Institute of Museum and Library Services

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

FIFTH INTERIM REPORT
October 2002-March 2003

This report covers the fifth six-month period of the IMLS Directed Grant # CL-00006, awarded to the University of Miami for the Cuban Heritage Collections Digitizing Project.

1. Personnel

In November 2002, we created a new position for this project. In March 2003, we hired Giselle Fernandez as our Imaging and Technology Specialist. She will be responsible for redesigning and maintaining the CHC Digital’s Web site and for managing the digital images produced with this grant. A position description and Ms. Fernandez’s resume are attached.

In October 2002, Research Assistant Alejandra A. Valencia transferred to a full time position with the Cuban Heritage Collection. The staff of this grant now consists of María R. Estorino, Project Director/Archivist; Giselle Fernandez, Imaging and Technology Specialist; and Eugenio A. Alonso, Research Assistant.

2. Summary of Activities

From October 2002 to March 2003, our activity has focused on the final collection that forms part of this grant, the Lydia Cabrera Collection. Of the 13 collections digitized under this and grant # LL-90160, the Lydia Cabrera Collection is the largest. During the reporting period, we processed, digitized, and delivered the collection’s first series, Correspondence, and processed and digitized Series II: Personal Papers.

We are also reviewing over 900 digital images created from materials in this collection in 2000. These digital images were not attached to metadata describing the materials. We are performing quality control checks on these images and verifying bad file names as well as identifying problem images. We are also matching all these digital images to the physical item they represent. This clean-up has proven to be more time-consuming than we anticipated and were aided tremendously in the process by the new Imaging and Technology Specialist.

Our focus for the next reporting period is on completing the processing of this collection, selecting materials for digitization, creating and delivering this collection’s digital images, and integrating the 900 pre-existing images into our online delivery of the Lydia Cabrera Collection. To help accomplish these goals, we are currently processing the over 600 photographs found in the Lydia Cabrera Collection.

In our previous report we reported that we were reviewing digital asset management products such as Endeavor EnCompass and Luna Insight. During the reporting period, we evaluated CONTENTdm and have selected it as a tool for managing our digital images and metadata. With the assistance of Web Development Librarian Lyn MacCorkle, we have begun planning for the migration of our current Microsoft Access records to CONTENTdm. We are developing a schedule for this migration.

3. Objectives for Next Phase

1. Complete processing, selecting, and digitizing the Lydia Cabrera Collection
2. Deliver online the Lydia Cabrera Collection
3. Implement the new design of the CHDC Web site

Principal Investigator: Jeff Barry

Report prepared by
María R. Estorino
Project Director/Archivist
May 2003

Attachments:

1. Imaging and Technology Specialist position description
2. Giselle Fernandez’s résumé