RRI Digital Repository as a Tool to Support Scholarly Research

Vrinda J. Benegal and Geetha SRaman Research Institute, Bangalore, India

Enhancing Access to Audio Video Collections of

Raman Research Institute Library Through Digitization

Nagaraj. M N 1. Vrinda J. Benegal 1 and Bhandi. M.K 2

1 Raman Research Institute Library, Bangalore, India, 2University Librarian, Mangalore University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India

 

Audio and Video Collections of RRI

The library has a collection of Slides- 861, DVD – 85, Video Cassettes -150, Audio cassettes 40.

AV Contents:

Prof.Raman Audio Lectures

Feynman Lectures Gandhi Memorial

Lectures (popular lecture Series)Lectures delivered by

RRI scientists within and

outside RRI Lectures by Prof.

Subrahma- nyan Chandrasekhar In house meeting &

lectures at RRI

Screen shot of RRI Library Homepage

The Audio-Video collections of RRI library is unique, at the same time enhancing access to it has posed several technological, organizational and legal challenges.

A mere access to web OPAC was not sufficient to initiate awareness among users. Finally, with all the hurdles library is successful in providing access to AV materials through RRI digital repository and the benefits are as follows:

--Facilitates Multi access --Enables Open access through web --It showcases institute gray literature; enhances the visibility and prestige of the Institute.

This display provides an valuable insight in enhancing access to audio and video documents and will encourage other institutions to create its own Multimedia library.

The digitization of library non-book materials has become essential as it enhances accessibility through internet. Library of Raman Research Institute (RRI) took digitization of audio and Video (AV) collection in the year 2000. The main objective is to enhance the access to inaccessible resources. As such retaining AV documents in their original format has problems of storage since they are vulnerable to usage and climatic changes. Due to frequent change in the physical format of AV materials, it becomes unreadable because of non-availability of reading devices. An effort has been made to show how different measures have been adopted to circumvent various problems. Initially metadata was created to provide access through library catalogue. Since, it was not enough to get full content of resources; library went for converting AV collection to CD format. CDs are very sensitive to scratches and multiuser access is restricted. To resolve these problems, library at RRI has adopted digitization of multimedia documents. This is to illustrate how digitized AV collections are showcased in RRI intranet and on the web for wider accessibility.

Abstract

Issues in handling AV Collections

• Changing format with short shelf life. • Lack of visibility in OPAC •.Unavailability of adequate Metadata • Lack of accessibility due to closed access Diminishing gadgets to access files Decaying Obsolete Fragile

Digital Audio and Video files

Types of Audio Materials

Video Stills from collections

Storage and Maintenance of AV materials

Barriers of Access to digitized AV documents

• Technological

• Organizational

• Legal Issues

Methods Adopted by RRI library to overcome barriers to enhance access

Access through RRI digital Repository

Inability to retrieve digital content Lack of multiuser access Excellent for metadata retrieval

Disadvantages

Virus threat and hardware crash Orientation is mandatory Doesn't support standard Metadata

Disadvantages

Requires initial high investment

Need Sophisticated technical support

Complex Copyright and intellectual property rights

Conclusions

Types of Video Materials Indian News Review on Prof. C.V. Raman – 1970

Solution

Digitization

T.V Doordarshan Turning point Programme by Prof. V. Radhakrishnan

Disadvantages

• Shelving varies according to different Audio Video formats like cassettes and film rolls • AV materials have NB numbers and are kept in closed access• AV materials were digitized and converted to CD format and are placed in CD Stakka • Needs manual retrieval of multimedia documents in CD Stakka CD Mirroring

Access through WEB OPAC

Access to CD Archive through RRI Multimedia library

Lecture delivered by Nobel Laureate Prof. S. Chandrasekhar - 1984