Digital History Project

Questions on Pasadena Digital History Collaboration

Answered by Mary Ann Laun, Dean, Library Services

1. When did PCC begin their portion of the digital history collaboration (date work/production on project actually started)?

We have been working on the “get ready” and education component for several years.  In 2006-7, I was on sabbatical leave and studied the digitization efforts of community colleges.  In Spring of 2009, we developed a project plan and started moving forward but were limited by staffing.  In Spring of 2010, Martha Camacho told me about her “project” for the Eureka Scholars program.  I told her I had the database (and would pay for it) if she would take on the leadership.  We were off and running! 

http://libraryarchives.pbworks.com/FrontPage

also: http://pasadenadigital.pbworks.com/
also: http://www.pasadenadigitalhistory.com/

2. When was public access to collection(s) made available? Is there a projected completion date for the project, or is it indefinitely ongoing (I understand the project was funded by a one-time grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, will other grants be sought)?

At ArtNight we launched the public site.  IMLS was a minimal grant to get going and I have written a $368,000 NEH grant that will move it forward.  We should hear in March 2011.

3. What was/were the primary motivation(s) for offering this service besides preservation? (e.g. Was there public demand? Was promoting PCC a consideration? Is the project expected to generate revenue in some way for PCC? photo sales? etc.). Will digitization of the PCC materials involved free-up physical space at Shatford?

All of the above except the revenue generation.  That was never a motivation.  My major motivation is that the resources are deteriorating AND that the people who can help us identify individuals in the photos are aging (or in some cases, dying.)  When they are gone, the institutional memory suffers!  We will still have our physical pieces, so I do not except to have any shelf space freed. 

4. What, if any, obstacles were encountered while initiating the new service? If applicable, briefly describe one or two difficulties PCC experienced in the process of initiating this new service (e.g. during the planning process; funding; acquiring necessary equipment or staff to implement project, etc.).

The biggest obstacle was finding time and staffing to get it rolling.  We serve 30,000 students with 7 librarians and 9 paraprofessional staff.  Everyone is overloaded with responsibility.  Equipment funding is the easy part.  Hopefully the NEH grant will be funding which will provide a half time coordinator, a half time librarian at each of the three sites, and three half time library technicians. 

5. What specific resources were needed to implement this service (technology, staff, etc.)?

Costs for the Contentdm license and hosting; scanners, virtual storage, staffing to do the work, organizational work. 

6. Many other libraries are also involved in digitization projects. During the planning process, were other libraries with similar projects consulted? If so, did this abbreviate/expedite the planning process? Or, was there extensive discussion and research involved in deciding to offer this service and how it would significantly benefit PCC before getting involved?

Yes, my sabbatical research looked at digitization activities at all 96 of the 110 community colleges.  Survey is available at:

http://tinyurl.com/2wc7l7  and also surveyed PCC managers to determine priorities:  http://tinyurl.com/yqsdsh

  

7. When was this project first considered (i.e. from planning to initiation timeframe)?

This has been a long time interest of mine…probably from 2000.

8. What were one or two major staff concerns/reactions to offering this service (positive or negative)? Was training/certification required for operation of special equipment?  Time and staff drain.  Still concerns however we have shifted to using Library of Congress AND Yankee Book BPeddler for preprocessed books.  We will eventually be able to shift to exposing our local resources rather than recreating MARC records for the book collection.

9. Has patron/public response been active/positive (e.g. mystery photos have been identified; appreciation noted by local residents or researchers)?

YES!  Already the response has been very positive and we are barely off and running. 

10. Has the service been successful? How will success be measured (e.g. number of hits to website; revenue generated; PCC image promoted etc.)?

We have many evaluations we will do as part of the NEH grant.  I would have to review it to give you more details but we will be certainly looking at website and photo hits, comments included, etc. 

11. On average, how many people use this service now (day/week/month)? What is/was the projected use for this service?

Too early to tell.  Too new! 

Thank you for taking time to answer these questions on PCC’s involvement in the Pasadena Digital History project.