The History Laboratory

Developing a Digital Libraries Course for Lower-Level Undergraduates Using ContentDM

Sarah Shippy Copeland & Bryan Reed Cleveland State Community College Cleveland, Tennessee

The History Laboratory

An Experiment in Thinking Outside the Box*

Sarah Shippy Copeland & Bryan Reed Cleveland State Community College Cleveland, Tennessee

This presentation will address:

This presentation will address:

Service-learning in the library Using ContentDM as an instruction tool Developing partnerships

CSCC Stats

What is service-learning?

What is service-learning?
book knowledge

+ relevant service project

+ reflection exercises SERVICE-LEARNING

Service-Learning @ CSCC Library

The History Laboratory

1-credit course 20 hours of service-learning at a local cultural heritage institution 4 class meetings Journal reflecting on experience 5 (minimum) digital objects with description uploaded to the Southeast Tennessee Digital Archive (SETDA)

Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate appropriate handling of historical documents. 2. Digitize historical documents using best practices. 3. Describe digitized documents using the Dublin Core metadata scheme. 4. Publish newly digitized materials to the Southeast Tennessee Digital Archive (SETDA) using CONTENTdm, a tool for managing digital collections and publishing them on the world wide web. 5. Describe the public role of institutions charged with preserving historical materials.

Class Meeting #1
Course orientation Students receive SL assignment General introduction to cultural heritage institutions Document handling (demo) Types of photographs
[Takes place before start of semester.]

Class Meeting #2
Background for digitization Digitization procedure for SETDA Research instruction

[Takes place during 1st week of classes.]

20 Service-Learning Hours
2-hr blocks Always at assigned institution (exception made when research needs exceed institutions collection) Ideally completed by Week 10 of the semester

Class Meeting #3
Introduction to description
Facebook example WorldCat vs. Flickr exercise Discussion of how structured data facilitates retrieval

Turning research into description

Collaboratively enter description into ContentDM using SmartBoard

[Takes place around Week 9 of the semester]

This is a guide for turning research into "description" for the CONTENTdm database. When a field is grayed out, it is because you shouldn't have to worry about entering any information there. Research worksheet reference

Field Name Title

Data Format Transcribe title from photograph, if possible. If there is no title, supply a title according to this standard: <who> <doing what>, <location>, <date>.

I.3

Summary Topic(s) Additional information

Approximately one paragraph explaining the I.5, II photograph and it's significance. Keywords that describe the photograph. Separate I.5, II terms by semi-colon. Websites with additional information about the subject or context of photograph. All URLs must start with http:// <lastname>, <firstname> [Separate terms by semicolon.] Use a term from CONTENTdm list. Date can be entered in the format that makes the most sense. EXAMPLE: circa 1920. Date must be in this format: YYYY-MM-DD Cleveland Public Library [blank] <quantity> <format> (<dimensions>); <color>. EXAMPLE: 1 carte de visite (2.5 x 4.5 in.); black and white. StillImage If there was any writing on the photograph, enter it here in the most exact way possible. I.4 I.5

Creator(s) Creation location Date created Date created (ISO) SETDA collection Acquired from References Physical Description

Media type Manuscript annotation(s)

I.2

Class meeting #4
Show and tell Reflection

[Takes place in the final week of the semester, before final exams.]

Course Strengths
Increased attention and support from administrators Maintaining relevance on campus Forging new roles for college librarians Exposing students to cultural heritage institutions Reinforcing book learning in history classroom Providing valuable service to area cultural heritage institutions Expanding community partnerships

Challenges
You cant crib a course like this! Too much independence for junior college students? Student learning heavily dependent on individual motivation Students in too many directions

Southeast Tennessee Digital Archive (SETDA)

Southeast Tennessee Digital Archive (SETDA)

Origins

Southeast Tennessee Digital Archive (SETDA)

Origins First stages and development

Southeast Tennessee Digital Archive (SETDA)

Origins First stages and development Introduction to Best Practices

Southeast Tennessee Digital Archive (SETDA)

Origins First stages and development Introduction to Best Practices Collaboration and Creation of Service Learning Course

http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu /setda/

Questions?

Image sources: Manganese prospecting: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll8,1 George R. Logan [postal carrier]: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll4,47 Blue Ridge School: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll9,24 [Hay-making at Childrens Home]: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll8,130 Jail Plan Foiled: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll8,230 Domestic Steam Laundry: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll8,26 Nancy Ward Rifles: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll9,28 Julians Chapel Methodist Church: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll8,21 Cannery at Childrens Home: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll8,22 Hardwick Woolen Mill: http://csccdigital.cdmhost.com/u?/p4024coll4,94 See more at the Southeast Tennessee Digital Archive http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/setda/