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Bits and Pieces

Collection management
OCLC's new Web Harvester captures Web content to add to digital collections

OCLC is now offering the Web Harvester, a new product that allows libraries and other cultural heritage institutions to capture and add Web content to their digital collections managed by CONTENTdm software.

OCLC's Web Harvester addresses the need to store and provide access to otherwise highly transient information resources that solely exist on Web sites.

The Web Harvester evolved from collaboration with several state libraries, state archives and universities over a period of seven years. Participants emphasized the increasing importance of collecting and managing Web-based content as information resources move online, yet remain within libraries' and archives' collection scopes.

The Web Harvester is integrated into library workflows, allowing library staff to capture content as part of the cataloging process. The captured content is then sent to the organization's digital collections where it can be managed with other CONTENTdm digital content.

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Collection management
University of Warwick provides Web access to 18th century drama

The University of Warwick, one of the UK’s leading universities, has one of the most significant collections of 18th and 19th century French plays. The whole collection comprises over 4000 French language plays covering the period from 1820 to 1900.

The University decided that this unique material, some of which is not even available digitally from the Bibliothèque nationale de France, needed to be digitized in order to preserve, improve usability and widen access to create a truly international collection.

After assessing four digital collection management solutions available, the University chose and implemented OCLC’s CONTENTdm® Digital Collection Management Software. CONTENTdm is a complete solution for storing, managing and delivering a library’s digital collections to the Web.

Stuart Hunt, Data Services Manager at the University, explains, “We selected CONTENTdm for its versatility in the types of media that it could handle, the speed at which a collection could be built up and its value for money. Value for money was an important factor as it meant that the library could carry out more digitization work within the budget we had without sacrificing functionality.”

Where once academics and researchers had to leaf through very old and fragile copies of the scripts, they now have online access to fully searchable digital copies via CONTENTdm as well as WorldCat.org. The collection has become more widely accessible outside of the physical library.

Hunt continues, “CONTENTdm made it easy to quickly establish a digital presence for selected parts of our special collections. It is an essential tool in exposing our research collections in French Revolutionary and post-revolutionary drama. We are now able to provide full-text access to materials where previously this was not possible. To date, the digitized collection represents 10% of the entire collection. We see this as an on-going project that we will continue with until we complete digitizing all of the material we want to cover.”

To learn more about the University of Warwick's project, please view the case study.

Collection management
CONTENTdm featured collections: August 2008

Organizations worldwide are using CONTENTdm® Digital Collection Management Software to create thousands of outstanding digital collections and to provide easy access to their unique holdings.

This month, four collections from the CONTENTdm Collection of Collections will be featured on the OCLC Web site. The featured collections for August are the Templeton Digital Sheet Music Collection, Nevada in Maps, Gemeentearchief Veenendaal and Dot Carpenter: The Woman Behind the Man.

The Templeton Digital Sheet Music Collection Mississippi State University Libraries Since the Templeton Digital Sheet Music project began in 2000, nearly 6,000 sheet music scores have been added to the digital collection. For those published prior to 1923, entire scores are viewable. Metadata and cover art are available for all others. The complete collection of almost 22,000 pieces, which includes popular tunes dating as far back as 1865, is part of the Charles H. Templeton, Sr. Music Museum, located in the Mitchell Memorial Library on the Mississippi State University campus.

Nevada in Maps University of Nevada, Reno The original focus of this digital map site was a collection of historic maps of Nevada presenting topographic, geologic and mining themes. Many of these maps are over 100 years old, deteriorating, rare, not cataloged and, therefore, not readily available or even known to potential patrons. There are now over 4200 maps and atlases on this site with many more to be added. The site also includes contemporary maps of Nevada and the Great Basin.

Gemeentearchief Veenendaal Gemeente Veenendaal This digital archive contains photographs and postcards of the city of Veenendaal in the Netherlands. Over 3,300 images depict the city from the early 1900s through the current age. The Veenendaal City Archives also includes a collection of 3,700 notary deeds from 1674-1810 that describe typical household assets, family law and business law proceedings. The handwritten deeds were not fully transcribed but searching via the descriptive metadata provides easy access to this rich source of information. Further, the City Archives have digitized a collection of 750 book covers of publications about Veenendaal and its region.

Dot Carpenter: The Woman Behind the Man Colorado State University Libraries It is said that behind every great man is a great woman. Delph Carpenter, “Father of Interstate River Compacts,” found greatness through working tirelessly—even when increasingly ill—ably aided by his wife, Dot. In this virtual exhibit, Dot Carpenter’s life is examined through the people who influenced her. Among other achievements, Dot's legacy is reflected in the western water law contributions made by her husband and son. This exhibit features items from the Papers of Delph E. Carpenter and Family.

About this publication

No.

ISSN 0273-3110

Edited by Peter Insabella, Product Documentation

Bits and Pieces is produced monthly by OCLC to collect recently-published news and information about the effective use of OCLC products and services.

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