The John Muir Papers: Combining Boutique and Industrial Approaches to Digitization

Shan Sutton

Associate Dean & Head of Special CollectionsUniversity of the Pacific LibraryStockton, CaliforniaThe John Muir Papers and MPLP: Combining Boutique and Industrial Approaches to Digitization

1Standard levels of description should be less detailed to make more content available to users, although some materials merit exceptions.

Users prefer more content with less description.

Both of these concepts have encouraged archival self-reflection, and a shift from boutique to industrial digitization projects.

Basic MPLP Tenants for DigitizationNote that diferrent portions of series of a given collection may be processed to different levels=application of this approach to Muir Papers

Define boutique vs. industrial2BoutiqueSelective body of materialHigh quality imagesExtensive description/interpretation

IndustrialLarge body of materialLower quality imagesMinimal description/interpretation

Boutique vs. Industrial DigitizationThe John Muir Papers

Describe Muir bio, papers, microfilm4Images: Boutique in choosing to scan originals instead of microfilm, and only selecting photos that include Muir.

Metadata: Industrial in using pre-existing descriptions only, no additional analysis or description.Muir PhotographsSelection of Muir-only photos driven by user requests, interest5

Images: Boutique in choosing to scan originals instead of microfilm, industrial in digitizing all 78 journals.

Metadata: Industrial in using pre-existing titles only, no additional analysis or descriptions (including no abstracts and transcriptions).Muir JournalsNote journals grantImportance of scanning originals since no transcripts created7

Images: Boutique in choosing to scan originals instead of microfilm.

Metadata: Industrial in using pre-existing titles only, no additional analysis or description.Muir Drawings

Images: Industrial in scanning microfilm.

Metadata: Industrial in using pre-existing descriptions on sender, recipient, date, location, but boutique in creating transcriptions.Muir CorrespondenceMulti-institutional grantBalance between b/w originals and transcriptions$ saved in scanning originals could be applied to transcriptionsTranscript issues: letters vs journal, Muir vs. Locke11

Look for opportunities to incorporate industrial processes, especially in image creation.

Reserve boutique treatment for material that truly merits the investment.

Both approaches may be applied within the same collection when appropriate.

Final Thoughts on MPLP and DigitizationTo make things findable in elec. world. Is this doing researchers work for them or taking full advantage of elec format over analog originals, esp. full text transcripts?

15Its clearly cheaper and faster to scan and describe collections to less detailed levels, but is the loss of quality in image and metadata worth it in meeting user needs?

Are different audiences served by boutique vs. industrial digitization?

Final Thoughts on MPLP and DigitizationSpecial consideration for microfilm(often already done for most important/valuable collections)

Are we scanning and describing for specific users, general users, or ourselves?

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