Institute of Museum and Library Services

Cuban Heritage Collection Digitizing Project
Directed Grant 2000
Grant #CL-00006

SECOND INTERIM REPORT
April-September 2001

1. Introduction

This report covers the second six-month period of the IMLS Directed Grant # CL-00006, awarded to the University of Miami for the Cuban Heritage Collections Digitizing Project. Together with grant #LL-90160, this project forms the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection (CHDC), which aims to be the most comprehensive Web-based repository of digital materials on the culture and history of Cuba.

2. Personnel

María R. Estorino was hired in May 2001 as Project Archivist. She has assumed the duties of Project Director. Ms. Estorino has a MLS from Simmons College in Boston with a concentration in archival management and is knowledgeable in Cuban and Cuban American history and culture. She is responsible for selection and description of the materials to be digitized and overall project planning and scheduling, reporting, and outreach and publicity.

Pedro A. Figueredo continues to serve as Project Manager with oversight of the imaging and encoding processes for both grant #LL-90160 and #CL-00006. He supervises the project's research assistants and manages their workflow and encodes finding aids using Encoded Archival Description (EAD). Mr. Figueredo is the technology coordinator for the project and as such serves as liaison to the library's systems support.

Research Assistant Isidro Noguera resigned his position in August 2001.

3. Content

Grants #CL-00006 and #LL-90160 are being managed together to produce the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection (CHDC). The CHDC is a web portal that provides access to Encoded Archival Description (EAD) finding aids and to digital objects within each collection. The CHDC website provides access to finding aids through two sections: "Collections" and "Finding Aids." Browsing an online finding aid allows users to view selected digital images of the contents of Cuban Heritage Collections. Users can also access the finding aids through the University of Miami OPAC. In future phases of this project, we will be developing a search function that will allow users to search for specific digital objects.

In June 2001, Ms. Estorino and Esperanza B. de Varona, Head of the Cuban Heritage Collection, evaluated the collections selected for digitization for the CHDC. After an extensive review that took into consideration such factors as processing status of the collection, subjects and time periods covered, and researcher demand, a new list of collections was drafted and approved by Mrs. de Varona and Jeff Barry. From the original list of collections selected for digitization under this grant, the following have been removed: Aurelio de la Vega Collection, Eugenio Batista Collection, Roberto Agramante Collection, Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil Collection, and the ASOPAZCO Collection.

The following collections have been added to the digitization project:

José Lezama Lima Papers. José Lezama Lima was born in Havana in 1910 and lived there until his death in 1976. Although he studied law at the University of Havana, Lezama Lima is best known as a poet, essayist, and novelist whose work greatly influenced other Cuban writers. He was one of the founders and directors of Verbum (1937), Espuela de Plata (1939), and Orígenes (1944-1956), journals that published many new Cuban poets and writers. His own baroque style was influenced by the Spanish Golden Age, as reflected in his first book of poetry, Muerte de Narciso (1937). His novel Paradiso (1966) is considered his masterpiece. This collection contains letters written by Lezama Lima to his sister Eloísa Lezama Lima from 1961 to 1976, along with an annotated copy of Paradiso.

Cordovés and Bolaños Family Collection. The Cordovés and Bolaños families were involved in Cuba's Wars of Independence against Spain. Rosario (Charo) and Encarnita Lastra were members of the Cuban Liberation Army within the brigade headed by José María Aguirre, Chief of the Division of Havana, and served under Generalísimo Máximo Gómez. This collection contains letters and documents from Cuba's Wars of Independence. It also includes clippings, documents, and photographs regarding the Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961, in which the collection donor, Julio Mestre, was involved.

Fernández Cavada Family Papers. This collection contains materials related to the three Fernández Cavada brothers: Federico, Adolfo, and Emilio. Born in Cuba, the brothers were raised in Philadelphia by their American mother. Federico and Adolfo fought in the American Civil War and later served as leaders in Cuba's Ten Years War (1868-1878). Emilio served as a doctor in the Cuba War for Independence (1895-1898) and later settled in Cuba. Materials in the collection consist primarily of correspondence and include clippings and diaries.

Alberto Arredondo Papers. Alberto Arredondo was a Cuban economist. He served on various commissions of the Cuban government on matters of agriculture, industry, and economic development. Arredondo wrote many essays, articles, conference papers, and reports regarding Cuban economic issues. Several of these are contained in his collection.

Lyceum Lawn & Tennis Club Collection. The Lyceum Lawn and Tennis Club was a women's organization in Cuba dedicated to the promotion of cultural understanding, social consciousness and social service, and athletic events. It was established in 1929 when the Lyceum merged with the "Tennis de Señoritas" to form the Lyceum Lawn and Tennis Club. The society hosted art exhibits, lectures and conferences coordinated social service activities. It founded the first free public library in Cuba and the first children's library and sponsored literacy classes and vocational training. The Lyceum operated until 1968 when it was closed by the Castro government. While this collection does not contain the comprehensive records of the organization, it does include exhibit programs, calendars of activities, class schedules, statutes, photographs, and yearbooks.

Manuel Bustamante Collection. This collection contains hundreds of photographs of Cuba from the turn of the 20th century to the 1950s.

Between June and October 2001, 1,589 items have been selected, and 3,341 TIFFs have been created under both Grants #CL-00006 and #LL-90160. The status of the collections currently being digitized as part of the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection is as follows:

The José Lezama Lima Papers is currently being prepared for online delivery. It will be the next collection to be made available through the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection.

We have developed an online monthly primary sources newsletter, "Cuban Memories," that will highlight an artifact from each of the collections being digitized. The goal of this newsletter is to generate interest in the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection as well as to expose users to primary sources. It is available on the CHDC website under "Exhibitions and Publications."

During this reporting period, the project timeline has been revised and monthly goals have been developed to ensure the timely delivery of online finding aids and their corresponding digital objects.

The overall project workflow has also been re-designed to account for new selection and description procedures as well as to accommodate the full imaging workflow.

4. Technology

As reported in the last interim report, the technical strategy for this project centers around developing EAD finding aids and utilizing the Digital Archival Object (DAO) element of that standard to display digital images as part of the finding aid. A process for creating EAD finding aids and templates for their development have been established. The following image illustrates how the reporting function of Microsoft Access is being used to encode finding aid container lists.

Locally developed Perl scripts have been implemented to facilitate the delivery of images via the Web from the finding aid.

Procedures have also been developed for the storage of our master, or TIFF, images onto gold CD-Rs and their conversion to compressed formats. Using the DeBabelizer software, we are batch converting the TIFF images to three sizes of JPGs for online delivery. The compressed JPGs are then stored on a Sun Server. Tools for tracking the scanning and imaging processes have been developed and are being used to monitor workflow.

In order to be able to digitize oversized materials and materials that cannot be safely placed on flatbed scanners, a Nikon D1X digital camera was purchased. We are currently planning the construction of a stand for this camera and will be developing procedures for its use. During the selection process, items that cannot be scanned on the flatbed scanners are being flagged for digital photography.

The CHDC website was redesigned to enable the delivery of EAD finding aids as well as to facilitate access to information about this digitization effort. An aspect of the site that is currently being drafted is the "Cuban Heritage Digital Collection Production Guidelines" which will document the workflow and adopted technical standards of this project.

5. Objectives for Next Phase

1. Make the José Lezama Lima Papers, the Cordovés and Bolaños Family Collection, and the Cuba: Capitanía General Collection available on the Web.

2. Complete digitization of the Gerardo Machado Collection and the Alberto Arredondo Papers.

3. Begin digitization of the Lyceum Lawn & Tennis Club Collection.

4. Complete processing and arranging the Manuel Bustamante Collection.

5. Make available the first sections of the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection Production Guidelines.

6. Promote the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection site amongst archivists, librarians, and scholars.

Principal Investigator: Jeff Barry

Report prepared by
María R. Estorino
Project Director/Archivist
October 2001