Digitization Request:
submitted by cherylberedo@nypl.org and sponsored by Cheryl Beredo and the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division division
| Division | Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division |
|---|---|
| Collection(s) | Arthur A. Schomburg papers (Sc MG 5), Arthur Alfonso Schomburg collection (Sc MG 41), selections from the Rare Book collection |
| Contact | Cheryl Beredo |
| Scope | 17 archival boxes (Sc MG 5); 1 archival box (Sc MG 41); 775 volumes |
| Date Range | 1619-2014 (bulk 19th-20th centuries) | Size of Materials | 8.5"x14" or smaller | Condition | No known condition issues; all items proposed have been handled recently without incident |
| Is this request time-sensitive? Please describe: | My hope is this project may be completed in time for us to draw on the files for a digital exhibition in celebration of the Schomburg's centennial (2025), and for the originals to be back in-house for possible inclusion in exhibition in the Schomburg's galleries that same year. |
| Strategy Alignment | Not only are the proposed Arturo Alfonso Schomburg collections the foundation of the Schomburg Center's holdings today, they document the Harlem Renaissance, the history of Black bibliography, and of course, the life and work of Mr. Schomburg himself. Digitization of his papers and selections from the "seed library" he sold to NYPL in 1926 will allow for in-depth remote research on Schomburg and his circle, facilitate digital exhibitions in advance of the Schomburg's centennial year, and in the "seed library," make many extremely rare volumes relating to the global Black experience available digitally. |
Rights: | |
|---|---|
| Can this be displayed publicly online? | Other |
| Are there any other rights or content (e.g., nudity) concerns? | *Possibility of some rights restrictions; some public domain, others in question (at minimum on-site access for most materials) |
| Is a deed of gift, non-exclusive license, or other pertinent paperwork concerning copyright available for the collection? | No |
Processing: | |
| Do the requested materials require additional preparation for digitization (arrangement, inspection, etc.)? | Yes |
| For audio and moving image media, have these materials been inventoried and can a CMS ID be provided? | No - Materials will first need to go to Preservation and Collections Processing to be inventoried |
Metadata: | |
| Does description exist for these materials? | Finding aid (paper, word-processed, pdf, EAD-encoded) Select one. |
| If so, please list the catalog or finding aid link(s) for the record(s) | http://archives.nypl.org/scm/24643#overview ; http://archives.nypl.org/scm/20639#overview ; http://archives.nypl.org/scm/24646#detailed |
| Are there any specific metadata issues we should consider? | Manuscript materials requiring item-level metadata; MMS record for the SCMicro R2798 |
Reformatting: | |
| For DIU imaging, can the materials be digitized with current in-house equipment? Current exceptions to DIU capability include bulk microfilm, volumes unable to open beyond 90 degrees, and items requiring x-ray or multi-spectral imaging. | Yes |
| For audio and moving image media, can the media be digitized in house? | Yes |
Condition: | |
| For DIU imaging, will each requested item safely fit on a flat 30x40 inch standard imaging table (see picture at right)? If yes, can each item, when considered as a complete object, be captured in full by an overhead camera without the use of cradles and/or other supports or weights on the standard imaging table (keep in mind: most bound materials will require the use of a cradle or other similar props for capture)? If yes to both questions, please provide the following information: What types of items are you requesting digitization for? (ex: books, flat sheets, 3D objects, slides/negatives, etc.) What are your requested items made of? (ex: paper, parchment, textile, mixed media, photographic film, etc.) How much of the item should be captured in each image and what is the approximate size of that physical area? | Yes; items are 8.5"x14" or smaller // Yes, mostly. Collection also includes the "Seed Library" which will need weights (35 bound books) // Requested for digitization: books, mostly unbound letters and documents, press clippings, correspondence // Made of paper // Whole item, full page captures, mostly 8.5"x14" or smaller |
| For audio and moving image media, does the AMI media exhibit recognizable condition issues such as mold, a vinegar smell, breakage that might impact playback? | No |
A) Rights held by multiple rights holders B) Some research required to determine the rights status of multiple items. Materials authored by Schomburg may be cleared through estate/heirs. Materials about Schomburg may require licensing. C) Profiles for 25%-50% must be added at an item level.
Some public domain materials with full access and downloads; with the majority of materials dated after 1900, which will have more limited access with public DC viewing and downloading in low-res; with non-commercial uses granted for NYPL. a small portion of materials about Schomburg (dated up to 2014) may require licensing to include on DC.
- Item-level records can be imported from existing records in the catalog and archives portal. - Records meet minimum metadata standards with minimal collection- and/or container-level editing upon import. - Project is straightforward but scale is very large with majority of work for 775 individual MARC > MODS records.
-large volume of materials doesn't raise any immediate flags but may exhaust DIU resources if not batched appropriately -physical material inspection may produce additional concerns -taking into account importance of materials, DIU's limitations in terms of high-resolution camera backs should be noted (work would likely need to be performed on one station that bears brunt of workflow burden); again, this can be accounted for through planning but will bottleneck output
Rated largely due to quantity of the material. The long timeframe with which to complete the project makes it feasible, since we can move small batches of items at a time (based on what is also appropriate for DIU's workflow).