Digitization Readiness Project

							Digitization Readiness Project

                                      Merrill Kemp
                 Digitization Project Co-ordinator
        Alberta Public Library Electronic Network
                               The Alberta Library
    The Alberta Library (TAL)
• Multi-type membership based library consortia
• Members include public, university, college,
  technical institute and special libraries
• Sun Centre of Excellence for technology
• Necessary technologies in place to provide
  hosting and harvesting services for national
  portal
  – Well positioned to lead other memory organizations
    for centralizing digital projects
                APLEN
• Program under TAL
• Funded through Municipal Affairs – Library
  Branch
• Mandate is to provide opportunities for
  collaboration, co-operation and innovation
  in the electronic environment for public
  libraries
• Facilitates content & capacity development
                  APLEN
• Assists in co-ordinating SuperNet services
  – bringing emerging technologies to all of
  Alberta’s public libraries, not just the ones
  in larger urban centres
• There are just under 300 public libraries in
  Alberta, all connected through SuperNet
               Why digitization?

• Digitization identified as a topic over seven
  years ago; technology has now caught up
  with the plans
• TAL and APLEN thought digitization
  important enough to apply for a grant
  through the Public Library Development
  Initiative (PLDI)
• PLDI grant determine the status of
  digitization in the public libraries of Alberta
        National Initiatives
• Canadiana.org is the amalgamation of
  Early Canadiana Online and Alouette
  Canada
• Its purpose is to disseminate the cultural
  and historical heritage of Canada via a
  portal which highlights provincial
  aggregation sites.
• Ontario and British Columbia already have
  content available through this portal
        Provincial Initiatives
• Albertans realize the importance of digitization in
  today’s world
• Most provinces in Canada have provincial
  digitization initiatives in varying stages of
  progress
• Other memory institutions contribute to digital
  content
• “Know Alberta” will gather and disseminate this
  content to the world
    So . . . what about Public Libraries?

• Public libraries are repositories for local community
  history
• Survey sent out to all libraries to discover status of
  digitization
• Not as many responses as hoped
• Of the 62 responses only 3 libraries were actively
  working on digitization
• During travels throughout Alberta found out about other
  projects that are in various stages of production
• Potential for many more!
 Where do we fit in this picture?
• TAL has taken a leadership role in promoting
  digitization in Alberta
• TAL will be aggregating Alberta’s digital content
  for Canadiana.org
• TAL will become one of the Trusted Digital
  Repositories in Canada
• APLEN will continue to promote digitization in
  the public library community, providing
  information and support where wanted
           Know Alberta
 Ultimately, we hope to bring together heritage
   organizations from across Alberta to work
collectively to ensure Alberta’s past is available
         to anyone who wants to get to
               KNOW ALBERTA
                Any Questions?