Digitization Request:
submitted by meredithmann@nypl.org and sponsored by Declan Kiely and the MSSRB division
| Division | MSSRB |
|---|---|
| Collection(s) | The New York Times Company records, General files |
| Contact | Meredith Mann |
| Scope | 1 folder (approximately 50 pages) |
| Date Range | 1970-1972 | Size of Materials | Standard paper sizes (I believe 8.5x11 to 11x17), stapled into 5 issues | Condition | no |
| Is this request time-sensitive? Please describe: | no |
| Strategy Alignment | Umesika was a publication of the Afro-American Employees Association of the New York Times, circulated internally and documenting the experiences of the Times' Black employees. Created during the early 1970s, a period known for its exploration of Black identity and activism, Umesika (Swahili for "have you heard") represents Black voices at a major news and New York City institution: reflecting, empowering, and challenging. Little seems to be written about this title, and the Library's New York Times Company records holds five of its issues. If digitized, this project has great potential for collaborative outreach with current staff at the New York Times. |
Rights: | |
|---|---|
| Can this be displayed publicly online? | Other |
| Are there any other rights or content (e.g., nudity) concerns? | This collection is part of the New York Times Company Records. General files; Copyright for documents created by New York Times Company principals and staff have been transferred to The New York Public Library; copyright for materials created by third parties is retained by those documents' creators. Though Umesika was a publication created by the Afro-American Employees Association of The Times, it is unclear whether or not the publication in question, or content created by individual contributors (including writers, photographers, illustrators, etc.) would be covered by this agreement. Further checks must be made for any copyright notices (works published before 1978 without a proper notice of copyright are in the public domain), as well as creator and author copyright notices/attributions, with the possibility open for having to clear some Rights and obtain permissions in order for material to be displayed publicly on Digital Collections. Other considerations: Right of Publicity for any photographs/individuals depicted in the publication (which would permit non-commercial uses only); See also Metadata section below: When NYTCR finding aid is re-imported into MMS, the existing collection-level Rights profile, and any item-level Rights profiles for previously digitized material, must be recreated, with Deed of Gift PDF reattached to the collection. |
| Is a deed of gift, non-exclusive license, or other pertinent paperwork concerning copyright available for the collection? | Yes |
Processing: | |
| Do the requested materials require additional preparation for digitization (arrangement, inspection, etc.)? | No |
| For audio and moving image media, have these materials been inventoried and can a CMS ID be provided? | N/A |
Metadata: | |
| Does description exist for these materials? | NYTCR has an existing finding aid on the NYPL Archives Portal, which has already been imported into MMS. There is also an existing online catalog record for the NYTCR collection; however a standalone catalog record for the serial Umesika specifically will be created in order to increase exposure and discovery of the publication (this will link back to existing collection finding aid). |
| If so, please list the catalog or finding aid link(s) for the record(s) | http://archives.nypl.org/mss/17802 http://catalog.nypl.org/record=b19621560 Link to item: https://metadata.nypl.org/items/5132258?section=desc_md |
| Are there any specific metadata issues we should consider? | The NYTCR finding aid has already been imported into MMS, however MSU would like to re-import the finding aid so that the MMS collection is fully up to date, and so that Box and Folder numbers, which are currently lacking in MMS, will be included in container and item-level records. Captures of already digitized material must be migrated to the newly imported collection. (There are currently only 19 captures in the repository, so this would not be laborious.) As per the finding aid there is currently an item-level record for Umesika in the NYTCR collection in MMS. This will need to be converted into a subcontainer, with individual item-level records created for each of the five issues of the publication. The subcontainer record will include the bnumber identifier for the newly created Umesika catalog record (to be inherited down), and information such as volume and issue numbers, as well as dates and any pertinent names of editors or contributors, will be added at the item/issue level. |
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 - The five issues (approx. 50 pages in total) are standard paper size (up to 11x17”) and are in good condition, with no flaking or other quality issues detected. The pages of each issue are stapled together; the staples can be easily removed for scanning/photographing and do not have to be put back afterwards. |
| 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? | Will each requested item safely fit on a flat 30x40 inch standard imaging table (see picture at right)? Yes 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)? Yes; However the DIU has stated that the material may be better digitized by flatbed scanning, if the eventual use of OCR is planned. (OCR is not currently available for DC); A materials review is planned by DIU in the coming days to decide on the best method of digitizing material. 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.) Flat sheets (staples to be removed before digitization) What are your requested items made of? (ex: paper, parchment, textile, mixed media, photographic film, etc.) Paper (approx. 50 pages) How much of the item should be captured in each image and what is the approximate size of that physical area? All (standard paper size, up to 11x17”) |
| 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? | N/A |
A) Collection will require research to determine rights holders. B) Rights may be held by multiple rights holders (such as multiple photographers or authors) and/or minimal metadata and finding aid information requiring additional research. Some research required to determine the rights status of multiple items. C) If determined that rights are not held by NYT, which through the deed of gift was transferred to NYPL, then approval from Bill Kelly may be required to allow materials to be available on DC due to the publication date of the materials.
Depending on rights assessment, patron access to on Digital Collections website may be limited to onsite access, or available on public DC with no downloading access.
- Item records require manual addition of access points above minimum standards. - Some item-level records require restructuring to accommodate a complex digital object structure. - Item records need to be created manually, but the items share common metadata and the collection is small.
-project seems straightforward, though utility of the image files without OCR should be considered
This could increase once rights resolves the copyright issues involved with this collection