DOME COLLECTIONS - ESL p. 2

 

 

Digitizing Legacy MIT Dissertations

Content

Despite current efforts to digitize recent theses, 85% of MIT's theses collection is only available in print or microfiche. Offering the rest of this legacy collection via open access would enhance use of the collection worldwide, and demonstrate leadership by the MIT Libraries in scholarly communication. Currently MIT theses reside in DSpace.  The question of whether they belong in DSpace or DOME is one that can be argued.  It is possible that the bits could (should?) reside in both locations.  Developing this collection as a DOME collection would enable the MIT Libraries to add significant functionality and value that cannot now be created within the context of DSpace. For example, a "stand-alone" collection of all MIT theses could be presented via a custom interface; adding citation linking and links to biographical information about MIT alumni could allow us to present theses in the context of the intellectual, social, technological, and scientific history of MIT.

Size

Approximately 90,000 theses are not yet digitized.

Age

Range of dates for theses to be digitized is 1870's through the 20th century

Source

Collections of the Institute Archives; MIT Libraries

Rights

Licensed to MIT

Anticipated Audience

Historians of science and engineering. Engineers. Scientists. MIT alumni.

Benefits

Digitizing this collection will bring many benefits:  (1) recognize and share the contributions of MIT alumni, both graduate and undergraduate. (2)  Create a platform for as-yet unanticipated cross-linkages. While of interest to historians, historical approaches to problem solving and problem identification are of ongoing interest to contemporary scientists and engineers. (3) Demonstrate leadership within the academic community for developing historic access to theses.

Format Risk

Minimal - paper held by Archives

Format

Paper and microfiche. 

Metadata

MARC records exist for all documents.

ESL Contact(s)

Howard Silver

Funding

Potential alumni interest

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