50726 Digital Libraries and Collections

UTS: Communication
Credit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): 50490 Information Design for Communicating OR 50300 Communicating the Social OR 50008 Designing for the Web

Handbook description

This subject focuses on digital information resources and services and virtual collection building and management. Students are introduced to the role and functions of new and emerging technologies associated with the virtual library or digital library environment like electronic journals, electronic repositories and web-based digital information resources and services. Topics covered by this subject include virtual information system coordination and management and principles of collection building and management in electronic environments. Issues related to the development of digital information collections, such as access versus ownership, resourcing and legal issues, are also addressed.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:

understand and apply client-centred concepts and principles in the management of traditional and digital information resources and services
analyse policies, practices, and standards related to content development and management in traditional and digital environments
identify and apply principles of service design for virtual information environments
critically evaluate contemporary issues in information provision and their implications for content development, selection and management
understand key aspects and trends of the information technology infrastructure and their implications for content development and management
understand concepts critical to needs assessment and evaluation of virtual information collections, resources and services.

Contribution to graduate profile

Design professionals may be called upon to design and develop virtual collections which enable people to connect with, interact with and utilise a range of cultural and information products. Critical to this role is understanding how collections are developed and managed, and understanding contemporary issues in digital collections.

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching and learning strategies will focus on interactive, constructive learning. Each session will provide a range of learning activities that will integrate formal input, personal and professional experiences, discussion, reflection and action. Tutorials are designed to promote informed discussion of key issues associated with the design, uses and policies of virtual information collections and services. Contribution to tutorial discussion is valued and expected. The learning experiences available in this subject include lectures, discussion, reflection, practical computer laboratory sessions, site visits and may include guest lecturers. Assignments will be individual, group, and written. Learning will be enhanced by having opportunities to develop a range of intellectual and technical abilities. Students will also actively engage with the literature of the field, both in preparation for and reflection of each session, and as part of the assessment process. UTSOnline will be used as a tool for collaboration and discussion of the issues associated with digital libraries and virtual information collections.

Content

A case study approach will be adopted, providing real world examples of virtual library management and a means by which the rapidly changing nature of the area and aspects of current practice (as detailed below) can be examined. The case study approach will establish and elucidate the underpinning theories and principles of virtual information resources, services and their management.

Making the virtual library happen: The historical development and key concepts of digital information service delivery; understanding clients, and the information environment, planning, organising, managing, evaluating, and resourcing. (Objective A)
Content management: Published or known content v. creating content, selection principles and priorities, standards and formats, preservation issues, access, cross-institutional collaboration, costing models, content development and management policies. (Objective B, E)
Describing and managing information: Best practice in information design, service development, interaction between content and clients, assessing client needs, interface development, metadata developments and information access. (Objective A, B, C)
Technology infrastructure: Matching content with appropriate technology, how the technology determines / drives / restricts / improves content and content delivery, IT issues and challenges. (Objective E)
Funding and resourcing: Changing resource mix, benchmarking, strategic alliances, . (Objective B)
Social aspects: Preservation and archiving heritage material, workflow implications, scholarly communications and ensuring access and equity (Objective D, F)
Research and evaluation: Recognising challenges of creating and delivering digital resources and services, client and stakeholder needs and expectations, and quality improvement. (Objectives A, F)

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Collaboratory on digital library issues

Objective(s):	All
Weighting:	40%
Task:	This is an ongoing assignment, in two parts, and is both individual and group work. Task 1a a) Collaboratory — 25% (group 15%, individual participation 10%) As there are many issues in the area of digital and virtual collections, over a two week period a group, on a rotating basis, will be responsible for introducing and leading a class-wide discussion on a specific type of collection or management issue. The group responsible for the current theme will be required also to organise the contributions to the discussion into sub themes (threads) that are well labelled. Individually, you will be assessed on your participation in all the collaboratories. Task 1b b) Collaboratory summary report — 15% (individual) A 1,500 word report that 1) includes a synthesis of the discussion of one of the collaboratories, NOT the one for which your group was responsible; and 2) examines at greater depth the issues, problem areas, current solutions, and initiatives that you have been made aware of during the discussion. It is expected that you will make reference to the literature of digital libraries in preparing this report. Students will be asked to volunteer to upload their reports into the digital repository as resources for assignment 2.
Assessment criteria:	Task 1a - Assessment criteria Demonstrated ability to lead and facilitate an online discussion Ability to actively and effectively participate in a group Quality of participation in the collaboratories Evidence of both wide and in-depth reading Evidence of good information organisation Task 1b - Assessment criteria Evidence of skills in analysis and synthesis Awareness of the issues as evidenced by wide and in-depth reading Ability to integrate theoretical literature with practical applications and implications Good written expression Correct acknowledgement of the texts

Assessment item 2: Digital library proposal and prototype (individual and group tasks)

Objective(s):	All
Weighting:	60%
Task:	This assignment has two parts: A proposal (individual, 35%) Due week 10 A prototype (group, 25%) Due Week 14 Task 2a A proposal for a digital library for a defined constituency or for a specific digital library project or service selected by the group. This proposal will be a formal set of specifications made up of a number of equally weighted components that will be assigned to individual members of the group, and will be individually assessed. However the group as a whole will need to 'sign off' on each component as the completed proposal is will be the basis on which the group prototype (Part 2 of the assessment) will be created. The specific components will include: A description of the community The proposed content , which must include a variety of resources which support the main theme The proposed software platform The technology issues , including policies on digitisation, metadata and preservation issues Standards to be used Services to be provided Structure of and access to the content How the project will be managed , including the production of the final proposal. As part of the assessment each member of the group will write a report (1,000 words) rationalising the decisions made for the formal specifications for which he/she is responsible and with reference to the theory underpinning those decisions. Task 2b The prototype — implementation of the proposed digital library. The final product is a working prototype and must include a short policy document (500 words) that describes the scope of the project. The prototype will be assessed on a group basis. However the responsibilities of each member of the group must be made explicit in the prototype. The prototypes will be made 'public' for class examination and testing. This will be an opportunity for the students to apply usability criteria to the prototypes and for students and interested faculty to provide usability feedback. Task 2b - Assessment criteria Demonstration of an ability to organise information into a logical and useful structure Effectiveness of the prototyping of the proposed aims and specifications Ability to integrate the theory of usability with practical applications and implications, including modes of access to content Good written expression
Assessment criteria:	Task 2a - Assessment criteria Demonstrated understanding of the issues of digital library development and implementation Evidence of effective use of theoretical literature to support proposal specifications Evidence of wide reading of the literature of digital libraries Ability to present a coherent logical argument Good written expression Correct acknowledgement of the texts Task 2b - Assessment criteria Demonstration of an ability to organise information into a logical and useful structure Effectiveness of the prototyping of the proposed aims and specifications Ability to integrate the theory of usability with practical applications and implications, including modes of access to content Good written expression

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g. illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Attendance is particularly important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas. Students who attend fewer than ten classes are advised that their final work will not be assessed and that they are likely to fail the subject.

Indicative references

Specific reading will be assigned on a week-by-week basis in class. The reference list below is indicative of the texts we will be using in the course.

Agnew, G. 2007, Digital rights management : a librarian's guide to technology and practice Chandos, Oxford

Andrews, J. & Law, D. (eds) 2004, Digital libraries : policy, planning, and practice, Ashgate, Burlington,VT.

Arms, W.Y. June 2005, Digital Libraries, MIT Press, viewed 10 July, 2009,

http://www.cs.cornell.edu/wya/diglib/

Atkins, D.E. et al. 2003, Revolutionizing science and engineering through cyberinfrastructure: Report of the National Science Foundation Blue-Ribbon Advisory Panel on Cyberinfrastructure, viewed 10 July 2009, http://www.nsf.gov/od/oci/reports/atkins.pdf

Ayre, C. & Muir, A. 2004, 'The Right to Preserve: The Rights Issues of Digital Preservation', D-Lib Magazine, vol. 10, no. 3. http://www.dlib.org/dlib/march04/ayre/03ayre.html

Barnes, S.J. (ed.) 2004, Becoming a digital library, Marcel Dekker, New York.

Bhargava, B. (ed.) 2000, Digital libraries and multimedia, Kluwer Academic, Boston.

Bishop, A.P., Van House, N.A. & Buttenfield, B.P. (eds) 2003, Digital library use : social practice in design and evaluation, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.

Borgman, C.L. 2007, Scholarship in the digital age : information, infrastructure, and the Internet, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press

———2000, From Gutenberg to the Global Information Infrastructure: access to information in the networked world, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.

Chowdhury, G. G. 2003, Introduction to digital libraries, London : Facet

Cornell University Library 2003, Moving theory into practice: digital imaging tutorial, viewed 30 June 2009, http://www.library.cornell.edu/preservation/tutorial/

Deegan, M. & Tanner, S. (eds) 2006, Digital preservation, London: Facet

———2002, Digital futures : strategies for the information age, Neal-Schuman Publishers Inc., New York.

Earnshaw, R. and Vince, J. (eds.) 2008, Digital convergence: libraries of the future, London: Springer.

Fox, E.A. 2002, 'Digital libraries', Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, vol. 36, pp. 503-588. (Available eReadings)

Gladney, H. 2007, Preserving digital information [electronic version], Springer, New York.

Hughes, L.M. 2004, Digitizing collections : strategic issues for the information manager, Facet Publishing, London.

Jones, C. 2007, Institutional repositories : content and culture in an open access environment, Chandos Publishing, Oxford, England.

Keller, M.A., Reich, V.A. & Herkovic, A.C. 2003, 'What is a library anymore, anyway?' First Monday, vol. 8, no. 5.

Larsen, R.L. & Wactlar, H. 2004, Knowledge lost in information: Report of the NSF Workshop on Research Directions for Digital Libraries, June 15-17, 2003, viewed 10 June 2008, http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~dlwkshop/report.pdf

Lesk, M. 2005, Understanding digital libraries, Elsevier, Boston.

——— 1997, Practical Digital Libraries: Books, bytes, and bucks, Morgan Kaufman Publishers, San Francisco, CA.

Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) Libraries of the Future, viewed 10 July 2009, http://www.jisc.ac.uk/librariesofthefuture

Liu, J. 2007, Metadata and its applications in the digital library : approaches and practices, Libraries Unlimited, Westport, CT.

Lynch, C.A. 2005, 'Where do we go from here? The next decade for digital libraries', D-Lib Magazine, vol. 11, no. 7/8.

——— 2003, 'Institutional repositories: Essential infrastructure for scholarship in the digital age', ARL, vol. February, no. 226, pp. 1-7.

———2002, 'Digital collections, digital libraries and the digitization of cultural heritage information', First Monday, vol. 7, no. 5.

May, C. 2007, Digital rights management : the problem of expanding ownership rights Chandos, Oxford.

McDonald, I. 2003, Libraries : managing licences for digital resources : a practical guide, Australian Copyright Council, Redfern, NSW.

National Information Standards Organization, 2007 A framework of guidance for building good digital collections, 3rd edition, viewed 20 June 2009 http://framework.niso.org/

Pantry, S. & Griffiths, P. 2003, Creating a successful e-information service, Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Md.

Rydberg-Cox, J.A. 2005, Digital libraries and the challenges of digital humanities, Chandos, Oxford.

Sandusky, R. 2002, Digital library attributes: Framing usability research. Paper presented at the Usability workshop of JCDL 2002, viewed 10 June 2009, http://www.uclic.ucl.ac.uk/annb/docs/Sandusky35.pdf

Sun Microsystems 2002, Digital library technology trends, viewed 10 June, 2009, http://www.lib.buu.ac.th/webnew/libtech/digital_library_trends.pdf

Tedd, L.A. 2005, Digital libraries : principles and practice in a global environment, K.G. Saur, München.

Terras, M.M. 2008, Digital images for the information professional, Aldershot, England; Ashgate.

Witten, I.H. & Bainbridge, D. 2003, How to build a digital library, Morgan Kaufmann, San Francisco, Calif.

Woldering, B. 2004, 'The European Library: Integrated access to the national libraries of Europe', Ariadne, vol. 38, January 2004.

e-journals
Ariadne Available at: www.araadne.ac.uk
DLib Available at: www.dlib.org
First Monday Available at: www.firstmonday.org
International Journal on Digital Libraries
OCLC Systems & Services: International digital library perspectives

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