How do you collect digital documents?
Submitted by jrjacobs on Fri, 2008-06-06 22:54.
I spend a good deal of time scouring newspapers and Web sites like Docuticker (RSS Feed) and UN Pulse (RSS Feed) in order to add digital government documents to my library's collections. Sometimes I have the url cataloged; or if I think the document is particularly in danger of disappearing, I'll upload them to the Internet Archive's govt documents collection. Below are a few that I've come across in my digitravels recently.
At the upcoming International Documents Taskforce (IDTF) meeting at ALA Annual Conference (GODORT conference schedule here), I'm giving a short presentation about digital collections. I'd really like to hear how/if others are doing digital collection development either randomly or as a matter of course. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts, ideas, and hopes. Please include any information you care to share -- what you do, how you do it, if you have favorite haunts/Websites etc.
- Addressing the global food crisis: Key trade, investment and commodity policies in ensuring sustainable food security and alleviating poverty. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
- The Contribution of Early Childhood Education to a Sustainable Society. UNESCO
- Carpet bombing in cyberspace. Armed Forces Journal
- The Employment Situation: May 2008. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Senate Intelligence Committee Unveils Final Phase II Reports on Prewar Iraq Intelligence. U.S. Senate, Select Committee on Intelligence.
- Phase II Report on Public Statements (PDF; 2.5 MB)
- Phase II Report on DoD Policy Office (PDF; 819 KB)
- Eighth Annual Trafficking in Persons Report. U.S. Department of State. Download in sections or as full report (PDF).
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Glad you brought this up
I had been thinking about this recently too. I am presenting at the GODORT SLDTF meeting in Anaheim about this but in relation to what I have found in Internet Archive and Google Books (mainly old documents that I lost during Hurricane Rita). I mentioned this in an FGI Blog post awhile back. I catalog some (the url) and post some to del.icio.us or link to it from my govguides wiki, or I just "favorite" it to include in my Google Books' library and RSS feed or "bookmark" it for my Internet Archive list. I sometimes do all of the above! It depends on the document.
I wanted to discuss this at GODORT SLDTF meeting but I'll be focusing on older documents and putting it in the context of losing valuable old documents that are hard to replace! I will catalog the url I find in Internet Archive or Google Books in our OPAC but make sure I choose the "E-DOC" and "DOCSWEB" option in our Sirsi-Dynix Workflows which alerts the public that it is an electronic-only accessible document.
I am addicted to Docuticker and I also tag to del.icio.us some GAO or CRS reports that I think will interest my patrons and students.
And UN documents...oh my gosh, I upload those url records to our OPAC all the time! Our collection is seriously lacking in UN docs. I want to make our electronic collection bigger. Our print collection is small...older and historically interesting, but we can't afford to buy newer print International Docs. If the collection management librarian purchases any, I've noticed they get lumped into the general collection.
Hey, I'll try to attend your presentation at IDTF! Let me go check the schedule...
Great work!
Hey Rebecca. That's great work!! I'm sure there are others doing similar things, so I'm glad that the discussion is going to happen. If enough people are doing these kinds of things, then we should all get together and figure out a way to share OCLC #s, divvy up the work and get more of the documents world covered, cataloged, collected, and accessed. The IDTF meeting is from 4-5:30 on Saturday at the Marriott Anaheim, so I'd really love it if you could mention it during the GODORT update.
Oops
I meant I'll be presenting at the SLDTF meeting, NOT GODORT Update! My error. ;-)
I will totally mention it
I will totally mention it and I will be there! Looks like I am free during that time!
Trial and Error
I've been trying to figure out the best way to manage digital documents and there just doesn't seem to be a great way yet. For a while I was having various IGO documents cataloged individually, but it seems inefficient and our catalogers have other things to do. I'm working with the Web at Risk project archiving local documents, but the archive isn't live yet, so it's anyone's guess how it'll really work for users. I love the idea of submitting documents to the Internet Archive--I'm going to start doing that, too, when I find useful online docs. I just wish it wasn't all so piece-meal...
We're all in the trial and error stage!
Hi Annelise. it's true, we're all in that stage. This is definitely a larger library issue than just docs, so the things that we figure out can help the larger library community. IMHO, we have to collaboratively figure out how to collect, describe, harvest, preserve and give access to digital govt documents. I hope you can come to the IDTF meeting to talk about your experience, goals and interests.
Registry of Gov Pub Digitization Projects Relaunched!
Woo! More ways to digitally replenish my collection with documents I lost to Hurricane Rita! I am now in a super awesome mood today because of this...
http://registry.fdlp.gov
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