IMLS Grant

Rochester Images Six Month Report

This status report is organized around the goals and objectives of the original project proposal that are relevant to the first 6 months of the project period. Activities and progress to meet the objectives are described below. In addition, it is important to note that IMLS funding supports 39% of the Library’s digital initiative, so the stimulus of IMLS funding continues to support efforts to expand and diversify the content of and audiences for the Rochester Images program.

The Rochester Public Library held a series of strategic planning meetings for the Rochester Images project beginning in July 1999. Senior management personnel from the various administrative departments within the organization were convened on several occasions to review the grant application and discuss implementation timelines tied to their respective responsibilities. Strategic planning meetings were also held with the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC). The time and energy expended prior to receiving formal notification was instrumental in allowing project implementation to begin in a timely manner in October 1999. The Rochester Images project is currently on schedule when measured against the Critical Timeline and the Project Goals, Objectives, and Activities relevant to the first six months of the project as described below.

Objective 1.1: Scan 7,500 photographs in original glass plate negative format from the RMSC Stone Photograph Collection.

Meeting this objective required the Museum to contract with a qualified vendor to digitize approximately one half of the images in the nationally recognized Albert R. Stone Negative Collection and to utilize the resulting TIFF files to derive medium resolution and thumbnail images for public display.

This objective has proved significantly more complex and labor intensive than anticipated. When the grant application was at the conceptual stage, the goal was to digitize the entire Stone Collection. When it became apparent that this would be cost prohibitive, it was decided to request funds to scan half of the collection. However, we neglected to account for the substantial increase in in-kind time required for the selection, tracking and handling requirements associated with scanning only half of the collection. During the first six months of the project Museum staff and volunteers have devoted over 450 in-kind hours to the following tasks: selection of images; creation of workflow systems and related databases; and, manually tracking and handling the glass plate negatives in preparation for the actual scanning. The scanning process began in April and will proceed at the rate of 240 images per week for approximately 40 weeks to scan 9,000 glass plate negatives. (The target scanning quantity has increased from 7,500 to 9,000 due to transfer of other grant funds: see explanation below.)

This objective will be completed by January 2001. While this date is five months later than originally planned, it does not adversely impact any other activities. It coincides with completion of the cataloging activities described below and meets the needs of the School District to have the database available in February 2001. The addition of 1,500 Stone Collection images to the original target figure of 7,500 is partially responsible for the revised completion date. However, this collection is so critical to the building of an electronic data base of unique and useful images, that the Library reallocated FY 2000 LSTA funds to scan an additional 1,500 images.

Objective 1.2: Convert 7,500 Stone Collection records to electronic format and add subject descriptors and data necessary for MARC records.

Meeting this objective required the Museum to purchase and install a MultiMIMSY system and to hire and train cataloging and data entry staff. MultiMIMSY was ordered by the Museum in December 1999 and installed in January 2000 when staff received extensive training from the vendor. The system, which required significantly more customization by Museum staff than had been anticipated, was fully operational in February 2000.

The staff supported by the IMLS grant was hired and trained in February as well. Their duties included use of existing paper Stone Collection records to extract pertinent data, adding supplemental subject descriptors and summary statements, and manually loading the data into the MultiMIMSY system. As of March 31, 2000, the catalog staff had prepared 1,735 of the 7,500 image records. Additionally, 3,021 file records had been entered into MultiMIMSY, resulting in the creation of 317 Master Catalog records. The rate of completion for image records is averaging 200 per week, which is well within the target figure to attain completion of this objective by December 2000, and the rate of completion for data entry is approximately 30-40 master records per day.

The data entry process is extremely complicated due to MultiMIMSY’s complex relational database. As is described above, it was necessary to enter 3,021 file records to create 317 master catalog records. The data entry process is therefore slightly behind schedule. The 164 work days remaining in the project timeline would allow for the creation of 4,920 – 6,560 master records, resulting in at least 1,000 fewer records than anticipated. This activity is currently under review to determine appropriate changes.

Objective 1.3: Convert Stone Collection electronic records to MARC format and load records onto the MCLS LIBRA system.

Meeting this objective required the Library to actively investigate the use of both Z39.50 interoperability software and the development of translator ("parser") and loader programs between MultiMIMSY and CARL.

Extensive discussion with Willoughby Corp. in November and December concluded that MultiMIMSY would not be Z39.50 compliant within the timeframe required by this project. Therefore, in January 2000 the Library began discussion with CARL Corp. to determine the requirements for development of the translator and loader programs. Progress continues and the target date for testing of these programs remains June 2000 as indicated in the Critical Timeline.

Objective 1.4: Convert 8,000 records for Library and City Archives photographs to electronic format, adding subject descriptors and data necessary for MARC records.

Meeting this objective required the Library to establish a separate work unit for the nine new employees supported by IMLS, LSTA, SARA and RBDB funding. It was necessary to hire cataloging, research and clerical staff; revise previous workflow procedures; and implement complex authority control to provide original cataloging, data conversion, and content descriptive activity for 8,000 images. (This target number was subsequently reduced to 6,500 when the 1,500 LSTA funded images were reassigned to the Museum along with reallocated staff hours.)

Given the cumbersome requirements associated with the creation of new civil service positions, it took almost four months before all new staff members were appointed. Additionally, significant time was spent understanding the various workflow requirements. The work of Rochester Images, while being performed by grants project staff, required integration into the routine functions of the various library departments. Additionally, systems needed to be established to allow the image catalogers of the Museum and Library to work in a collaborative relationship. This particular facet, involving close inter-relationships and collaborations among six grant funded catalogers (assigned to the both Library and the Museum) and the Library’s Catalog Department, has been especially rewarding. In four months, these librarians have solved communication issues through regularly scheduled joint meetings and the creation of Internet e-mail systems. They have also created an extremely thorough Authority File which required resolution of complicated issues related to updating and distribution while using computers and databases that cannot "talk" to each other. Their collaborative effort is resulting in the creation of an integrated catalog database with consistency of entry, form and style that to the end-user will appear to be an apparently seamless collection.

As of March 31, 2000, 5,658 scans had been uploaded, 2,570 records had been prepared for research, 1,812 images had been researched, and 1,788 images had been catalogued and entered into LIBRA as live records. Additionally, the Rochester Images Authority File consists of 2,280 fully annotated entries.

Objective 1.5: Test the performance of work systems resulting from Objectives 1.1 – 1.4 by mounting a 1,000 item prototype of the database on the LIBRA network for use by the public as well as participating institution staff.

Meeting this objective requires both the Library and the Museum to have scanned and entered appropriate numbers of images into their respective databases. It is also required the Library to contract with CARL Corp. to create and deliver the parser and loader programs by June 2000.

As is reported above, the Library has uploaded 1,788 live images into the test database and the Museum has entered 317 Master Catalog records and scanned 720 images to date. CARL CORP. is currently developing the parser program with significant input from the Museum. The official launch date for Rochester Images is scheduled for June 21, 2000. The database with no less than 3,000 fully cataloged images will be unveiled to the general public at that time.

Objective 2.1: Establish collaborative planning teams to develop and monitor activities of the project among participating institutions.

Meeting this objective required the Library to convene and coordinate the work of the inter-institutional teams that will manage and guide the collaboration.

Attachment C of the grant application originally listed four oversight teams. During the strategic planning phase of the project in early fall, it was determined that the Technology Team and the Database Team should be combined as their missions were interrelated and their membership almost identical. The teams began meeting formally in January 2000 on a monthly basis. Requirements pertaining to critical mass and quorums were established and meeting minutes and agendas for the Management Team, the Technology and Database Team, and the Curriculum and Usage Guide Team are distributed electronically to the members of all teams. The meetings are facilitated and governed by TQM principles with decisions being reached by consensus. The Museum has also contracted with a consultant to provide advanced training for the Management Team on the principles of collaboration.

Objective 2.2: Develop staff teams and perform curriculum development work that will use the Rochester Images database for primary source material.

Meeting this objective required in part that the District establish a team of school district personnel to develop curriculum materials for the 4^th, 7^th and 11^th grades and support the application of a teacher-librarian team to the Library of Congress American Memory Fellows Program.

This objective was originally designed to be implemented by a team of school district administrators comprised of the chairpersons of the various age level related social studies departments and the Director of Social Studies and the Coordinator of Libraries. After review, the District determined that this process should more appropriately involve teachers and librarians who are instructing students at the requisite levels. Accordingly, the curriculum development teams were selected through a mini-grant RFP that was distributed in October 1999 to all district personnel teaching social studies at the 4^th, 7^th and 11^th grade levels and the corresponding school librarians. Teacher-librarian teams applied to participate by completing a comprehensive application form outlining their previous experiences related to curriculum development and collaboration, and their levels of Internet expertise. The successful teams were chosen in January 2000 and each of the three teams submitted an application to participate in the American Memory Fellows Program. An extensive hands-on training session on the Rochester Images database will be provided by the Library image catalogers to the members of these three teams in late June. Formal curriculum development work is scheduled for the first two weeks in August, although some experimentation with the test database is already underway.

Additionally, the School District’s Library Department recently undertook an extensive revision of the curriculum related to library skills. This project was undertaken to bring consistency and articulation to the scope and sequence of library skills taught and to embed the New York State Standards into the Library Curriculum. The curriculum document will be piloted this summer, when the specific standards for social studies that deal with primary source materials will be embedded within the Library Curriculum. Writing objectives and performances for Rochester Images will be the first "test drive" of the new curriculum framework.

Objective 2.3: Develop a student "personal history" electronic database.

This objective was envisioned to be met by purchasing IMLS funded equipment and software that would enable students using Rochester Images curriculum to photograph, digitize, describe and mount on a web site various "personal history" artifacts.

The District determined that one set of imaging equipment would be insufficient to meet the needs of the three schools involved in the pilot program (the schools at which the three curriculum teams are located). After unsuccessful efforts to obtain additional equipment donations locally, the District allocated in-kind funds to allow for the purchase of two additional sets of imaging equipment in its FY 2000-01 budget thereby allowing each school to have its own set of equipment.

Objective 3.1: Use data conversion work processes at each institution that enables integration of the Museum’s Stone Collection into the Library’s CARL system.

Meeting this objective requires detailed planning meetings to integrate the work processes for the format of data entry, the requirements of parser software, and the sequencing of activities.

The Technology and Database Team has primary responsibility for the completion of this objective. Through its monthly meetings and the monthly meetings of the image catalogers, comprehensive training has been provided and uniform data entry guidelines have been established. The Team is currently determining a method to provide coordinated quality control among the work teams. It is also reviewing the sequencing of the various activities to address the complicated issues of workflow coordination that are becoming more significant as the project progresses. In addition, the successful coordination of workflows described above under Objective 1.4 has helped meet this objective.

Objective 4.2: Develop an understanding among regional museums, libraries and school districts of the regional applicability of the database, and the work systems that have achieved ease and flexibility of access to rich primary source materials.

Meeting this objective required the collaborating institutions to provide opportunities for discussions with other [regional] museums and libraries on the policies and methods surrounding the development of the database, and presentations to other school districts about curricular applications.

This objective, as well as the broad-based nature of the Library’s Rochester Image program, has resulted in negotiations with the Town of Brighton and its school district to add images from Brighton resources under a $25,000 State Archives and Records Administration (SARA) "Local Documents in the Classroom" grant.

Currently, the Library has scheduled six training workshops entitled "Rochester Images: Reference Applications in a Library Setting" for 250 librarians from the Monroe County Library System and the Rochester Regional Library Council in anticipation of the public launching of the database on June 21^st. Additional awareness and training workshops are also scheduled for special audiences such as county and state legislators, municipal historians, staff of regional museums, Convention and Visitors Bureau personnel, and faculty from the history departments of the many local colleges and universities. Training for regional school district personnel is being planned for late June. Confirmed dissemination opportunities to date also include a presentation entitled "Creative Collaborations and Curriculum" at the New York State Library Association Conference in November 2000 and as yet untitled anchor article for the January or February 2001 issue of Computers in Libraries on the theme of "collaboration and cooperation".

In summary, the work of the IMLS component of the Rochester Images program has proceeded well, is on schedule, and has pointed out the critical elements needing further attention.

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