Message-Id: <mailto:199509211414.JAA00914@library.wustl.edu> Date: Thu, 21 Sep 1995 10:10:24 -0500 From: Peter Nelson <mailto:NELSON@JEFLIN.TJU.EDU> Subject: Thomas Jefferson University Archives - project status report To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB
I thought some IMAGELIB subscribers might be interested in getting an update on the status of our imaging project, so below I offer a general overview of it -- its goals, methods (using Kodak Photo CD) and progress to date. Later this year or very shortly after 1/1/96 our online archival image library will be available for public use on the WWW. Stay tuned! I'd be interested to hear any comments, particularly from curators of other archival image collections, which seem to be a rarer breed on the list. Thanks -- Peter Nelson************
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY (Philadelphia, Pa.) IMAGE DIGITIZATION PROJECT
Goals: * Intellectual control of iconographic collections, which comprise ca. 10,000 photographs, slides, engravings and other media, through the creation of a searchable on-line digital image library. Surrogate images displayed on-screen, in both thumbnail and full-screen formats, are intended to serve as refer ences only, not publishable images. High quality photographic prints are to be created from film negatives or Photo-CD. * Promotion of the collection through on-line access both locally and world-wide (WWW server for campus-wide information system). * Preservation of original images by reducing handling by patrons and staff. * Creation of archivally safe backup copies of originals, to be used to make repro ductions upon request.
Method: Image capture: The University's Media Services Department reproduces origi nal images on both 35 mm. and 6x7 cm. film. (Color film is used for color originals but not for sepia prints.) 35mm film is processed to create Kodak Photo-CDs while the larger format film serves as higher resolution archival backup. Low-resolution image files from the PhotoCD (192 x 128 pixels) are processed and linked to their corresponding records in the Oracle database to make preview images seen when viewing search results. A larger, higher-resolution GIF file of each image (768 x 512 pixels) is also linked to the record and is available for viewing finer details.
Automated access: A relational database using Oracle software, customized by Scott Library's Systems Department, provides the following searchable data elements: generic subject (LCTGM terms); personal/cor porate/place names (local and LC name authorities); creator name; donor name; photographic format; range of dates. Searcher may enter data in more than one field simultaneously. In addition to the above, record display includes title, summary, file #, photo CD frame #, color/bw indicator, and tracings.
Approximate Storage Requirements (Image Files) : 6Kb/image (thumbnail); 70 Kb/image (full-screen).
Cost (Image Capture) : Medical Media Services, TJU - Image capture on 35 mm. and 6x7 cm. film & Photo CD:
* Normal size b/w originals: $6.35/image * Oversize originals (larger than 11 " x 14") : $17.98/image * Normal size color originals : $6.50/image
Progress: Phase 1 (FY 1994-95): 955 images were captured in Series C (Places) on nine photo-CDs as of February 28, 1995. Data entry is expected to be completed by November 1, when the image library is planned to be made available to the public on the WWW server.
Phase 2 (FY 1995-96): completion of the capture and descrip tion of ca. 300 images in Series C and ca. 700 selected im ages from Series A (portraits through ca. 1950).
Outside Funding: 1994-95: Preservation Needs Assessment Program, William Penn Foundation 1995-96: Commonwealth Libraries, Library Services and Construction Act, Title III, Interlibrary Cooperation and Resource Sharing (pending) -- this money will fund an exciting joint project with our neighboring institution, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
For more information, contact: Peter Nelson, University Archivist Internet: mailto:Nelson@jeflin.tju.edu Thomas Jefferson University voice: (215) 955-8097 Scott Memorial Library, 1020 Walnut Street fax: (215) 923-7642 Philadelphia, PA 19107
JEFFLINE, Thomas Jefferson University's WWW information system: http://aisr.lib.tju.edu/
ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-Peter Nelson, M.L.S. (mailto:NELSON@jeflin.tju.edu) University Archivist/Special Collections Librarian Thomas Jefferson University Scott Memorial Library 1020 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19107-5587 Voice: 215/955-7769 Fax: 215/955-7642