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Analyzing the Persistence of Referenced Web Resources with Memento
This paper analyzes the persistence of referenced web resources with memento. Abstract: In this paper we present the results of a study into the persistence and availability of web resources referenced from papers in scholarly repositories. Two repositories with different characteristics, arXiv and the UNT digital library, are studied to determine if the nature of the repository, or of its content. Memento makes it possible to automate discovery of archived resources and to consider the time between the publication of the research and the archiving of the reference URLs. This automation allows us to process more than 160000 URLs, the largest known such study, and the repository metadata allows consideration of the results by discipline. The results are startling: 45% (66096) of the URLs referenced from arXiv still exist, but are not preserved for future generations, and 28% of resources referenced by UNT papers have been lost. Moving forwards, we provide some initial recommendations, including that repositories should publish URL lists extracted from papers that could be used as seeds for web archiving systems. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc39318/
Applying User-Centered Design Principles to Redesign the Interface to the Portal to Texas History: The IOGENE Project
This paper discusses applying user-centered design principles to redesign The Portal to Texas History. Abstract: The IOGENE project at the University of North Texas Libraries applied user-centered design principles to redesign the interface to a unique digital library of cultural heritage materials, The Portal to Texas History. Since its launch in 2004, the interface had become dated and implementation of new functionality was constrained by the underlying technical infrastructure. Genealogists, a significant and under-studied class of digital library users, participated in the redesign of the Portal's interface. At the outset of the project, focus group discussions provided insights regarding genealogists' information needs as well as their research practices in relation to online information systems. In large part, these insights informed the functional requirements for the redesign of the Portal's user interface. Subsequent to each of two public releases of the redesigned interface, genealogists were engaged in usability testing. An online survey measured user satisfaction prior to and after the new interface was released. Results determined that satisfaction with the Portal significantly improved after the final release of the redesigned interface. The project's process and findings will be of interest to archives and digital libraries facing similar challenges in regard to redesigning their user interface and involving users in the design process. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc28324/
Assessment: We know we should do it but does it have to be so difficult?
This paper discusses assessments. Assessment is an essential part of a quality library instruction program. Librarians learn in library school, at conferences, in articles, and on the job that continuous assessment is necessary to ensure instruction is relevant and effective. So why aren't librarians implementing more assessment programs? Teachers of K-12 and college instructors have used assessment for innumerable years to determine if students are learning concepts and meeting objectives. The thought of not using assessment in the classroom is unthinkable for the majority of teachers. As librarians are doing more and more teaching and are considered teaching faculty in many school districts and at many institutions of higher education, it is more important than ever that we implement assessments in library classrooms. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc32999/
Avoiding the Calf-Path: Digital Preservation Readiness for Growing Collections and Distributed Preservation Networks
This paper discusses digital preservation readiness for growing collections and distributed preservation networks. Abstract: Over the past six years, the members of the MetaArchive Cooperative have worked to identify a series of best practices for distributed digital preservation readiness. These best practices can benefit ongoing initiatives as well as start-up programs which have not yet established regular procedures and standards for directory structures, metadata, and file naming conventions. The authors document what they term the "calf-path syndrome", the way in which early strides in an organization's digitization work may create a legacy that is detrimental to the preservation readiness of their growing digital collections. The authors share relatively simple principles and guidelines for such programs that can greatly improve the subsequent likelihood of implementing successful distributed digital preservation programs. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc78317/
Better Guidelines, Better Functionality: How Metadata Supports the Cycle of System Improvement at the University of North Texas
This paper discusses how metadata supports the cycle of system improvements at the University of North Texas (UNT). The UNT Libraries recently revised their Metadata Input Guidelines in order to improve usability and accessibility for metadata writers, and to enhance the quality of metadata that drives new features in their digital systems. This paper describes important considerations in the revision process and also demonstrates the relationship between quality metadata and system functionality that ultimately benefits both metadata creators and system end-users. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29323/
Chronicles in Preservation Project
This paper discusses preservation. Abstract: The Educopia Institute, with the San Diego Supercomputer Center and the libraries of University of North Texas, Penn State, Virginia Tech, University of Utah, Georgia Tech, Boston College, and Clemson University, have received $300,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities to study, document, and model the use of data preparation and distributed digital preservation frameworks to collaboratively preserve digitized and born-digital newspaper collections. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc77195/
Chronopolis and MetaArchive: Preservation Cooperation
Abstract: This paper will examine ongoing work between two major preservation systems, the Chronopolis Digital Preservation Program, and the MetaArchive Cooperative. In the past year, these two systems have begun work on bridging their technical underpinnings to create a more robust, reliable, long-lived preservation community for their users. The main emphasis of this work is moving data between a LOCKSS-based system (MetaArchive) and an iRODS-based one (Chronopolis). This work also involves several other emerging preservation micro-service tools and practices, and the expertise of the University of North Texas (UNT) Digital Library in deploying them. The final result of this work is intended to be of three-fold benefit: 1) directly improving the services offered by Chronopolis and MetaArchive to their constituents; 2) offering specific technical findings which will be of benefit to other systems using LOCKSS and iRODS; and 3) contributing to the larger preservation community through the examination of organizational best practices for preservation system interactions. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29823/
Classifying the End-of-Term Archive
This paper discusses the Classification of the End-of-Term Archive project. Abstract: For users, selecting relevant content from Web archives is often a daunting endeavor. This Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funded research project, Classification of the End-of-Term Archive, investigated whether link analysis and the cluster analysis were effective techniques for classifying the materials in the EOT Archive to improve discovery. Classification of the resulting clusters by subject matter experts in government information indicated that the structural analysis was not effective at creating clusters of related websites when authored by four or fewer federal government parent agencies. The results also suggested that cluster analysis might be effective at identifying topically related websites across agency authors, which would be highly desirable to both system developers and users. To investigate this, subject matter experts applied subject tags to the websites in two sets of machine-generated clusters. The findings indicate that the cluster analysis successfully identified strongly related content in 61% of clusters. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc93305/
Collaborations, Best Practices, and Collection Development for Born-Digital and Digitized Materials
This paper discusses collaborations, best practices, and collection development for born-digital and digitized materials. Abstract: The University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries is a collaborative partner in the Web-at-Risk project, one of eight preservation projects funded by the Library of Congress under the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP). Early in the project, UNT conducted a needs assessment to identify web archiving issues facing curators and librarians. Key findings in three areas are reported: current challenges, organizational issues, and collection development concerns. These findings informed the development of guidelines and a template for the project's curators to create web collection plans. In addition to the Web-at-Risk project, the Digital Projects Unit at the UNT Libraries has several digital library initiatives with government agencies at the Federal and State levels to preserve and provide access to important collections of born-digital and digitized materials. The library also houses The Portal to Texas History, a digital gateway to the rich collections held in Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and private collections. Collaborations, best practices, collection development, and key lessons learned from these initiatives are identified. The DPU is also involved in trialing emerging tools and solutions for the libraries' storage architecture and information services. Building on research findings and experience gained in collaborations and projects, future plans for infrastructure and services are discussed. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc33120/
Comparison of Digital Asset Management Systems (work area E)
This paper includes examinations of various digital asset management systems' (DAMS) capabilities and functions. Evaluation is based on the documentation relating to each package. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29818/
Content Divide: Africa and the Global Knowledge Footprint Sponsored by: SIG/III
This paper discusses Africa and the global knowledge footprint. Abstract: The purpose of this panel is to discuss the global knowledge output at a macro level with a view to understand key inputs that foster scientific and research performance. Here, knowledge production is limited to scientific and technical journals and patent registrations to gauge the performance of each region and continent the world over. Greater emphasis will be placed to highlight important indicators from the input side that help spur national research and innovation systems in Africa. Defined here as "content divide," panel members focus on key variables that help build scientific and research capabilities of Africa. Closely interrelated variables that will be discussed include (1) access to the global knowledge base, (2) the role of higher education systems (3) national, regional, and global research and education networks (RENs); and (4) gross expenditure on R&D (GERD). digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc130186/
Curation of the End-of-Term Web Archive
This paper discusses an end-of-term archive research project. The Classification of the End-of-Term Archive research project at the University of North Texas Libraries is investigating the feasibility of machine-generated classification of websites in the 16-terabyte End-of-Term (EOT) Web Archive. The research is being conducted concurrently in two areas: Archive Classification and Web Archive Metrics. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc36301/
The Cybercemetery: Prolonging Usable Afterlife
Abstract: This paper discusses issues related to digital resources management when capturing and preserving Web-based, heterogeneous digital materials produced by a variety of software in various versions. Despite the current inadequate digital preservation solutions, the writers explore various methods and tools that facilitate the efficient management of vast quantities of dynamic and heterogeneous digital information resources. The CyberCemetery project at the University of North Texas (UNT) is used as an example of this type of endeavor. It specifically demonstrates the efforts being made by UNT to implement digital preservation strategies for prolonging the usable life of such heterogeneous digital resources. This paper also highlights the potential role of metadata at all levels in the life cycle of a digital resource (creation, management, use, and preservation). digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29310/
Data Desiccation: Facilitating Long-Term Access, Use, and Reuse of ETDs
This paper discusses data desiccation and facilitating the long-term access, use, and reuse of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). Abstract: The successful management of electronic theses and dissertations requires effort across the entire life-cycle to ensure that ETDs are managed, preserved, and made accessible in a manner that today's users expect. Given the pressure of reading more in less time, today's users demand access to various formats regardless of temporal and spatial restrictions and the types of devices used. Digital curation is the active management of any type of digital resource through its entire life-cycle, from creation and active use, to preservation and re-use. ETDs are a highly specialized collection that demands a more specialized treatment and characterization to better capture the semantic relations of the underlying concepts. Over the past year, the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries have put forth great effort in making digital collections more accessible and useful in research processes. This paper discusses UNT's ETDs curatorial activities including how ETDs users can benefit from desiccated versions, traditionally discussed only in a digital preservation context. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67625/
The DataRes Research Project on Data Management
This paper discusses data management. Abstract: The University of North Texas together with the Council on Library and Information Resources, have received $226,786 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for a two year research project to investigate how the library and information science profession can best respond to emerging needs of research data management in universities. This project will address broad new issues concerning the emerging roles, expectations, and practices arising from requirements announced by NIH, NSF, IMLS and other funding agencies for data management plans as part of proposals. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc77194/
Digital Preservation of Newspapers: Findings of the Chronicles in Preservation Project
In this paper, the authors describe research led by Educopia Institute regarding the preservation needs for digitized and born-digital newspapers. The 'Chronicles in Preservation' project, builds upon previous efforts (e.g. the U.S. National Digital Newspaper Program) to look more broadly at the needs of digital newspapers in all of their diverse and challenging forms. This paper conveys the findings of the first research phase, including substantive survey results regarding digital newspaper curation practices. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc109727/
Empowering Digital Libraries Users through Combining Taxonomies with Folksonomies
This paper accompanies a poster presentation discussing empowering digital libraries users through combining taxonomies and folksonomies. Abstract: The increase in the number and heterogeneity of digital resources has led cultural heritage institutions to develop tools, workflows, and quality assurance mechanisms that allow effective digital resource management. The poster that this paper describes assesses the current landscape in digital libraries as well as best practices and identifies emerging trends in information indexing. It also explores the potentials of and controversies surrounding user supplied tags or keywords in terms of complementing established controlled vocabularies in a diverse and collaborative environment. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc122173/
Enhancing the Quality of Metadata: Modular Approach to Digital Resource Lifecycle Management
This paper discusses digital resource management. Abstract: Quality is a multidimensional concept. The two aspects of digital library data quality are the quality of the data in the objects themselves, and the quality of the metadata associated with the objects. Maintaining usable and sustainable digital collections necessitates maintaining high quality metadata about those digital objects. The University of North Texas Libraries recognize the strategic benefit of metadata as a means of ensuring long term access to its digital resources. This paper discusses issues related to digital resource management and describes how the University of North Texas Digital Projects Unit approaches metadata quality issues at various levels of the digital resources life cycle. It also suggests a number of metadata quality assurance procedures, tools, and associated quality assurance mechanisms. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29316/
Expanding the Search for Digital Preservation Solutions
This paper discusses expanding the search for digital preservation solutions. Abstract: This paper will present some preliminary results on factors that affect the adoption of PREMIS in cultural heritage institutions. The study employed a web-based survey to collect data from 123 participants in 20 countries as well as a semi-structured, follow-up telephone interview with a smaller sample of the survey respondents. Roger's diffusion of innovation theory was used as a theoretical framework. The main constructs considered for the study were relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability, and institutional readiness. The study yielded both qualitative and quantitative data, and preliminary analysis showed that all six factors influence the adoption of PREMIS in varying degrees. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29319/
Exploration of Adoption of Preservation Metadata in Cultural Heritage Institutions
This paper discusses preservation metadata. Abstract: The challenges of long-term access are multifaceted, often requiring a mixture of approaches. Considering the critical role of metadata in any successful digital preservation strategy, the Preservation Metadata Implementation Strategies (PREMIS) has been extremely influential on providing a "core" set of metadata elements that support the digital preservation process. However, there is no evidence, in the form of previous research, as to what factors explain and predict the level of adoption of PREMIS. This paper attempts to identify factors that affect the adoption of PREMIS in cultural heritage institutions. The study employed a web-based survey to collect data from 123 participants in 20 countries as well as a semi-structured, follow-up telephone interview with a smaller sample of the survey respondents. Roger's diffusion of innovation theory was used as a theoretical framework. The main constructs considered for the study were relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability, and institution readiness. The analysis showed that all six factors influence the adoption of PREMIS in varying degrees. Results of a regression analysis also showed a statistically significant relationship. The R square value for the model was .528, which means that 52.8% of the variance in PREMIS adoption was explained by a combination of the six factors. This research just barely begins to show the many layers of the complex problem of digital preservation. This study has important implications for future research on preservation metadata and provides recommendations for researchers and stakeholders engaged in digital preservation and metadata standards development efforts. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29321/
Getting ETDs off the Calf-Path: Digital Preservation Readiness for Growing ETD Collections and Distributed Preservation Networks
This paper addresses "Calf-Path" problems for Electronic Theses and Dissertation (ETD) repositories, problems associated with the early ad hoc and idiosyncratic workflow patterns. This paper also documents relatively simple principles and guidelines for such ETD programs that can greatly improve the subsequent likelihood of implementing successful distributed digital preservation programs. These best practices can benefit start-up programs that have not yet established regular procedures and standards for directory structures, metadata, and file naming conventions. These guidelines were distilled from workflow analyses within the MetaArchive Cooperative. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc84374/
Improving Access to Web Archives through Innovative Analysis of PDF Content
This paper discusses improving access to web archives through innovative analysis of PDF content. Abstract: In 2008 five United States institutions collaborated to archive the U.S. federal government Web presence: the Library of Congress, the Internet Archive, the California Digital Library, the Government Printing Office, and the University of North Texas (UNT). Their objective was to document the changes coincident with the shift in leadership of the U.S. executive branch. The five partners identified key resources from the U.S. .gov Top Level Domain and completed crawls from September 2008 until March 2009. The resulting End of Term (EOT) 2008 Web Archive, a 16 TB dataset, was distributed to partners interested in providing local services and access to the archive. The UNT Libraries investigated Portable Document Format (PDF) files, a class of content many information professionals associate with the traditional notion of “discrete documents”. Over four million unique PDF documents were extracted from the Archive and a series of metadata and information extraction processes were conducted for each document. Additionally, derivative raster images of the first page of each document were created. These metrics were ingested into a database for further analysis, which brought to light previously hidden characteristics of the federal government’s Web-published content. The paper discusses the overall workflow and describes the tools used to extract document features. Findings suggest opportunities for the development of retrieval tools that will provide new ways of selecting content and building collections from large Web archives. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc155622/
Installation and Testing of Selected Digital Asset Management Systems (work area E)
This document contains installation procedures for the Digital Asset Management Systems (DAMS) identified as the most suitable candidates for the deployment by the Texas Heritage Digitization Initiative (THDI) partners. Procedures include prerequisites, installation steps, problems and solutions. Also this document contains final recommendations about implementation of the Digital Asset Management System (DAMS). digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29819/
Integrating Controlled Vocabularies into Cultural Heritage Digital Collections: The Portal to Texas History Experience
This presentation paper is based on the University of North Texas Libraries' digital libraries' implementations experience. It discusses various scenarios and strategies for integrating controlled vocabularies in the uncontrolled digital library world. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29315/
Lessons Learned: Digitization of Cooke County Ledgers
This paper describes a grant project to digitize Cooke County, Texas ledgers. The project was funded in part by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and involves digitizing and hosting several rare and unique collections representative of the Civil War. The UNT Archives partnered with the UNT Libraries Digital Projects Unit (DPU), which managed all stages of the digitization. This paper describes and examines the process the DPU implemented to digitize the Cooke County ledger collection; in doing so, it provides insight into the problems one might encounter, as well as recommendations for institutions that may be considering similar digital projects. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc83298/
Maintaining Quality Metadata: Toward Effective Digital Resource Lifecycle Management
This paper discusses maintaining quality metadata. Quality is a multidimensional concept. Abstract: Quality is a multidimensional concept. The two aspects of digital library data quality are the quality of the data in the objects themselves, and the quality of the metadata associated with the objects. Because poor metadata quality can result in ambiguity, poor recall and inconsistent search results, the existence of robust quality assurance mechanisms is a necessary feature of a well-functioning digital library. Recognizing the strategic benefit of quality metadata as a means of ensuring long term access to its digital resources, the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries employ a number of metadata quality assurance procedures, tools, and associated quality assurance mechanisms. This paper discusses issues related to digital resources management and describes how UNT approaches metadata quality issues at various levels of the digital resources life cycle. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29317/
Measuring the Impact of Preserving Digital Assets
This paper discusses measuring the impact of preserving digital assets. Abstract: The Portal to Texas History is a gateway to humanities collections within the digital library of the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries (http://texashistory.unt.edu). Currently, materials from more than 190 content partners are available and the number of partners continues to grow. While ever-increasing numbers of partners and assets are signs that digitally preserving and making resources Web-accessible is a desirable thing, universities, cultural heritage institutions, and funding agencies increasingly expect measurements that report the impact and value resulting from digitizing and preserving assets. Because the Portal is fairly unique in both the number and scope of its content partners, it serves as a good case study for measuring the impact of digitization for two key digital library stakeholder groups: content providers and users. This paper reports the initial findings of a study of the impact of digitizing assets, specifically: (a) a framework of impact areas and indicators, (b) findings for the Portal's content partners and users. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc93306/
Meeting the Demands of Digital Scholarship: Challenges and Opportunities
This paper discusses meeting the demands of digital scholarship. The synergies of numerous emerging trends such as the development of open standards and open source software, geometric growth of blogs and podcasts, peer-to-peer networking, cross discipline collaborations, etc. provide new directions for scholarship. Likewise, digital libraries and supporting technologies have now matured to the point where their contents are incorporating complex and dynamic resources and services. Powered by network capability and fueled by digital developments, research is becoming more data intensive in almost every discipline. The rapid pace of development poses new threats and problems. Many of these innovations, for example, may have come at the expense of simplicity, sustainability, and other commonly understood applications in the life cycle management of digital resources. Based on the University of North Texas Libraries' "Portal to Texas History" implementation experiences, this paper provides a general overview on the emerging trends and innovative usage of digital library technologies. This paper provides an overall scenario in the areas of aggregating a variety of digital formats; deploying, maintaining, and archiving digital contents; and other innovative uses of digital library technologies. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29312/
Metadata: Batch Editing of MARC Records (work area D)
This document describes workflows developed for the conversion of two sets of metadata records and serves the following objectives: research different avenues for the batch import and export of MARC records from popular integrated library systems, identify tools/software which aids in batch editing of MARC records, and document workflow for batch editing MARC records. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29820/
Metadata Quality: A Phased Approach to Ensuring Long-Term Access to Digital Resources
This paper discusses metadata quality. Maintaining usable digital collections necessitates maintaining high quality metadata about those digital objects. An effective metadata management approach can help institutions improve consistency, clarity of data lineage and relationships so that institutions can better use, reuse, and integrate resources. The metadata quality characteristics depend on various factors, including: type of resources, user perspectives, needs and priorities, which vary across groups of users. The metadata quality issue is particularly acute if there are multiple institutions participating in collaborative digital projects, where a high level of interoperability is an important element. This paper demonstrates metadata quality assurance mechanisms by examining different quality assessment criteria, including metadata record completeness, consistency, accuracy, provenance, conformance to expectations, and other known substantive factors. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29318/
OAI Static Repositories
This document gives an overview of the Open Archive Initiative (OAI) static repositories' and their restrictions and conformation rules. It also discusses intermediation with a Static Repository Gateway, workflows and best practices, and interfaces for the creation of metadata for OAI static repositories digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29821/
Open Access and Scholarly Communication: The Current Landscape, Future Direction, and the Influence on Global Scholarship
This paper discusses open access and scholarly communication. The synergies of numerous emerging trends such as the development of open source software, global and explosive growth of social networking, interinstitutional data sharing, cross discipline collaborations, etc. provide new directions for scholarship. The rapid pace of development poses new threats and challenges to scholarly communication as well. Open access is increasingly viewed as a popular alternative to traditional distribution methods. Despite the overwhelming agreement regarding the concept of open access, there are however, significant differences and debate about a number of issues. This panel brings together diverse stakeholders, explores the current landscape and future direction of scholarly communication, and reflects on the overall implications on global scholarship. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67619/
Open Source Components, Standards Conformance, and UCD: Building Blocks for Successfully Managing and Enhancing an Established Digital Archive
This paper discusses open source components, standard conformance, and UCD. The Portal to Texas History is a gateway to cultural heritage collections from Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and private collections. From its initial release in 2004, the Portal's unique visitors had grown from 1,000 per month to over 20,000 per month. The user interface had become dated and the underlying digital asset management system (DAMS) did not readily support implementation of new functionality. The IOGENE project at the University of North Texas Libraries involved family history researchers, a major user group of archives, in a user-centered application development project to redesign the Portal's interface. At the outset of the project, an application development model was created to guide three teams: system development, interface design, and user studies. The legacy DAMS was replaced with an infrastructure and framework of open source components. Specifications and standard practices in critical areas were established. The Portal's newly minted interface and infrastructure debuted in two public releases in 2009. Subsequent to each release, usability tests were conducted and at the conclusion of the project, experiences and accomplishments were reviewed by the project teams. This review informed a revised application development model that may be of value and interest to both the user support staffs and technical organizations at other archives. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc28325/
Organizational Alignment
This paper discusses organizational alignment. Digital preservation is not just a technical issue: there are also many organizational implications that must be addressed. This essay first identifies requirements that distinguish successful from unsuccessful modes of organizing digital preservation and long-term access, then presents a series of case studies that examine examples of addressing those requirements. These case studies all represent cooperative or collaborative approaches, in keeping with current research that demonstrates that institutions must share the financial and organizational burden of digital preservation in order to make it cost-effective. The case studies are drawn both from Europe and the United States, and include both single repository solutions and distributed preservation networks. A special role is played by so-called "enabling institutions" - national or regional initiatives established to raise awareness of the issues and promote cooperation in research and development. The essay concludes by considering possible areas for community alignment and next steps. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc97935/
The Origins of SIG-III and Its 30 Years' Journey: Visions and Reflections
This paper discusses a panel on the origins of the Special Interest Group for International Information Issues (SIG-III) of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) and its early years. In addition to the reflections of the last 30 years, Toni Carbo (one of the co-founders of SIG-III), Nadia Caidi (SIG-III Advisory board member), Anatoliy Gruzd (Social Media Administrator), Daniel Alemneh (SIG-III Chair), and Abebe Rorissa (SIG-III Chair-elect) look forward and discuss the future of the SIG-III including strategies to facilitate collaborations and information exchanges globally. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc122172/
Parsing Records from TSLAC ARIS Database into XML: Notes (Work Area B.2 - B.4)
This document discusses the process of converting data from Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) Archives and Information Services (ARIS) database into XML files, creating XML schemas, and mapping elements to simple Dublin core schema. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29815/
Patron Driven Acquisitions: Or I Wish I Knew Then...
This paper accompanies a poster presentation on patron driven acquisitions. The ups and downs of initiating and assessing a patron acquisitions program at the University of North Texas (UNT) will be highlighted. Emphasis will be placed on changing the philosophy of collection development, how to start the program (through a jobber or direct), coordinating print and electronic acquisitions processes, and assessing the first year's purchases. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc130195/
PREMIS Event Service
This paper discusses the PREMIS Event Service. The University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries have created a digital library infrastructure that is designed using the Curation Micro Services methodology for building repositories. Based on modular components designed for reuse and re-configuration the authors propose a general-purpose preservation event logging system using the PREMIS Event and Agent data model. An example implementation developed with the Django Web framework and employing RESTful design patterns with the Atom Publishing Protocol is described. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc40413/
Preserving Access to Government Websites: Development and Practice in the CyberCemetery
This paper discusses the development and practice in the CyberCemetery. In the late 1990's, online U.S. government information was appearing and disappearing at a rapid pace. In 1999, the University of North Texas Libraries (UNT) formed a partnership with the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) to address this issue by archiving electronic government websites. This archive, known as the CyberCemetery, provides permanent public access to the websites and publications of defunct U.S. government agencies and commissions. This partnership between UNT and GPO has expanded to include the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This paper covers the CyberCemetery's development and the process of identifying, capturing, and publishing content in the archive. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67623/
Presidential End of Term Web Harvest Lessons Learned
This paper discusses web harvesting and the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries' Presidential End of Term Web Harvest Project in which they captured government websites for archiving. In this paper, the author describes what web harvesting is, gives information on the project, and links and tools. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29814/
Reducing Service Points in the Academic Library: How to Provide Quality Customer Service in the Face of Budget Cuts
This paper discusses how to provide quality customer service in the face of budget cuts. Abstract: Most academic libraries have been experiencing cutbacks in staff and resources and are expected to do more with less. In response to these cutbacks, the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries came up with a plan to reduce the number of staffed service points. By the end of the Spring 2012 semester the UNT Libraries had successfully merged nine service points into three: two service desks at our main library and one at our science library. This paper will present an overview of the steps the UNT Libraries Public Services Division took to effectively manage these mergers. It will describe the methods used to cross train library support staff, and provide suggestions for other libraries who may also be considering streamlining their service points. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc159524/
Repurposing Existing Digital Resources and Smoothing Interdisciplinary Communication: Environmental Policy Collection Development
This paper accompanies a poster presentation discussing repurposing existing digital resources and smoothing interdisciplinary communication. Given the proliferation of scholarly digital contents, it has become increasingly difficult for researchers to find relevant contents on their own, not to mention related, disciplines. The situation is even worse in interdisciplinary fields such as environmental sciences. Many academic libraries provide services to support the creation, organization, management, use, and reuse of digital contents. This poster describes the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries' initiative to provide digital infrastructure and stewardship in order to ensure long-term access to the resources collected. The preliminary results from usage and related statistics analysis suggest significant research and educational impact of the Environmental Policy Collection. Based on the UNT Libraries' experience in integrating heterogeneous digital resources from diverse sources and providing seamless access, this paper describes guidelines for future digital collection development, and make recommendations for further study of collection development strategies. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc122174/
Simple Ways to Add Active Learning to Your Library Instruction
This paper discusses library instruction. Assessments are recommended to determine the effectiveness of student learning. This paper also discusses a project by the UNT Libraries' in which they developed software to assess library instruction, called Library Instruction Software for Assessment (LISA) and the outcome of that study. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc32992/
Studying Distance Students: Methods, Findings, Actions
This paper discusses studying distance students. University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries began studying the library needs of distance learners in 2009 using a variety of approaches to explore and confirm these needs as well as obtain input into how to meet them. Approaches used to date include analysis of both quantitative and qualitative responses by online students to the LibQUAL+ surveys over time, focus groups, observations and interviews. The Libraries administered the LibQUAL+ survey and conducted focus groups. The Librarians then worked with two graduate level qualitative analysis classes, one on campus and one online, to do further study that included additional focus groups, observations, and interviews. The effectiveness, strengths and problems encountered with each method, as well as with the technology used in executing them, are covered. Triangulation of the results of the various methods to confirm findings is discussed as are the actions that are being taken to address the findings. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc83798/
Targeted Access for Varied Audiences to Integrated, Heterogeneous Digital Information Resources
This poster presents an overview of the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries' "Portal to Texas History" project, which aims to integrate and ensure long-term access to large quantities of heterogeneous digital resources from many different institutions. Portals have emerged as an important tool for facilitating single-point-access to digital resources. The UNT Library is undertaking the leadership role by creating the application framework, setting project standards and guidelines, and facilitating collaborative efforts for content building. Also discussed are expanded services for targeted audiences, project approaches to preservation challenges, collaboration benefits, and other issues that emerged in the process of building a platform for the portal system. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29309/
Transport Neutral Digital Object Replication
This paper discusses digital object replication. The University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries has implemented a simple transport neutral digital object replication strategy in its production digital repository infrastructure. This strategy is built with the same ideals as other Curation Micro-Services, in respect to lightweight, software independent specifications coupled to provide a set of services for digital repositories, this approach to replication has allowed the UNT Libraries the flexibility of multiple storage infrastructures and the reassurance that objects are being fully validated as they are replicated throughout the repository. Building on standard Web technologies and methodologies like the Atom Publishing Protocol and REST, coupled with digital library technologies such as Checkm and BagIt, a transport neutral replication strategy allows institutions to meet the increasing demands on their services while keeping the overall costs low by allowing the use of a variety of storage platforms. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc36293/
The University of North Texas Libraries' Portal to Texas History: Archival Challenges and Solutions
This paper discusses the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries' Portal to Texas History's archival challenges and solutions. The UNT Texas History Portal Project strives to balance the goals of accessibility of information and long-term preservation of digital objects. This poster details the system that automates the collection of metadata records to coordinate access to web-viewable files and preservation of archived master files. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29812/
The UNTL Metadata Guidelines: [Version-2, 2006]
This paper discusses the The University of North Texas Libraries' (UNTL) metadata guidelines. The UNTL Metadata Initiative progressed on many fronts in 2005 and 2006, including testing and implementation of the UNTL metadata system, on which The Portal to Texas History system is based. As the metadata work group gains practical experience in describing objects with the recommended elements, the UNTL metadata system continues to evolve. This (verson-2) guideline is a product of a series of revision activities. It should be noted that in order to comply with changing internal and external standards and needs, the UNTL metadata creation guideline will remain under continuous review. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29314/
XML to Lucene to SRW
The data workflow that has been chosen for implementation can be described as Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) to XML to Lucene to SRU/SRW to Texas Heritage Online. The document "Parsing Records from TSLAC ARIS Databases into XML Notes" describes the process and includes code for exporting data from MySQL database into XML records in native and simple Dublin Core schemas. This document describes the procedures of parsing XML records into Lucene index and making those records available via SRW. digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc29822/