Digitization Special Interest Group  

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The Digitization SIG focuses on the sharing of information and strategies related to the many aspects of implementing digitization projects but also what can be done with these projects once they have been created. Next-generation library tools take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies and can enhance the use of digitized materials. Group membership includes any librarians and library workers who are interested in digitization initiatives or managers of digitized projects who want to keep up with current technological trends and how it can enhance access to their projects. All members of varying levels of technological expertise and comfort levels are welcome.

If you have topic suggestions or are interested in presenting at future meetings please contact Cynthia Tobar at ctobar@gc.cuny.edu or Leah Loscutoff at LLoscutoff@brooklynhistory.org

Spring 2012 Meeting

• Wednesday, March 7, 2012: Semantic Technologies & Linked Data for Digitized Collections

How can librarians and archivists keep up with the soaring demand for content findability within their growing digital collections? This is  something many search engines have not yet caught up with. However, by publishing data on the web as Linked Data, the web appears as a giant global database. As a result, some museums, libraries and other data repositories are turning towards crowdsourcing, semantic technologies and linked data solutions, inviting volunteers to assist them with everything from transcribing rare archival documents, to annotating images and geographical datasets.

This panel will address the challenges and benefits of launching linked data and digital crowdsourcing projects, and panelists will discuss ways that sharing this type of knowledge work with the general public serves their institutions and change the ways that staff interact with their public.

Topics addressed will include: 

•        Improving access to and visibility of sources for researchers

•        Workflow and platforms

•        The unanticipated benefits and challenges of deploying such projects

Panelists:

          - Lacy Schutz, Director of Collections Access, Museum of the City of New York

          - Todd Carter, Founder/CEO, Tagasauris, Inc.

          - Evan Sandhaus, Lead Architect, Semantic Platforms, New York Times

          - Ben Vershbow, Manager, NYPL Labs

          - Doug Reside, Digital Curator of Performing Arts, NYPL  

Fall 2011 Meeting

• Thursday, Oct 20th, 2011: Digitization SIG Meeting: Digitizing Workhorse Collections: The Benefits and Obstacles of Digitizing Heavily Used Collections       

  Most Institutions have at least one “workhorse” collection, meaning that it is heavily used, and needs to be readily accessible to the public. These collections are often large and digitization can be expensive and more complex. This session will focus on the challenges and benefits of digitizing a “workhorse” collection, including the various types of formats, the more complex digitization processes, the costs, and how to secure more grants funding for the project.

Spring 2011 Meetings

• Monday, May 16th, 2011: Digitization SIG Meeting: Introducing the Newly Re-designed OCLC CONTENTdm       
  Suzanne Butte from OCLC will provide an overview/demonstration of the significant changes with the release of CONTENTdm Version 6 – most notably the new end-user interface and Website configuration tools. She will also briefly review additional chang
• Tuesday, May 31st, 2011 to Tuesday, May 31st, 2011: Digitization SIG Meeting: Digital Preservation for Libraries and Archives       
  As more librarians undertake digitization, digital preservation is being integrated with the responsibilities of libraries and other cultural heritage institutions.