Transcript Digitization Progress and Challenges at Gandhi Smriti

Digitization Progress and
Challenges at Gandhi Smriti
Library of LBSNAA
Rajender Singh Bist
Senior Library & Information Assistant
Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of
Administration, Mussoorie (Uttrakhand)
E-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
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The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of
Administration, Mussoorie is a premier training
institution for the higher civil services in India.
Digitization at Gandhi Smriti Library of LBSNAA
aims at preservation and cost-effective technical
solution for efficient development and delivery of
digital services.
Digitization of non-copyright documents is
underway by CDAC, Noida for the Digital Library
of India Project.
The paper describes the digitization process and
progress, highlights the technical challenges
experienced.
Digitization: Tools & Technological Issues
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Digitization requires a scalable technology
solution and techniques.
Technological issues like accessibility; search
engines; fiber optic connectivity; manpower;
training; DL management skills; ICT skills;
information skills; management skills; research
and project management skills needs to be
considered.
The basic hardware and software requirements.
The Project Proposal
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DL team- PLIO, ALIO, Two SLIAs and one
Machine operator.
February 2005- assigned the task of preparing a
comprehensive project proposal.
Digitization needs-investigating our resources
i.e. manpower, equipment, Hardware software
infrastructure, money, time, free use, and
deciding the target users etc.
Study of the workflow of operations for the
entire process including its functional design.
The document categories segregated as
institutionally produced and the non-copyright
rare publications.
Services Planned Under DL Project
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Electronic Current Content service- capturing the contents
of journals in digitized form attaching them to e-resources.
E-Books & E-journals databases (Presently Ebrary &
EBSCO).
Institutional Publication including Academy Journal
'Administrator'.
Sharing resources through networking with Administrative
Training Institutions (In process).
Reference Databases.
Gandhi Smriti Library Archives Online. (To be hosted in live
environment after procurement of NAS/SAN).
DELNET and other library resources.
Digital Library of India (DLI) Project and GSL
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The Digital Library Project was envisaged by Carnegie
Mellon University USA as “Million book Universal Digital
Library (UDL) Programme”. DLI is a non-commercial
project for digitizing non-copyrighted books.
CDAC is one of the agencies for scanning documents for
this project. This project is coordinated by Indian
Institute of Science, Bangalore and is supported by
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology,
GOI.
GSL was recognized as one of the sources of multi
lingual data for DLI project-MOU between LBSNAA and
CDAC, for rights to digitize books, journals was signed
on 8th November 2005.
Since November 2005 about 6,500 documents covering
more than 28.5 lakh pages have been scanned.
Digitization Methodology
A digitization station requires an efficient and
highly integrated digitization system consisting
of hardware; software and a set of workflow
management processes are followed.
The CDAC set up a digitization station at the GSL
with their gadgets, accessories and the rest of
infrastructure is provided by the Academy.
Figure. 1 explains digitization process details.
Figure 1. Digitization Process
Image Processing and Batch Processing
Bach Processing Using Scan fix 4.21
Sample Metadata Encoding
Digital Library Application Software
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Selection of the software for creating as well as
delivering the digitized contents.
Software choosing is probably the most
important aspect of technology infrastructure for
a DL.
Retrieval be interlinked with the bibliographic
database, therefore it was decided to procure
the LS Digital software-DRMS (Digital Resource
Management System), which would provide a
unique feature of integration of digital resources
with the bibliographic records.
Linking Mechanism
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LS digital procured. Digital contents linked in the
initial testing phase, to our online catalogue,
where the e-resources option can directly take a
user to the full text of the digitized document.
On searching the catalog the results will be
displayed.
The bibliographic record to which the full text is
attached will show an e-resource icon. In order
to view and access the full text of the document
the users will simply have to click the e-resource
button. The links to the digitized data to the
bibliographic data is depicted in figure.
Linking…
Linking…
Technical Hurdles Experienced
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Technical support is an advantage with commercial
packages, but there is a little possibility to able to extend
their functionality as these packages are proprietary and
one cannot have access to source code.
After testing LS Digital's functionality and limitations, we
had to get the digitized documents converted to PDF.
Problem encountered - storage area. Due the lack of
technological know-how we were not able to estimate the
storage requirements earlier, therefore the linking is
awaiting enhancement of the server capacity.
Many of the technical challenges have necessitated the
review process of the infrastructure and several new
requirements are to be dealt with in the wake of the DL
implementation.
Technical Infrastructure to Integrate DL
with LBSNAA Resources and Applications
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IT applications running are, the Internal Workflow software
for finance, payroll, leaves, stores etc, E-learning solutions
based on Intranet, LSPremia for library Automation, Website
of LBSNAA.
GSL is developing viable solution in terms of storage
requirements along with data integrity, backup and
availability.
Hardware need to be consolidated and controlled at one
location.
Therefore a unified data centre is proposed to be configured
with the components such as servers, server farm area etc,
network services, database and applications server, SAN,
computations and network infrastructure.
Enhancing Storage & Access
Consideration
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The current available storage capacity is 0.2 terabytes
(200GB). The books already scanned need this space i.e.
0.2 terabytes for hosting. For storing the entire digital
collection the storage capacity is required to be enhanced
to about two terabytes.
NAS (Network Attached Storage) / SAN (Storage Area
Network), would provide a complete solution for
integrated, access of the LBSNAA resources.
As the library will create, license access to more and more
digital content, the need for an easy to use interface
becomes increasingly important.
GSL's intention is to redesign a website that is reliable and
up to date with the DL interface that is intuitive to
accommodate the needs of users.
Lessons Learnt and Suggestions
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A clear-cut digitization plan required.
Select and compile material prior to the scanning.
For very brittle documents Photoing with a digital camera is a
better option.
Work needs to be divided into functional areas with assigned
duties.
Necessary to ensure IT expertise.
understand the technical know how before starting the project.
Selection of the appropriate software solution should be
planned according to DL objectives.
A study and review of the existing technical infrastructure of
the institution is essential, as new requirements can be planned
accordingly in advance.
Devising a preservation strategy, specifying the security
requirements, investigating how users will search and access
the contents, exploring how the digital archive integrates with
the operational systems, free access, imposing restrictions etc.
are the areas which need to be researched.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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I owe my sincere thanks to Prof. A.S. Khullar
(IAS), Library In charge, for his efforts and
contribution made towards realizing the
digitization project at the Gandhi Smriti Library.
I am grateful to Dr. V.N. Shukla, Director (Spl.
Application), C-DAC, Noida for his continued
support and guidance and also acknowledge the
efforts of the team that works in for the project
at the Academy.
THANK YOU