Re: diglib: IR and selection

["Andrew R. Bonamici" <bonamici@uoregon.edu>]

> At 12:59 PM 6/16/2003 -0700, Carol Hixson wrote:
> I get the sense that there's some unease about the IR
> because the library is not actively selecting the content.
> And, if we're not selecting the content, then it shouldn't
> really be considered part of our collection.
>
> Well, I think we're selecting the content for the IR as
> actively as we select the content of our UO dissertations,
> or as actively as we select the content of manuscript
> and archival collections. ...snip...
===

Dear Diglib:

Great discussion, everyone. I think Carol is onto something here, & I 
shared a thought with JQ & Mark this a.m. that might have some relevance; 
then again, it might just be something else to think about. One thing it 
won't do is answer questions about MSU policies or disk space. ;-)

There is an emerging role for information professionals (librarians, 
archivists, technologists,  media designers, etc.) in our brave new world 
of networked digital content -- providing campus authors with standards and 
perhaps individual consultation and guidance *before the content is 
created.*  Left on their own in the pre-creation phase, what is the risk of 
authors choosing technology or design strategies that render their content 
difficult or impossible to index, access, or preserve in the IR, or 
anywhere else for that matter?

Note that this role doesn't involve content per se, so let's not call it 
"selection" or even "pre-selection." Once the IR is up & thriving, though, 
we could watch for contributions with high interest or impact, & add value 
to them with more in-depth indexing, interface design, etc. -- in other 
words, "select" subsets of the IR for full-fledged digital library treatment.

Hope this is helpful,

ARB

p.s.  to Heather B., this idea about "pre-creation guidance"  was sparked 
by a conversation we had a while ago about the need for university 
departments to get help structuring their electronic records with the 
records manual requirements in mind. Electronic business records aren't the 
same as IR content, but some of the principles are the same.


Andrew R. Bonamici
Associate University Librarian, Instructional Services
115D Knight Library, University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1299 USA
bonamici@uoregon.edu
voice (541) 346-2682
fax   (541) 346-3485
http://libweb.uoregon.edu