DOT Operating Principles (DRAFT)

Selection:

• Collection development policies apply equally to both physical and digital collections. Collection Managers and Subject Specialists should feel confident selecting content for digital projects using their existing guidelines. 
• Candidates for digitization include the following:
  • items with unique content
  • items with content that is applicable to the MIT curriculum
  • items that have MIT-specific access requirements 
  • items in fragile condition
  • items for which there is current or anticipated heavy use
  • materials in the DDC collection
  • items which would be easier to use or for which use would be enhanced if presented online
  • items associated with “triggers” such as an academic department’s anniversary

Research Publications:

• Research Publications do not go through the approval process unless it is expected to involve a large expense.
• Archives would like a due diligence pass at collections that were MIT produced, digitized and ingested into DSpace, and up for withdrawal from the library.

Preservation Services:

• Digital Project procedures https://wikis.mit.edu/confluence/display/LIBDOME/Preservation Services/display/LIBDOME/Preservation Services outline tasks that Preservation Services currently performs as part of digital projects.  Digital projects vary greatly in size, scope, and purpose, and correspondingly, the number of these steps that are followed and the degree of precision that is required will also vary by project.  The level of service provided by Preservation Services on a digital project will be negotiated as part of the project planning process.
• As we create new collections, it is useful if there is consistency in the filenames assigned to digital objects. Each collection will impose its own restrictions on filenames, but following these requirements will ensure basic consistency across collections and make later processing of the files much easier. https://wikis.mit.edu/confluence/display/LIBDOME/File Naming Scheme - MIT Libraries
  • In general, we won't change the file names on born-digital material unless the names violate the Requirements and Best Practices.

 Scanning:

• No blanket digitization standard is applied to all materials.  Each project has inherent characteristics and therefore must be tested and discussed and agreed upon before digitizing.
• Missing Pages: Will include a page in the pdf with the message that the page was missing in the original.
• OCR will be performed on all text items.
• Image Derivative creation – either the vendor or the sponsoring library will create image derivatives.  The Operations Team cannot spare the staff time for this for free.
• File disposition: https://wikis.mit.edu/confluence/spaces/gliffy/viewlargediagram.action?name=File Disposition
  • RDrive:DSpace Images  - the master files will reside in this folder prior to ingestion
  • Download locally for faster work ex. Cataloging - download to work locally then only upload the metadata or derivatives* Never overwrite the files on DSpace Images (the exception is file error, file damaged or misnamed)
  • Never replace files on RDrive:DSpace Images
    • Exception: When files are damaged or misnamed. Limited number of people who can do this.
• OCA scanned files in Internet Archive will also be loaded into our repository.
• Checksums
• The digital copy is considered one of the “two copies” for the libraries. 

Metadata:

• Majority rules: if over half the project is cataloged to one standard then the remaining items will be cataloged to the same standard.
• Catalog from the digital copy whenever possible this adds the benefit of quality control of scanning.
• If our only copy is a digital copy in DSpace then we will not create a record for the digital copy in Barton but rather include a series record with a link explaining that there are more reports in DSpace.
• Each Metadata Services project will contain a best practices wiki page for historical record.

Ingest:

• Under 50 reports will have a temporary hire or student worker load via single item submission instead of batch loading.  The metadata script for single item submission can be found here https://wikis.mit.edu/confluence/display/LIBMETADATA/MDBESTPRACSwrkflwDSpaceSubmission
• Deposits to the repository are permanent unless it is the recommendation from General Counsel to remo
• Administrators to collections in the repository should be kept to a minimum.  In Dome, Carl Jones and Beverly Turner will have access to all collections.  Andrea Schuler will be given access to all Rotch Visual Collections.  Sean Thomas and Carl Jones will be given access to all batch projects in DSpace@MIT.