Digitization
By implementing a dynamic infrastructure and maintaining a team of dedicated
professionals, dLOC strives to accomodate the needs of a diverse range of
collaborators, welcoming both partners with advanced digitization expertise as
well as institutions just beginning to learn about its theory and practice. In
this open, collaborative environment, dLOC trainers and programmers are readily
available to advise on technical issues potential partners may face when taking
steps to becoming a dLOC partner. In certain cases, our trainers are even
available to travel to partner institutions in order to help in any way
necessary to advise on local infrastructure, technical capacity, and
digitization techniques. With digitization education one of dLOC's primary
goals, a production manual has been published to aid partners in conceiving and
implementing a successful digitization strategy; in addition, a dLOC ToolKit is
available for free download to provide partners with software for implementing
a suggested digitization workflow.
Metadata
Every item in dLOC is associated, upon submission into the dLOC repository,
with a Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS)
file that describes descriptive, administrative, and structural information
relevant to its display and long-term preservation. dLOC currently utilizes its
own dLOC
METS extension profile. The preferred descriptive metadata standard in
dLOC METS is the MARC-based
Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS).
dLOC can also accomodate descriptive metadata in simple and qualified
Dublin Core, particularly in cases where collections are harvested
using the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH).
The dLOC Toolkit also contains a simple, template-based, graphical user
interface designed to automatically generate well-formed
MODS metadata and
METS wrappers from template-based user input.
Digital Preservation: Preserving Caribbean Heritage
In addition to its mission of providing scholars with open access to rare
Caribbean resources, dLOC is also dedicated to the long-term digital
preservation of all materials hosted in its collections. The present need for
such action in the Caribbean is urgent, especially in consideration of the
region's volatile climate, which renders a more traditional approach to
preservation a daunting challenge for even the finest archives and
repositories.
To best assure continued access to at-risk materials, dLOC has formed a
partnership with the Florida Center for Library Automation (FCLA),
whose Florida Digital Archive (FDA)
will back-up the entire dLOC collection in a robust, standards-compliant
preservation software architecture based on the Open Archival Information
System Reference (OAIS)
Model.
Tools for Digitization
Downloads:
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dloc Software Toolkit
To aid partners with digitzation and content submission, dLOC has created a
software Toolkit to streamline local workflows and facilitate the creation of
submission packages conformant to dLOC's technical and metadata specifications.
This freely distributed toolkit includes a local database application, a
central tracking application, four secondary applications, a Metadata Template,
a Pre-Quality Control Processor, a Quality Control Application, and the Go
dLOC! FTP client. The dLOC Toolkit was written in C# for use on PCs with
Windows 2000, NT, or XP. dLOC recommends installation on machines with at least
1 GB of RAM for image processing. dLOC makes no warranty or guarantees for the
Toolkit and no support is available for non-members.
For more information on eligibility requirements for partnership and conditions
of membership in dLOC, please see our
New Member Application (in .pdf format).
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Manual
The dLOC Toolkit Manual provides detailed information on the software, please
consult the project Manual.
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