About | Use | Staffing | Funding | Guidelines

About the University of Delaware Library Digital Collections

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University of Delaware Library Digital Collections provides free and open access to digital versions of selected materials held by the University of Delaware Library.

Start by selecting a collection from the Library Digital Collections home page. From each collection's home page, there are links to search or browse the collection, view the collection's online finding aid, and access other special features. Collection information is stored in ContentDM, which allows collections to be searched either individually or together.

Searches can be performed within a single collection or across multiple collections by selecting the desired collection(s) at the bottom of the Search page within ContentDM.

To view a list of every item in a collection select the desired collection from the drop-down list near the top of the Browse page within ContentDM.

To return to a collection home page once in ContentDM, click on "Collections" in the menu bar and select the collection from the drop-down list.

In ContentDM, customize the view, sort order, and number of records per page from the Preferences page. Use My Favorites to view, compare, move, or delete collection items you have saved to My Favorites.



Use of the Collections

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Use for Educational Purposes, Personal Research and General Interest

Images that will be used for teaching or for personal study or research may be printed or downloaded from the web site without prior permission. Any images used for these purposes should cite the University of Delaware Library. Use the following format for citing materials:

[Title]. [Collection]. University of Delaware Library. Newark, Delaware.

Publishing Materials from the Collection

Researchers must contact the Library to request permission to use materials in any manner other than those described above. Persons wishing to publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions.

Permission to publish must be obtained in writing from a Special Collections librarian. The letter of application should specify the materials to be reproduced and the publication in which they will be used. The Special Collections Department reserves the right to charge a fee for the use of images from its collections. Publication fees cover nonexclusive, one-time, use of a single image unless otherwise indicated.

Write to:
Special Collections Department
University of Delaware Library
Newark, DE 19717-5267

or contact the Special Collections Department online.

For additional information on the Special Collection Department's policies, please visit http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/policies.htm

Requesting Reproductions

Requests for reproductions of materials in the collection should be directed to a Special Collections librarian. Please provide the Collection Title and Digital Image ID number found in the record of the item(s). We will be able to inform you of any reproduction restrictions on a case-by-case basis.



Staffing

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The Preservation Department is responsible for developing and maintaining Library Digital Collections, including digital conversion, metadata creation, and web design:

Elise Calvi, Head, Preservation Department
Theresa Hessey, Library Assistant, Digitization and Brittle Books Unit, Preservation Department

The Library Data and Server Support Unit works collaboratively with the Preservation Department on the development and maintenance of digital collections, including systems design and security, hardware and software, and development of automated processes in support of production activities:

Mark Grabowski, Systems Programmer IV and Coordinator, Library Data and Server Support Unit
Keith Jones, Systems Programmer II, Library Data and Server Support Unit
Shwu Leung, Systems Programmer III, Library Data and Server Support Unit

The Library Collections Division is responsible identifying and selecting collections for digital conversion, and participates in developing plans and specifications for the presentation of each collection:

Craig Wilson, Assistant Director for Library Collections
Mary Durio, Head, Preservation Department
Susan Davi, Head, Collection Development Department
David Langenberg, Associate Librarian, Collection Development Department
Rebecca Johnson Melvin, Coordinator, Manuscripts Unit, Special Collections Department
Timothy Murray, Head, Special Collections Department
Jesse Rossa, Coordinator, Book Unit, Special Collections Department
Iris Snyder, Coordinator, Public Services, Special Collections Department


Funding

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The Unidel Foundation has generously provided support for Library Digital Collections.


Guidelines

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Specifications and methods used to build digital collections are designed to produce resources that serve present and future access needs, and are maintainable into the future. Digitization is a time consuming staff activity and also constitutes an intensive use of source materials.

Digital Conversion

Principles followed in determining specifications for digital conversion are to:

1) Create high-quality master files that capture all important information contained in the source materials, using specifications determined specifically for each group of materials;

2) Use standard and non-proprietary file formats to ensure accessibility to the widest audience, and to ensure future usablity;

3) Consider quality, delivery speed, file storage, and maintenance issues together when determining specifications. Select settings high enough, but not beyond what is necessary, to capture all important information and support anticipated uses;

4) Select the best copy available for source materials (when there is a choice), for example, scanning from the earliest generation of an image, or performing necessary cleaning, flattening, or stabilization before copying;

5) Record technical information about the digital files so that they can be maintained over time; and

6) Perform quality control procedures for materials produced both in-house and by vendors as appropriate for each group of materials to ensure that files are readable and meet quality standards.

Metadata and Delivery System

The principles followed are designed to improve intellectual access to library collections, by:

1) Making unique materials accessible to all via the Web;

2) Enhancing description and indexing to improve searching and retrieval;

3) Allowing cross-collection searching so that users can find relationships among materials held in descrete collections; and

4) Allowing records to be migrated or "crosswalked" to other platforms.

Metadata should include the information needed for:

1) Searching and retrieval of individual items (descriptive and analytical metadata), and also make evident the relationships among items within a collection as well as across collections. Controlled vocabularies and standard record formats should be used;

2) Maintaining digital collections, managing access rights, and preserving digital files (administrative and preservation metadata); and

3) Display and navigation within a digital resource that reflects the structure and relationship of parts, such as the pages and chapters in a book or articles in a journal (structural metadata).

Delivery systems and storage devices should be secure, and processes should be established and maintained to ensure the continued usability of digital resources.

For information about the University of Delaware Library Digital Collections activities, contact Mary Durio, Head, Preservation Department. For reference inquiries about the content of Library Digital Collections, contact the Special Collections Department.