The beautiful end product of a digital cultural heritage project is a wonderful thing. But building collaborative digital projects is challenging. VCU Libraries created an interactive 1889 atlas with ideas both old and new about use, access, engagement and collaboration.
Poster Description
The focus of this poster is two-fold. First, the collaborative effort to repair, digitize, preserve, plan and create an interactive website and digital representation of the 1889 Baist Atlas of Richmond will be documented. http://labs.library.vcu.edu/baist-atlas/
Second, the details of the iterative process and various approaches related to feedback, design, outreach, use, access and assessment portions of launching and maintaining a digital cultural heritage collection will be depicted. Some approaches included creating new materials for download and use such as geospatial data, and the use of both analytics and faculty outreach for assessment. Lessons learned thus far and plans for the future of the project will also be covered

Work, Lauren

VCU Scholars Compass

Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVCU Scholars CompassVCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations VCU Libraries2015Constructing the 1889 Baist Atlas of Richmond,VA: Building Blocks for Digital ProjectsLauren WorkVirginia Commonwealth University, lawork@vcu.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/libraries_presentPart of the Library and Information Science Commonshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/This Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by the VCU Libraries at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in VCULibraries Faculty and Staff Presentations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contactlibcompass@vcu.edu.Downloaded fromhttp://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/libraries_present/33Preservation Repair, including the pictured scraping technique to patch small holes in the map, and stabilization forhandling andphotography.DigitizationPhotography, editing, and digital “stitching” of component parts of the largeimage together for accuratedigital presentation.CatalogingSupplemental cataloging for anticipated research useincluded:-Street borders-Street index-Constructing the 1889 Baist Atlas of Richmond, VA: Building Blocks for Digital ProjectsLauren Work, Digital Collections Librarian http://labs.library.vcu.edu/baist-atlas/Preparation Design DeliverySupplemental resources Downloads of digital collections are typically made available in our CONTENTdm management system.For the Baist Atlas, VCU Libraries provided additional resources for download and use including geospatial data and the Atlas street index.Feedback & Assessment-Quantitative: Google AnalyticsEvent-specific metrics  were created for actions like downloads and clicks on the interactive website link.-Qualitative: Internal reviews from VCU Libraries & various faculty was solicited during a soft rollout of the site.OutreachPresentations & collaborations with interested groups:- History and urban planning departments- Friends of the Library- Archaeology PhD studentSocial media strategies included:- Tumblr posts for “Map Mondays”- Flickr Commons site metadata includes a link for the interactive websiteCollaborative developmentThe project was an iterative design collaboration between the VCU Web Team and Digital Collections.History in contextTo provide a reference forhow the 19th century Atlas fits into the landscape of modern Richmond:- All 20 panels were georectified over Google Maps- Architectural “Points of Interest”were identified for each panel- Street View was used to contrast historic images with present day architectureNew avenues for discoveryIn addition to presenting the Atlas online, the interactive site also serves as a pathway to related VCU digital collections that feature the neighborhoods and structures in the Atlas.The Baist Atlas project was the first design of its kind created for VCU Libraries. The digital project was created by a collaborative effort to preserve, digitize, describe, and code an interactive website to showcase and supplement a unique resource for researchers. This ongoing project also experimented with ideas about use, access, evaluation and outreach for the collection.ChallengesTimePreservation work was extensive and necessary for the project. This collaboration took several months, which was longer than originally anticipated.Digitization trouble shootingLighting, photography and digital editing for a large format item called for new approaches and workflows. These steps also required additional project time.ChallengesScope creep. Enthusiasm for the project ran high, and additional ideas were integrated continuously. This will be mitigated in future projects by establishing a project charter.Cascading technical challengesScope creep led to shifting technical requirements, which delayed development.Communication & Issue TrackingGoogle Docs are not ideal for development. GitHub will be used for future projects for better issue tracking and workflow.ChallengesFeedbackThis needs to be early and often. Our feedback provided great criticism, but it was too late in the project for major change.Audience identificationThe project was geared for scholarly research, but we struggled to identify our target audience. Students? Historians? SustainabilityPreservation and migration plans for the site are extremely important. We are planning to use a project charter to assign ownership and future responsibilities.

Constructing the 1889 Baist Atlas of Richmond, VA: Building Blocks for Digital Projects

Virginia Commonwealth University
VCU Scholars Compass
VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations VCU Libraries
2015
Constructing the 1889 Baist Atlas of Richmond,
VA: Building Blocks for Digital Projects
Lauren Work
Virginia Commonwealth University, lawork@vcu.edu
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/libraries_present
Part of the Library and Information Science Commons
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
This Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by the VCU Libraries at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in VCU
Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact
libcompass@vcu.edu.
Downloaded from
http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/libraries_present/33
Preservation 
Repair, including the 
pictured scraping 
technique to patch small 
holes in the map, and 
stabilization for
handling and
photography.
Digitization
Photography, 
editing, and digital “stitching” 
of component parts of the large
image together for accurate
digital presentation.
Cataloging
Supplemental 
cataloging for 
anticipated 
research use
included:
-Street borders
-Street index
-
Constructing the 1889 Baist Atlas of Richmond, VA: Building Blocks for Digital Projects
Lauren Work, Digital Collections Librarian http://labs.library.vcu.edu/baist-atlas/
Preparation Design Delivery
Supplemental resources 
Downloads of digital collections are typically made 
available in our CONTENTdm management system.
For the Baist Atlas, VCU Libraries provided additional 
resources for download and use including geospatial 
data and the Atlas street index.
Feedback & Assessment
-Quantitative: Google Analytics
Event-specific metrics  were created for actions like 
downloads and clicks on the interactive website link.
-Qualitative: Internal reviews from VCU Libraries & 
various faculty was solicited during a soft rollout of the 
site.
Outreach
Presentations & collaborations with interested groups:
- History and urban planning departments
- Friends of the Library
- Archaeology PhD student
Social media strategies included:
- Tumblr posts for “Map Mondays”
- Flickr Commons site metadata includes a link for the 
interactive website
Collaborative development
The project was an iterative 
design collaboration between 
the VCU Web Team and 
Digital Collections.
History in context
To provide a reference for
how the 19th century Atlas 
fits into the landscape of 
modern Richmond:
- All 20 panels were 
georectified over Google Maps
- Architectural “Points of Interest”
were identified for each panel
- Street View was used to contrast 
historic images with present day 
architecture
New avenues for discovery
In addition to presenting the Atlas 
online, the interactive site also 
serves as a pathway to related VCU 
digital collections that feature the 
neighborhoods and structures in the Atlas.
The Baist Atlas project was the first design of its kind created for VCU Libraries. The digital project was created by a collaborative effort to preserve, digitize, describe, and code an interactive 
website to showcase and supplement a unique resource for researchers. This ongoing project also experimented with ideas about use, access, evaluation and outreach for the collection.
Challenges
Time
Preservation work was extensive and necessary for the project. 
This collaboration took several months, which was longer than 
originally anticipated.
Digitization trouble shooting
Lighting, photography and digital editing for a large format item 
called for new approaches and workflows. These steps also 
required additional project time.
Challenges
Scope creep. 
Enthusiasm for the project ran high, and additional ideas were 
integrated continuously. This will be mitigated in future projects 
by establishing a project charter.
Cascading technical challenges
Scope creep led to shifting technical requirements, which 
delayed development.
Communication & Issue Tracking
Google Docs are not ideal for development. GitHub will be used 
for future projects for better issue tracking and workflow.
Challenges
Feedback
This needs to be early and often. Our feedback provided great 
criticism, but it was too late in the project for major change.
Audience identification
The project was geared for scholarly research, but we struggled 
to identify our target audience. Students? Historians? 
Sustainability
Preservation and migration plans for the site are extremely 
important. We are planning to use a project charter to assign 
ownership and future responsibilities.


English

http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1033&context=libraries_present

Constructing the 1889 Baist Atlas of Richmond, VA: Building Blocks for Digital Projects

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