • Communicate with remote storage facility • Cataloging • Inspect each book • NSF-MATH reformatting staff
Criteria • Held by the University of Michigan Library • Published between 1800 to 1923 • Brittle • Not digitized by Cornell or Goettingen • Works of mathematicians who contributed to development of non-Euclidean geometry
University of Michigan Historical Mathematics Collectionhttp://www.hti.umich.edu/u/umhistmath/