Institute of Museum and Library Services

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

THIRD INTERIM REPORT
October 2001-March 2002

1. Introduction

This report covers the third 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

Project personnel have not changed. María R. Estorino continues to serve as the Project Director/Archivist and Pedro A. Figueredo as Project Manager.

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 online 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 archival collections from the Cuban Heritage Collection. 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 the reporting period of October 2001 to March 2002, a total of seven collections have been digitized and delivered online via the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection Web site:

• José Lezama Lima Papers (November 2001)
• Cordovés and Bolaños Families Collection (December 2001)
• Alberto Arredondo Papers (December 2001)
• Cuba: Capitanía General Collection (January 2002) (from grant #LL-90160)
• Fernando Fernández-Cavada Collection (February 2002)
• Lyceum and Lawn Tennis Club Collection (February 2002)
• Enrique Labrador Ruiz Collection (March 2002)

Two collections have been completely digitized and scheduled for delivery:

• Gerardo Machado y Morales Collection (April 2002)
• The Truth About Cuba Committee, Inc. Collection (May 2002)

One collection is currently being digitized:

• Manuel R. Bustamante Collection (scheduled for delivery in June 2002)

Two collections from grant #LL-90160 remain to be processed, digitized, and delivered:

• Polita Grau de Agüero Collection
• Lydia Cabrera Collection

We will be working on these last two collections during the summer of 2002.

During the reporting period, 712 items were selected, and 4,502 TIFFs were 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:

We continue to publish an online monthly primary sources newsletter, "Cuban Memories," that highlights 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."

4. Technology

To manage this project, we continue to use a Microsoft Access database. The database contains fields for descriptive as well as administrative metadata. From this database we are able to create reports that facilitate the preparation and encoding of finding aids.

5. Publicity

During the reporting period, we prepared and distributed four press releases announcing the availability of collections on the CHDC Web site. Articles and/or mentions about the collections were published in:

• The December 2001/January 2002 issue of Otto G. Ricther Library's newsletter, Library Links
• The University of Miami's online news-brief publication, e-Veritas and information technology newsletter, The Cutting Edge
• A February issue of ResearchBuzz News (http://www.researchbuzz.com)
• The November 2001 issue of the Florida Library Association's News Digest
• The Society of Florida Archivists' The Florida Archivist Fall 2001 issue

There are currently 19 Web sites that link to the Cuban Heritage Digital Collection. Please see the attachment entitled "CHDC Reverse Links."

Project Director/Archivist María R. Estorino presented about the CHDC on various occasions:

• At the Florida Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries fall 2001 workshop, "We're Digitizing Florida: Get the Picture?" in October 2001
• To students of three University of Miami English classes in January 2002
• To University of Miami faculty at a "Lunch and Learn" session in February 2002
• At Information Today's Computers in Libraries conference in March 2002
• As a guest on a Spanish-language radio program in February 2002

6. Objectives for Next Phase

1. Deliver online the Gerardo Machado y Morales Collection
2. Deliver online The Truth About Cuba Committee, Inc. Collection.
3. Deliver online the Manuel R. Bustamante Collection.
4. Process and digitize selected materials from the Polita Grau de Agüero Collection.
5. Process the Lydia Cabrera Collection, begin selecting materials for digitization, and begin digitization of selected materials.
6. Collect and analyze usage statistics for the CHDC Web site.

Principal Investigator: Jeff Barry

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

Attachments:

1. CHDC Reverse Links
2. Press release of October 16, 2001
3. Press release of November 15, 2001
4. Press release of February 25, 2002
5. Press release of March 29, 2002