 Last
updated:
September 15, 2003
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Digital Library
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DEVELOPING THE CLAREMONT
COLLEGES DIGITAL LIBRARY: The Libraries want our users to have access to cutting edge digital resources because we recognize that they are important educational tools; as well, The Colleges are beginning to integrate digital technologies into the classroom. Now more than ever, digital collections are important to academic libraries because of high user expectations and ease of access especially via the Web. Statistics on how much the Libraries' databases and electronic journals are accessed on and off campus by Claremont Colleges users, along with comments from library surveys and focus groups, show that users demand information that is electronically accessible. Significantly, user expectations are driving academic libraries' acquisition of digital collections. For example, social science and science faculty and students tend to want "everything" online, while humanities users want the online access but also often insist that the library subscribe to and retain print collections as well. This dichotomy is not unique to The Claremont Colleges. The Libraries' current digital collections include commercially available electronic resources such as subscription databases, electronic books and journals, CDs and DVDs, and datasets, as well as a few selected digitized collections from the Special Collections unit. Datasets, collected and unprocessed statistics, are one type of digital collection that particularly challenges us. While the Libraries have collected datasets (Exhibit D1) and have in place Geographic Information Systems software (GIS) with which we assist users, a number of faculty at The Colleges would like us to provide access to their datasets (Exhibit D2), as well as provide assistance with their use. Some of our social science librarians meet regularly with a group of concerned Claremont Graduate University faculty and students on a pilot project to create a procedure for managing access and service for datasets (Exhibit D3), both purchased and freely available on the web. It remains unclear at this time how datasets held on the other campuses will be best handled. We are committed to digitizing some of the special collections we own in order to broaden access while preserving the originals; thus, our Special Collections unit has a digital library program of its own. The Libraries' special collections digital projects (Exhibit D4) contribute original content to the digital library, providing users with primary resources, a basis for good research. An essential part of this effort is the Digital Projects Specialist, a newly funded position in the Special Collections unit; this staff member is responsible for digitizing and making available digital surrogates of selected examples of our rare materials. To date these digital project efforts have been modest because of the labor-intensive nature of the work; one staff member working a project cannot make fast progress, especially when the objects to be digitized require special handling, as most special collections materials do. Equipment costs have been shared between the Libraries' IT unit and Special Collections unit. To supplement software, student assistance, and other supplies needed for the Wheeler Scrapbook digital project, in spring 2003, the Libraries received a small grant from the Arroyo Seco Library Network (ASLN). An increase to the budget through annual operating support and/or external funding for both staffing and equipment for digital projects would facilitate a much-desired expansion of our local digitization efforts. |