*Digitization Projects

Caitlyn Lam

Librarian for Digital Resources

Yale Law Library

Why do we need project planning? Why not just jump right in?

Why do we need project management?

Ad hoc projects:

• Yield orphaned collections over time

• Inconsistent application of standards and best practices

•No dedicated preservation of digital objects

•No dedicated support

•Difficult for staff to prioritize

•Difficult for institution to allocate limited resources

• Create barriers for integrated search and discovery

Agenda:

I. Project planning

II. Planning for Digitization Projects

III.Examples from the Litchfield Law School Notebooks Digitization Project

I. Project Management

While the results of a project may require ongoing maintenance, a project should have a clear start and end.

From a project management perspective, a successful project: A. Delivers agreed upon products

and services

B. Is completed according to a predetermined schedule

C. Is achieved within established parameters, budget, and resources

D.Meets stakeholder expectations

E. Is controlled for minimal risks and unexpected outcomes

Five Project Management Processes

I. Initiating

II. Planning

III.Executing

IV.Monitoring and Controlling

V. Closing

-Project Management Body of Knowledge

Project Management Institute

Initiating

•The Initiating Process Group consists of those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.

•These processes help set the vision of the project—what is needed to be accomplished

- PMBOK

Planning

•The Planning Process Group consists of those processes performed to establish the total scope of the effort, define and refine the objectives, and develop the course of action to attain those objectives.

•The planning processes develop the project management plan and the project documents that will be used to carry out the project.

- PMBOK

Executing:

• The Executing Process Group consists of those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the specifications.

• This involves coordinating people and resources, managing stakeholder expectations, as well as integrating and performing the activities of the project in accordance with the project management plan.

- PMBOK

Monitoring and Controlling:•The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group consists of those processes required to track, review, and orchestrate the progress and performance of the project

• Identify any areas in which changes to the plan are required

- PMBOK

Closing:

•The Closing Process Group consists of those processes performed to conclude all activities across all Project Management Process Groups to formally complete the project, phase, or contractual obligations.

- PMBOK

II. Planning for Digitization Projects

Processes involved in managing a digitization project…I. Initiating

a. Project Review

b. Project Proposal

II. Planninga. Work plan and Production Schedule

b. Request for Proposal

c. Vendor license

III. Executing

IV. Monitoring and Controllinga. Quality Control

b. Balance Budget

c. Adjust Project Plan as needed

V. Closing

Initiating Process Project Review

Any project that requires resources for a set period of time, should undergo a review process, which in turn informs your project proposal.

Project Review

1) Helps determine whether the proposed project is consistent with the institution’s mission, vision, and guiding principles

2) Helps ensure organizational commitment to successful completion of the project

3) Helps establish required allocation of resources and capacities for project completion

4) Determines any duplication in effort (i.e. is the collection available elsewhere, is there a possibility for collaboration with other departments or organizations)

5) Projects realistic goals and measurable objectives

6) Justifies creation of the collection

7) Identifies target audience

Project Review Checklist1) Create a rough outline of the project idea

2) Discuss project idea with supervisor or upper administration to attain preliminary buy-in

3) Set timeline to investigate and prepare proposal

4) Identify intellectual property issues

5) Conduct a review of titles to determine whether or not digital files exist elsewhere.

6) Consider and contact possible participants or collaborators

7) Draw up an initial list of tasks and identify milestones if possible

8) Draft a sustainability plan

Initiating Process Project

Proposal – Create a narrative to make your case1) Describe collection(s) and desired outcomes, including

cataloging, preservation, digitization, accessibility, etc. a. Subject(s) and format(s)

b. Location(s) of collection

c. Estimated item count

d. Intellectual property/copyright status

e. Environmental scan determining if digitized versions exist elsewhere

2) Justification for the project, describing value of the work and how it fits into institutional mission, vision, and goals.

3) Identify target audience

4) Describe required resources (staffing, supplies, etc.)

5) Identify participants or collaborators

6) Include a sustainability plan for maintaining the collection post project completion

7) Identify funding sources

Project Proposal – Include a proposed budget1. Identify costs based on

preliminary quotes and estimations

2. Consider all potential costs (scanning, shipping, staffing, quality control, metadata, storage)

3. Budget should be padded to include contingency costs

Planning Process Work Plan and Production Schedule

1) Create a work plana. Selection/preparation of material

b. Digitization

c. Access and integration

For each task within the three stages of project, include:

• Earliest start/end date

•Outputs

•Milestone

• Team member responsible for task

2) Production schedule for vendor digitization

Planning Process Request for Proposal

1. Project Overview

2. Description of work

3. Project Timetable

4. Materials Description

5. Required Deliverables

a. Scanning requirements

b. Directory structure

c. File naming convention

d. Directory name

e. Technical metadata requirements

6. Quality control expectations

7. Shipping and delivery

8. Assumptions and Agreements

9. Proposal Format

10.Time frame

Planning Process License Agreement1. Scope of the Agreement2. Duration3. Cost4. Material Description5. Preparation and shipping 6. Project deliverables7. Charges and invoicing8. Quality control and inspection 9. Error resolution10.Schedule and workflow 11.Liability – vendor liability for

material12.Subcontracting 13.Rights over final products14.Communication method15.Non-compliance and default16.Rights to termination17.Indemnification 18.Governing Law

Monitoring and Controlling Process

1) Quality Control

2) Ensuring production is on track

3) Balance Budget

4) Adjust Project Plan as needed

Closing

1) Conduct Post Project Review

2) Write up closing reporta. Summarize result of project

b. Document any issues encountered or changes made

c. Document lessons learned

d. Recommendations for next phase

3) Archive relevant documents

4) Finalize budget report

5) Promote the collection

The Litchfield Law School Notebooks Project

1) Digitization project initiated by and funded through a grant obtained by, a Yale Law School faculty member

2) A collaboration between the Yale Law School Library and the Litchfield Historical Society

3) 144 Notebooks with an estimated 55,000 pages to be scanned

Project ProposalJason EisemanLibrarian for Emerging TechnologiesYale Law Library1. The Litchfield Law School (Litchfield, CT) was the first

proprietary law school founded in the United States.

2. The Law School educated two vice presidents, three Supreme Court justices, 28 senators, 97 members of the House, and 15 governors, but the Law School’s influence on American law remains largely unstudied.

3. Today, more than 270 notebooks have survived representing the efforts of 90 students recording law lectures, charts, and essays. These notebooks are evidence of the development of legal education in America.

4. Digitization and preservation of the Litchfield notebooks will provide unprecedented access to historic and unique material supporting the study of early American history and the history of legal education and practice.

Project Proposal - continued

1. Physical description of the collection including the number of volumes, condition of binding and pages, and variable dimension.

2. Existing and required metadata: from existing catalog records, to be enhanced with additional administrative and technical metadata

3. Preservation status

4. Methodology and standards: YUL scanning specifications and naming convention standards

5. Access methods: Yale University Library repository, Yale Law Library repository, Internet Archive, etc.

6. Copyright Status: collection is in the public domain

7. Environmental Scan: Harvard Law Library has digitized their full collection of unique notebooks.

8. Project Team: roles and responsibilities

9. Funding and estimated cost

Project Budget

Included:

1) Scanning and associated fees

2) Shipping costs

3) Hard drive

4) Student hours

5) Added 10% on top of estimate

Did not include:

1. Cataloging and metadata

2. Indirect staff cost (librarian or other library staff time)

3. Ongoing storage costs

Lessons Learned

1) Pad your budget for incidentals

2) Request sample scans for the proposed collection as a part of your vendor selection process, even if you’ve worked with the vendor before.

3) Don’t forget to factor in scheduled holidays and vacations and unscheduled absences when creating your production schedule

4) Don’t underestimate the amount of time you will need for quality control and corrections. Ensure that there is a consensus about what is acceptable quality between the vendor and your project team.