Northwestern University Transportation Library Menu Collection
Slide 1
Northwestern University Transportation Library
Menu Collection
- Northwestern University
Notes:
Paul Burley, Cataloging/Indexing
Librarian at the Northwestern University Transportation Library,
Evanston, Illinois
The Transportation Library is special library within the Northwestern University Main Library; meaning we independently perform acquisitions, provide reference, and catalog independently of the Main Library, and have our own ILL units
450,000 volumes in monographic collection; 311,000 articles in TRANWeb Article Database; contributor to TRIS
In my presentation today I’ll roughly follow the chronology of the Transportation Menu project, with a sidestep into brief explanation of EAD, since I’ll be throwing that word around pretty extensively, conclude with some lessons learned from the project and the continued status of the project.
In the background of this presentation, I’m approaching
this as working on the project as a semi-novice:
--I consider
myself a librarian, and this is an archival collection;
--I had no experience with EAD;
--I had little understanding of the underlying software to
deliver the EAD to the web, and still don’t;
--And I think I’m pretty typical of someone (i.e., a
cataloger) who’s going to work on a project like this.
Slide 2
Menu Links
- Transportation Menu splash page:
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/transpor tation/digital-collections/menus/ - Transportation Menu EAD:
http://findingaids.library.northwestern.edu/fe dora/get/inu:inu-ead-trans- 001/inu:EADbDef11/getDescriptiveSummary
Notes:
Important links:
Transportation Menu splash page
Transportation Menu EAD
These will be available as single clicks once the presentation is archived; can also be navigated from the Northwestern University Library page.
Slide 3
Provenance of Menu Collection
- Bulk of collection a gift from George M. Foster
- Noted anthropologist from the University of California, Berkeley, also Northwestern University Alumnus
- Important donor to the Northwestern University Africana Library
Notes:
Provenance of Menu Collection
Bulk of collection a gift from George M. Foster
>>>Display Foster biography
Mr. Foster was a noted anthropologist from the University of California, Berkeley, also Northwestern University Alumnus Important donor to the Northwestern University Africana Library; along with his donation came a collection of airline menus from his extensive travels throughout the world, meaning, the entire world
A link to his biography is available from our menu page.
Slide 4
The Transportation Library Menu Collection
- Curator: Roberto Sarmiento
- Received menu collection in 1997; focused exclusively on air transportation, but has since been broadened
- Now includes over 400 menus
- International in scope
- Unusual collection in that Mr. Foster annotated menus
Notes:
The curator of the collection
is Roberto Sarmiento.
When the Transportation Library received menu collection in
1997; focused exclusively on air transportation
The earliest menu is of the steamship SS Bremen, Germany,
1927, in German, which Transportation Library already owned,
>>>Display Bremen menu
The Bremen menu probably also has the most extensive menu of
any in the collection, with roughly 46 items served.
We also have another luxury liner menu from the QE2.
Due to new donations, not all the menus are incorporated into
the EAD or digitized yet: we have more rail menus and airport terminal
menus.
The collection now includes over 400 items, and is a growing
collection
The collection is international in scope: not just Europe/North America, but also Africa, South America and Australasian After working on this project I think I gained concept of the __culture__ of air travel that existed in the mid-20th century that predates me.
It’s also valuable collection in that Mr. Foster annotated many of his menus, most often about the quality of the food, but also the date of the specific flight, type of airplane for the flight, the specific routes (which were by no means direct back in the day), his travel companions. This ties the menus to a very specific point in time, valuable not only for research, but also for establishing provenance.
Slide 5
Why a Transportation Menu Collection?
- Institutional emphasis on uncovering hidden collections
- Custodial responsibility to the donor
- Research value: touches on interdisciplinary fields, not just transportation
- Resource that can be used by both researchers and the general public
Notes:
At this point, you may ask, why
did the Transportation Library and the University Library choose this
collection, of all collections in the library, to go through the costly
process that went into this project?
First and foremost there is a major emphasis at Northwestern to uncover hidden collections in the library. This was identified as one of the hidden collections.
Secondly, we needed to show custodial responsibility to the collection received from Mr. Foster. It was fortuitous that we created a finding aid and started the larger project, because when Mr. Foster visited the library, he didn’t just stop in the Africana Library to discuss his donation, he detoured into Transportation and asked specifically about the status of the menu collection.
Finally, research value. Roberto Sarmiento wrote in the introduction to the collection that the menus touch on “art, history, economics, sociology, culinary, and transportation topics [and present] an invaluable picture of the history of commercial air travel. This collection would be of interest to transportation researchers and historians, culinary historians, sociologists, and travel aficionados.”
An important aspect of this particular collection is that it’s a resource that can be used by both researchers and the general public. And indeed the interest of the general public in the collection has been in how air transportation has changed for passengers, and especially the fact that airlines once served an extensive menu, and now serve almost nothing.
Slide 6
Original Finding Aid: MS Word
- Finding aid was created in 2005 by Ron Carrier, library assistant, and Tim Leonard, student assistant
- Created as MS Word documents; each menu description existed as a separate Word document
Notes:
So, how the project got started.
The original finding aide developed for the collection was
created by Ron Carrier, library assistant at Northwestern University
Transportation Library, and Tim Leonard, student assistant
Much like most finding aids, it existed only in Microsoft Word
The finding aid was not one flat file originally; each menu
had own MS Word document
Here’s an example of the Word finding aide for Air France 002.
>>>Display Word finding aide AF002
Slide 7
MS Word Docs > EAD/Fedora
- Crosswalk from MS Word doc(s) to EAD/XML
- EAD loaded onto Fedora platform by Library IT at later phase
- Splash page added to link to EAD in later phase
Notes:
Actual mechanics of creating the
online finding aid:
Main cataloging used the MS Word documents and performed a
crosswalk from MS Word to EAD/XML
LATER PHASE of PROJECT: EAD loaded onto Fedora software by
Library IT
LAST PHASE of PROJECT before launch: Splash page added to link
>>>Splash page
Slide 8
EAD: Encoded Archival Description
- Developed at University of California, Berkeley in 1993
- Roughly analogous to MARC standard for archival finding aids
- EAD developed originally in SGML; moved to XML
- Hierarchical in nature
Notes:
Sidenote: I’d like to talk
briefly about EAD at this point.
EAD is Encoded [] Archival [] Description.
Developed at University of California, Berkeley in 1993 by a
group of archivists
Roughly analogous at MARC standard, except for archival
finding aids
EAD developed originally in SGML; moved to XML in 1999
>>>Display EAD in XML
The EAD is hierarchical in nature as you’ll see in the next
image, developed by Amanda J. Wilson.
Slide 9
EAD Resources
- Library of Congress EAD Version 2000 Official Site http://www.loc.gov/ead/
- OhioLINK Database Management and Standards Committee: http://platinum.ohiolink.edu/dms/ead/contentguide/ContentGuidelines_v2_0.pdf
Notes:
Two excellent references, among
many, are the:
Library of Congress EAD Version 2000 Official Site:
http://www.loc.gov/ead/
I found the OhioLINK Database Management and Standards
Committee:
http://platinum.ohiolink.edu/dms/ead/contentguide/ContentGuidelines_v2_0.pdf
Especially important is the following diagram showing the
structure of an EAD:
>>>Show EAD hierarchy
Slide 10
Transportation Menu EAD
- Doesn’t fit neatly into the standard collection, series, file, item hierarchy
- Menu EAD: Collection level: descriptive summary, subject headings, administrative information, biography/history, and scope and content
- File level: used corporate bodies
- Item level: menus
Notes:
The Transportation Menu EAD
didn’t strictly fit into this
Collection level, pretty standard: descriptive summary,
subject headings, administrative information, biography/history, and
scope and content
Collection level written by Roberto Sarmiento
File level: used corporate bodies
>>>Show EAD corporate bodies
Item level: menus
>>>Menus
Slide 11
Editing of XML EAD
- Received EAD/XML for editing
- Corrected basic errors from the many individual item-level records; all diacritics mapped to EAD
- PRB working in XML viewed through Mozilla; could not see final version in Fedora
- Sticking point in project
Notes:
So back to the project,
After the crosswalk from MS Word I received the EAD/XML for
editing
Corrected very few errors from item-level records
Astounded feat that all diacritics, and because this is an
international collection, there are many diacritics in the text, mapped
to the EAD
Needed a lot of editing at the higher-level elements.
So I was working with the XML file, which I could only view
through Mozilla
Could not see final version in Fedora: sticking point in
project
Asked IT to load the XML file into Fedora over and over and
over to see my edits
Slide 12
Deacidification
- Deacidification occurred simultaneously with the creation of EAD
- Deacidification was mostly outsourced
- Necessary because menus were created as ephemera on acidic paper
- Deacidification occurred in batches
Notes:
In the background of the project:
Simultaneous to the creation of the EAD were the
deacidification and digitzation of the menus.
I was already at the editing stage of the process without
having the physical menus in hand – they were out at deacidification
Menus are ephemera so they’re likewise printed on acidic paper. The entire collection is physically in excellent condition, but it’s only a matter of time before it becomes brittle and sees damage.
It’s very important to note that as custodians of the collection, we’re as concerned with the physical preservation of the collection as creating a finding aid/EAD/digitization.
The Main Library provided the monies for deacidification; did not have to come from our budget; it was part of the larger budget of deacidification at Northwestern.
So the menus came back in three sets as the project moved along.
Slide 13
Digitization of Images
- Performed in-house according to University standards
- 600 dpi uncompressed TIFF 24-bit color for archival masters and JPEG2000 for delivery
- Many menus in unconventional formats: multiple pages, folders containing discrete sheets, and a scroll
Notes:
The digitization of the menus was
performed according to the University Library’s established standards
for digital imaging: 600 dpi uncompressed TIFF 24-bit color for archival
masters and JPEG2000 for delivery.
Digitization seems a challenge to me; some menus are in a
standard flat-sheet format
Many in very __unconventional__ formats, such as the Bremen
ship menu, which exists in parts; folders containing multiple discrete
sheets
The infamous menu is actually rolled up into a scroll >>>TWA
Slide 14
Interface for Transportation Library Menu
Collection
- Menus are unlike single photographs, etc., such as those found in other NU Library collections
- Separate interface developed with thumbnail index at left and full images at right
- Full images can be navigated, zoomed, and otherwise examined
Notes:
At this point it became clear
that menus would be not just a finding aide, but rather an exhibition of
sorts
IT developed an interface to browse menus
>>>Go back to AF002
Very pleased with the work that went into the interface; for
me, this was unexpected aspect of the project
Zooming of images allows viewing of features not apparent to
examination of fine details
Same ability exists with Africana Maps collection at NUL; more
significant in detailed examination of maps
Slide 15
Copyright Statement
- Menus may or may not be under copyright; all are post-1923
- Some airlines/railroad companies still exist, many do not
- Did not want to deal with permission from each company
- Copyright statement came from University Legal Counsel
Notes:
Prior to the launch of the
menus, we needed clarification on the copyright issues of displaying the
digitzed menus.
Menus may of may not be under copyright; all are post-1913.
Some airlines and railroad companies still exist, many do not
Did not want to deal with obtaining permission from each
corporation that issued a menu; beyond our resources
Copyright statement came from University Legal Consel, and is
found on our splash page
The gist of the copyright statement is found in the opening: “The Northwestern University Library respects the intellectual property rights of others. These digitized menus have been made available solely for non-commercial research, teaching and private study. Northwestern University has not sought the permission of the copyright holders to digitize menus and does not claim any copyright interest in these menus.”
Copyright clearances is up to the individual who wants to use the images.
Slide 16
PR
- Worked with University Public Relations and Library Public Relations throughout 2007
- Menus used extensively in University publications
- Culminated with writing of press release
- At this point we moved from a traditional archival finding aid to an exhibition
Notes:
Through 2007 we worked with
University Public Relations and Library Public Relations
The menus used extensively in University publications, on the
Library website, etc.
PR produced a press release
At this point, from their point of view, we moved from a
tradition archival finding aide to an exhibition
Slide 17
Launch
- November 6, 2007
- Questions and technical troubleshooting needed from first morning
- Immediate response from bloggers
- Closely followed by Chicago newspapers and eventually national outlets
- Continued coverage
Notes:
Our launch was November 6, 2007
with a press release going out from University PR.
Questions and technical troubleshooting were needed from first morning. I had e-mails coming in at some points almost every five minutes and telephone calls almost constantly.
Reporters didn’t understand the interface and I spent time guiding them through to find the actual images
The most immediate response from bloggers – they were fascinated with the collection but in their usual honestly they gave a blunt evaluation of our interface
That was closely followed by coverage in the Chicago newspapers and eventually a MSNBC and CNN (the websites), a spot on NPR and a local radio station
Since November we’ve continued to find articles and references to the collection in more sources
Slide 18
Lessons Learned
- Different user communities have different expectations
- Copyright statement interpretations
- Navigation between interfaces received poor reception by general public
- “Search” box issue
- Internal issues: software, interface, URLs, etc.
Notes:
Different user communities have
different expectations: the traditional archival community sees this as
a research tool vs. general public seeing this as an exhibition of
digital images
The copyright statement came to be interpreted beyond our strict statement; PR, newspapers and bloggers copied and used images at will
Navigation between interfaces received poor reception by general public. We have the splash page, which connects to the EAD, which has a link at the bottom right to the collection levels; what the general public really wanted was to just plain find the digital images.
(splash page >> EAD >> collection levels >> images themselves)
>>>Search box on AF002
“Search” box poorly understood: searches all the finding aids,
not the actual menu collection: this point is being worked out right now
Internal issues: software, interface, URLs, etc.
Different units in the NU Library using different XML editing
software – we all need to be using one product.
The interface and links to the EADs – all of them at
Northwestern – greatly need to be simplified and improved.
The URLs are too long.
We do have an EAD user’s group, which I’m part of, and we’re tackling these issues as well as the larger issue of how to migrate 400+ paper finding aids at the University Library into EADs.
Slide 19
Lessons Learned: Paul Burley
- Not just cataloging in MARC/AACR2
- Definition of “cataloger” will broaden, especially in the special library environment
- Will be using new metadata schemes, most likely unfamiliar ones, with little notice
- XML, and whatever is next
Notes:
I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be a cataloger when I was working at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute from 1997 on. I ___thought___ at the time, and throughout library school, that I’d be cataloging strictly in the MARC/AACR2 environment. Bad assumption.
In the special library environment “cataloging” doesn’t just include monographs and electronic resources, but also archival resources, and whatever else I might be assigned. So there’s a blurred distinction between a traditional cataloger, working with archival materials, working with metadata… and that’s a general trend even within the Main Library.
At the same time I need to be strongly rooted in the MARC/AACR2 cataloging environment, both from the bibliographic and authorities side.
I’m certain now that in the future I’ll be quote unquote “cataloging” in new metadata schemes, most likely unfamiliar ones, with little notice
Finally, as far as keeping up with technology, or not, I thought HTML was good enough; I did get through editing in XML, but clearly I needed to already have knowledge of XML.
Slide 20
Menu Collection: Into the Future
- Growth of the menu collection, further deacidification, digitization, and incorporation into EAD
- Redesign of workflow by EAD creators/editors
- Redesign of EAD interface
- EAD for other Transportation Library collections
Notes:
Looking into the future, we’ll
see:
Growth of the menu collection, which has already occurred, mainly through internal sources but now inquiries from outside sources, further deacidification, digitization, and incorporation into EAD
We need a redesign of workflow and interface of our EADs
As far as the redesign of EAD interface – the discussion have already begun, and there’s a possibility of a one-year FTE working on just the redesign of the process and interface
Finally, we hope to create a few more EADs with some collections from the Transportation Library