file management best practices observations from the history department carla zimowsk technology...

File ManagementBest Practices

Observations from the History Department

Carla ZimowskTechnology Manager

Princeton University History Department

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

Why such a simple topic?Department technologist and librarian combine efforts to

better educate History faculty and graduate students on the basics.

Old archivist saying: “You don’t own it

if you can’t find it!”

No universal approach or tool.

http://www.damlearningcenter.com/street-smarts/file-naming-best-practices-for-digital-asset-management/

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

Cues from real-world organization – internal/external: A study in human-information behavior

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

HistoryOfBooksHistoryOfBooks

CensorshipCensorship

EnglandEngland ItalyItaly FranceFrance

ArticlesArticles

ImagesImages

Hierarchies

http://javieraenglish.blogspot.com/2011/01/hunger-mind-mapping.html Mind map that links four ideas of the Knut Hamsun's novel Hunger: Existentialism, Christianity, Hamsun, and Literary Features. 

RelationshipsMind-MappingSmart Search

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

Still comes down to fundamentals!

Unique IdentityUniversal Readability

What’s In a

Name?

File Naming Best Practices!

Filenames can be problematic when sharing files between platforms and systems.

• Mac allows certain symbols in filenames that Windows does not

• For files on the web, spaces are replaced with %20 in URLs

“A filename you can easily read.doc” = A%20filename%20you%20can%20easily%20read.doc”

• In general, try to stay away from spaces as well as the following characters: \ / : * ? “ < > | [ ] & $

To chronologically sort files based on date, use a YEAR-MONTH-DAY format along with a 4 digit year as opposed to a 2 digit year. For example, 20110413.jpg instead of 04132011.jpeg.

http://www.damlearningcenter.com/street-smarts/file-naming-best-practices-for-digital-asset-management/

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

Search/Query:Which deeds show Martin?Which deeds show Big Creek?Which deeds were filed 1907?

What do youwant to know

from your files?

Scans- Land Deeds

Scans- Land Deeds

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

File Naming Best Practices!• Be consistent • Create a naming

convention• Document it (readme)!

Record Type Abbreviation Key: DR (death record)CR (census record)MR (marriage record)BR (birth record)MT (military record)CD (city directory)PR (property records)IMG (photo)FS (family sheet)File names within member folders:yyyyRTST-ZimonskiMartin001.xxx RT(record type abbrev) ST(state abbrev)

Naming convention:For surname or group folders, use the the spelling most commonly known

For individual files – use the spelling as seen on that document – tag the document with the common spelling.

Husbandsurname-Wifemaidenname (if couple or group)

SurnameFirstname (if individual)

If repeated names – use middle SurnameFirstnameMiddle

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

File Naming Best Practices!

Search/Query:Which deeds show Martin?Which deeds show Big Creek?On which deed is Martin listedas a widower?

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

MichiganArchivesMichiganArchives

OscodaCountyOscodaCounty

LandDeedsLandDeeds

Libre001-1882Libre001-1882

What is metadata and why should you care?

MetadataAs Filing System

http://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/using/metadata-adobe-bridge.html#import_metadata_into_a_document

http://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/using/metadata-adobe-bridge.html

Scans- Land Deeds

Scans- Land Deeds

ContextContentIdentity

Search/Query:Which deed shows Martinas “widower”?

Which deeds show Big Creek?

Tags: widower; Big Creek Township;

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

Keep your tags with your documents!Considerations:

OS-specificApplication-specific

Dropbox?Google Drive?

Evernote?DevonThinkWebspace?

Etc.

Mac to Windows?Windows to Mac?

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

OCRPDF vs. Image File

Not necessarily efficient for a large batch; should be aconsideration at the time ofcollection.

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

• OS tagging

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/tag-your-files-for-easier-searches-in-windows-7/4024

Within specific apps (Acrobat, Bridge, Photoshop, Word )

• Batch conversionAdobe Acrobat Pro

AdobeBridge• Batch-renaming

http://www.sherrodcomputers.com/products_filerenamer_download.cfm (Windows)http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/33659/rename (Mac)

• Batch-taggingAdobeBridge

MetadataTouch: http://www.digitalconfidence.com/MetadataTouch.html

• DevonThink, Evernote, Zotero

Tools for that!

“File Management Best Practices” Carla Zimowsk – Productive Scholar, Princeton University 3-27-2014

File ManagementBest Practices

Observations from the History Department

Carla Zimowskczimowsk@princeton.edu

Technology ManagerPrinceton University History Department