Using the Archivists Toolkit in Special Collections Digitization

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Using the Archivists Toolkit in Special
Collections Digitization
The Washington Square Image Pilot Project New
York University Archives Bobst Library
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Standardizing Digital Imaging at Bobst
Library(Melitte Buchman)

• To create preservation worthy tiff files for
  long term ingest into the Preservation Repository
  of unique special collections materials.
• To disseminate good digital practices
  throughout the library as a whole.
• To create a unified collection that includes
  both library based material and grants related
  projects.

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The Washington Square Image Project

• To create a website for the UA that
  integrated high quality digital images into an
  item-level EAD finding aid.
• To train the UA staff in preservation scanning
  and metadata creation.
• To create guides for these processes that can
  be used for future projects throughout Bobst
  Library.

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Metadata (DACS)

• Reference code WSA_04_02_01_05t
• Name and Location of Repository New York
  University Archives, etc
• Title Newsstand, Corner of West 3rd Street and
  Sullivan Street
• Date (Year only) 1950s
• Extent (and physical description) 1 black and
  white photograph (5 x 7 inches)
• Creator (individual and/or organization) name
  Gurian, Mal
• Scope and Content (description)  A black and
  white photograph of a Newsstand at the corner of
  Sullivan Street and West 3rd Street, 1950s
• Conditions Governing Reproduction and use 
  Permission to publish materials must be obtained
  in writing from the New York University Archives
• Note Original photo includes mark-up for
  publication

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Metadata (AT)

• Resource Identifier wsp_gv_9_2_18
• Title Musicians, Washington Square Park
• Date Expression circa 1950 - 1959
• Inclusive Dates (begin/end)
• Repository Processing note Do Not Scan New
  York Historical Society
• Name Link Gurian, Mal
• Subject Link Musicians.
• Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use  Not
  for Reproduction Property of the New York
  Historical Society
• General Physical Description Note
  black-and-white print (photograph), 8 x 10 inches

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Series, subseries, box, folder, item Washington
square park, aerial view, box 1, folder 1, item 1
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Assessing The Toolkit positives
Many ways of using the AT. Export
functions. User doesnt need to know EAD.
Multiple instances to describe a single record.
Ability to edit existing finding aids (eg adding
item-level). Easy interface for data entry for
multiple users.
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Assessing The Toolkit negatives
Only one user at a time could work on the
resource. Navigating through the many screens
slowed down data entry. Rapid Data Entry not
suitable for item-level description. Difficulty
of creating digital object instances for large
projects. Saving requires closing out of the
resource. Very basic stylesheet.