May 2, 2006

Virtual CollectionsOr, catalog building without the rocket science

Agenda

• Welcome• What is the Virtual Collections Service?• Demonstrations of Virtual Collections• How Virtual Collections Work• Requesting a Virtual Collection• Future Developments• VC Information and Links• Questions

Presentation on the web: http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/vc/rollout/

What is the Virtual Collections Service?

Virtual Collections Service Is …

A new OIS service that allows a curator to create a web-based collection view of thematically related resources which exist in a number of systems or within a single system.

In this presentation, “VC” is shorthand for Virtual Collections!

Features of VC• Scheduled harvesting of metadata from

HOLLIS, VIA and Harvard Geospatial Library• Web-based search, browse, and display

interface; short and full record views• Search results include thumbnails and links to

digital objects• Two ways to configure

– “Out of the box” stand alone public interface– “Embedded” option for integrating into web

sites, such as OCP

What VC Is Not

• A new catalog – records must exist in another catalog

• A repository for digital objects• A TED collection• A tool for non-library sponsored projects• A platform for short term projects

Who Is Eligible to Use VC

• Libraries, museums, and archives• Other Harvard organizational units,

when sponsored by a Harvard library

Near Term Users

• Latin American Pamphlets (Widener)

• Immigration to the US, 1789-1930 (Open Collections Program)

• Studies in Scarlet (Law Library; upcoming)

Demonstrations

Sample Virtual Collections

• Latin American Pamphlets (stand-alone)

• Immigration to the US, 1789-1930 (stand-alone)

• Immigration to the US, 1789-1930 (integrated)

How Virtual Collections Work

VC Architecture

HollisData Provider

VIAData Provider

HGLData Provider

VCHarvester

Harvest file

HOLLIS 002223743VIA olvwork125041HGL MGISRAILTRA1

OAI-PMHPublicAccess

MaintenanceInterface

VCDatabase

DRS, HOLLIS,VIA, HGL

Creating a Virtual Collection

Step 1. Define the collectionStep 2. Customize the user interfaceStep 3. Harvest recordsStep 4. Add categories Step 5. Test and release!

Step 1: Define the Collection• Curator selects an implementation option:

– Stand-alone is an easy “out of the box” solutiono Data and public “skin” hosted by VCo Setup performed by OIS

– Integrated is a more customized solutiono Data hosted by VC; public “skin” hosted locally o Setup under curator’s control

– Both options offer same search, browse, and record display features

• OIS sets up the collection– Provides a collection code to the curator– http://vc.hul.harvard.edu:11080/vc/deliver/

advancedsearch?_collection=LAP

Step 2: Customize the User Interface• Stand-alone collections offer limited

customization– Curator provides custom banner, background

colors, footer, menu links, home page text– OIS implements

• Integrated collections are highly customizable– Style sheets (XSL and CSS) control presentation,

order and visibility of elements– Customization under curator’s control– Collection can be integrated with a local web site– Must have local technical support resources

Step 3: Harvest Records

• Sources: HOLLIS, VIA, Harvard Geospatial Library

• Curator creates a “harvest list” (text file containing record numbers)

• Curator FTPs the harvest list to a dropbox; records harvested overnight– Automatic weekly harvesting picks up

changes in source cataloging• Source system cataloging is converted

to a format used by VC

About VC Data Conversion (part 1)

In HOLLIS Label in VC In VIA

Title Title TitleAuthor Name/Creator Creator

Published Place of Origin Production

GenrePhysical Description

Form/Genre Work Type

Subject Subject Location/SubjectTopics

VC converts differing data sources into a standard format with a predefined set of elements.

About VC Data Conversion (part 2) Standard format is MODS “Metadata Object Description Schema”

<name type="personal"><namePart>Picasso, Pablo</namePart><namePart type="date">1881-1973</namePart><role><roleTerm authority="..." type="..."> creator</roleTerm></role></name>

100 1 |a Picasso, Pablo |d 1881-1973.MARC21

<creator><nameElement>Picasso, Pablo</nameElement><dates>1881-1973</dates></creator>

VIA xml

VC MODS xml

Step 4: Add Categories to Records• Categories are optional subject-like terms

added to records in VC• Supplement but do not replace subject

terms from the source system• Created using the VC Maintenance

Interface to a collection• Can be searched and browsed

Step 5: Test and Release

• Test, then test some more …• For release, curator is responsible for:

– Assigning a URN to virtual collection– Arranging for description of collection in

HOLLIS and Harvard Libraries site– Publicity– Providing support to end-users

Discovering Virtual Collections

Each virtual collection will be …• Cataloged in HOLLIS• Accessible from Harvard Libraries site:

– Like any e-resource, findable by title, keyword and subject

– For all: Find E-Resources > Keyword > Resource Type “Harvard digital collections”

• Listed in Digital Collection Highlightshttp://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/directory/

Benefits of Virtual Collections

• Minimal setup time for a fully functional web based collection

• OIS supported central infrastructure – 24x7 support

• Have our cake and eat it too– Capitalize on central cataloging– Automated sync with catalog updates– Multiple contexts for discovery (union

catalog and virtual collection)

Requesting a Virtual Collection

How to Participate

Step 1: Review VC PoliciesStep 2: Submit a project proposalStep 3: OIS schedules the project

http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/vc/join.html

Step 1: Review VC Policies• Who can create a virtual collection?

– Harvard libraries, museums, and archives– Other Harvard organizational units, when

sponsored by a Harvard library• What materials are eligible?

– Materials cataloged in a union catalog (HOLLIS, VIA, HGL)

– Any academic discipline or subject domain– Collections of up to 25,000 records

http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/vc/policies.html

Step 2: Submit a Project Proposal

• Get local administrative backing first!• Submit a project proposal to OIS• HCL units must first comply with separate

internal review process

http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/vc/join.html

Step 3: OIS Schedules the Project

• VC projects are scheduled based on other OIS development priorities

• VC is new! First year capacity not clear– Perhaps 4-6 virtual collections per year

• If VC demand outpaces resources, OIS will need to prioritize– Will need to consult with curators and

local administrators

Virtual Collection Fee Schedule

• Setup fee (one-time charge):– $750 = one day of setup– Additional set up time charged at $375

per ½ day of work– Most collections take one day of setup

• Annual maintenance fee: $500 per collection

HCL Application Process

HCL librarians who wish to create a VC or to sponsor the creation of a VC by a member of the Harvard Community should begin the application process within HCL.  Guidelines and the HCL application can be found on the HCL Net in the Web Steering Group section.

https://intranet.hcl.harvard.edu/committees/web_steering/virtual_collections.html

The Future

VC Future Developments

• Feedback from early adopters• OAI Data Provider (this year)• Portfolios (tbd)• Ability to harvest from OASIS, TED,

and others (tbd)• Ability to search multiple virtual

collections (tbd)

For More Information …

Virtual Collections Links• Virtual Collections “microsite”

http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/vc/ • VC Policies

http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/vc/policies.html

• How to Participatehttp://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/vc/join.html

• VC Curator’s Guidehttp://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/vc/curator-guide/

Questions?