Administrative-
1. To identify and record the issues that require administrative
oversight and their requirements and schedules for implementation.
2. To document and describe the administrative organization of
the digital library project as it grows from the pilot project
to a permanent component of the Library.
3. To develop contacts within this institution to form a Museum
Digital Library Committee and to develop contacts in other institutions,
and possibly in the commercial sector to form a Digital Library
Advisory Committee. Communication with these contacts will be
documented as the project proceeds.
4. To review distribution issues including needs assessment,
access, delivery of information, auditing and evaluation.
5. To balance the sometimes conflicting concerns of access and
security in consultation with other working groups.
6. To define the Library's status quo before digitization in
regard to publishing and acquisition of scientific literature
and to licensing and distribution of archival images in order
to establish a baseline for comparison with the plans for digital
distribution.
7. To identify and compare existing or developing digital library
or museum programs in other institutions in regard to publishing
and acquisition of scientific literature and to licensing and
distribution of archival images.
8. To create a resource for digital library development including
a public web site.
Economic-
1. To review and analyze production costs of distributing information
in a digital format at multiple levels of access.
2. To review the feasibility of cost retrieval and/or revenue
generation, including the exploration of e-commerce.
3. To continue to investigate potential sources of increased
economic support from government programs, foundations, private
donors and corporations and sources within the Museum.
Legal-
1. To coordinate efforts for management of intellectual property
with the Content and Meta-data Working Groups.
Ethical-
1. To review the ethical premises for the digital library and
prepare a statement of ethics.
Administrative-
1. Documentation:
a. Document the administration and development of the
digital library project.
· Develop a schedule with benchmarks for accomplishments.
· Develop a records management system for paper and electronic
records generated by the project.
· Consult with the other working groups on the choice
and implementation of the following:
-a digital library intranet
-web conferencing
-project management software
-contact software
-administrative metadata
b. Collocate the documentation from all the working groups
to create a document which might act as a primer for the development
of a digital library. Include in this document mistakes and
suggestions for improvements.
c. Define and outline the format of the final and interim reports
for the Mellon Foundation.
d. Make the Museum a resource center for information about
developing a digital library.
· Collect and arrange information regarding
other notable digital library projects and resources.
· Distribute this information on the library web site
with links to these sites and resources.
· Establish a cooperative relationship with local library
schools so interns might be engaged to work on the project.
2. Consultation:
a. Initiate contacts within this institution to form
a Museum Digital Library Committee.
b. Initiate contacts in other institutions, and possibly in
the commercial sector to form a Digital Library Advisory Committee.
c. Document how these contacts were made and the discussions
and recommendations of these groups.
3. Access:
a. Assess needs through surveys, focus groups and other
methodologies as appropriate.
b. Insure the integrity of documents in collaboration with
the I.T. working group.
c. Define intellectual levels of access (with Content Group)
d. Review intellectual property rights (with Content Group)
e. Define products and services:
· OPAC access
· unrestricted web access
· levels of access, e.g. language, cultural, intellectual
· choice of format, CD, DVD
· product on demand
· customized product
· support for developing world
-mirror sites
-cd formats
-audio
-video
· evaluate economic issues (see third point under economics
below)
4. Auditing:
a. identify proven software and methodologies for auditing
the project itself and resulting products.
b. hire consultants to perform these audits.
5. Evaluation:
a. arrange for independent peer review
b. assemble focus groups
c. direct user feedback through electronic surveys and in-person
user surveys
· hire consultants to perform these evaluations.
6. Security:
a. consult with the I.T. group regarding security problems
and solutions such as fire walls, passwords and watermarks.
Economic-
1. Consult with the I.T. group on the decision concerning the
production and distribution of digitized images, identify administrative
issues and coordinate planning among groups.
2. Define criteria for the selection of vendors to digitize AMNH
publications, e.g.
· cost
· cost recovery
· accessibility
· compatibility
· non-exclusivity
· feasibility of exchanges
3. Investigate the possibilities for cost recovery based on the
products and services that might be created and distributed. (See
access point 5 above.)
4. Investigate and analyze to what extent other digital library
projects may or may not achieve cost recovery. Examine their methods
for doing so including schemes such as:
· subscriptions
· memberships
· millicent, etc.
· the creation of enhanced products
5. Analyze cost determination options including:
· free
· "stepped" distribution of images; thumbnails
free, higher resolutions at a cost.
· selective fee schedules based on scholarly or commercial
use.
· academic subscriptions
· corporate subscriptions
· cost per use
6. Identify the non-recoupable economic value of current services
and compare with increased and enhanced digital access, e.g. ease
of use, timeliness, inter-disciplinary and multi-media links and
novel relationships within the information universe.
7. Monitor sustained Museum support for Digital Library development
in the plan for the assumption of digital library positions.
8. Identify additional sources of funding and specific projects
that may be funded by outside sources, both private and public.
Continue to work with AMNH Development Department.
Legal-
1. Investigate and recommend adaptation of rights management
software to protect the copyright of digital library content including
material copyrighted by the library, other scientific and administrative
departments and material from outside the Museum linked to the
digital library site.
Ethical-
1. Review ethical statements published by ALA, SLA, and DLF
and prepare a statement regarding intellectual freedom, open standards,
and questions of free access to Library and Museum material.
