A description of the process Ohio State University Libraries has been utilizing as it re-imagines its digital initiatives and digital preservation programs.

1. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
HARNESSING THE LIFECYCLE:
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGIC
DIGITAL COLLECTIONS INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE
OSU LIBRARIES
Emily Frieda Shaw
Head, Preservation & Reformatting
shaw.782@osu.edu
Dan Noonan
Digital Resources Archivist
noonan.37@osu.edu
Terry Reese
Head, Digital Initiatives
reese.2179@osu.edu

2. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
 Introduction
 Digital Preservation Policy
Framework
 Strategic Digital Vision
 Digital Content Workflow
 Digital Preservation Task Force

3. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
5 ORGANIZATIONAL STEPS & 3-LEGGED STOOL…
 Acknowledge
 Act
 Consolidate
 Institutionalize
 Externalize

4. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
DIGITAL CURATION LIFECYCLE & OAIS REFERENCE MODEL
The goal of digital preservation is to maintain the ability to display, retrieve, and use
digital material in the face of rapidly changing technological and organizational
infrastructures.

5. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
DIGITAL PRESERVATION POLICY FRAMEWORK
 Facilitated by DigCCurr experience…
 TRAC Gap Analysis…
 Benchmark Analysis…
 Draft to stakeholders…
 Revision & Adoption…
 go.osu.edu/OSULDigPrsvPolicy
 http://bit.ly/OSUL-Dig-Prsv-Case-Study

6. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
PREPARING FOR CHANGE
 2011 – New Libraries Strategic Plan
 2013 – Re-envisioning the Digital Initiatives
environment: approach and architecture
– Programmatic vs. project-driven approach to planning
– Services platform vs. individualized software
components
 2013 – IT Division restructured and grown
– Infrastructure Support (7 staff)
– Applications Development & Support (8 staff)
– Digital Initiatives (1 faculty)
 2013 – New Head, Digital Initiatives hired
 University Libraries

7. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
PREPARING FOR CHANGE
2013/14 – Infrastructure and support moved
back in-house from central IT
– Servers / VMs
– Storage
All of these changes allowed better control of:
– Planning for digital preservation
– Allocation of resources (infrastructure & people)
– Development directions & priorities
 University Libraries

8. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
REALIGNING ORGANIZATIONAL THINKING
 2013 – Strategic Digital Initiatives Working Group
(SDIWG) formed
– Chaired by Head, Digital Initiatives
– Key stakeholders within Libraries
– Charge: develop framework & recommendations to
strategically evolve OSUL’s digital library program to
meet current & future needs
 2013 / 14 Products
– Guiding Principles
– 2013 – Digital Preservation Policy Framework
– White Paper
– Master Objects Repository report
 University Libraries

9. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
– Value statements defining how we move forward as well as evaluate
current projects
 University Libraries
• We build services, not products • We focus on the user
• We carefully weigh when to Build vs
Buy vs Borrow
• We work with partners
• We develop modular services, not
monolithic systems
• We embrace research as a core,
fundamental value
• We develop for change • We strive to stay grounded in the
real world
• We don’t keep everything forever • We are driven by standards
• We will build in assessment

10. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
WHITE PAPER
Implementation of a Modern Digital Library
at The Ohio State University Libraries
– Analysis of the current environment
– Vision of future environment
– Gap analysis
– Recommendations and goals for moving
ahead
 University Libraries

11. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
MASTER OBJECTS REPOSITORY REPORT
 Purpose
– OSUL roadmap to a trusted digital repository
– Initial implementation of recommendations in the Digital
Preservation Policy Framework
 Charge
– Define Master Objects & Derivative Objects
– Define environment and high-level repository management
processes for our digital storage system
– Recommend procedures for proper deposit and
registration of objects including workflows and metadata
– Recommend hardware-agnostic processes
– Recommend additional software, as appropriate
– Identify other relevant issues
 University Libraries

12. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
BEYOND THE SYSTEMS
Redefining workflows
– Laying out clear paths for curation,
preservation, access
– Clear definitions around systems and their us
• i.e., how do we manage video, audio; what goes in
the Institutional Repository, and what doesn’t
– Building a tolerance for iterative development
• Listening to stakeholders as we fine tune
connections
 University Libraries

13. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
TRYING TO BE TRANSPARENT
 University Libraries

14. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
LEVERAGING CHANGE
A chance to refocus
– Rethinking discovery and the roles of audience,
design, and purpose
– Supporting a formal digital exhibits program, and
a matrix for understanding types and levels of
preservation
Refocus on outside partnerships with a renewed
commitment to data sharing and being good
partners
– Systematic evaluation of content at the edges,
often stored in single use vendor products.
 University Libraries

15. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
10,000FTPOVWORKFLOW

16. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
DIGITAL CONTENT DISPOSITION MATRIX
Knowledge
Bank/
DSpace
MOR:
IMS
MOR:
TBD
Remote
Repository
Notes
Stakeholder scholarly content   The Libraries may recommend deposit of research data in
appropriate subject-based community repositories (ex.
ICPSR)
OSU Digital Masters Theses /
Dissertations
 [OhioLINK
ETD]
OSUL Publishing Program
Content
 ? Long-term preservation of the OSUL publishing program
currently is a mixture of systems: OJS and DSpace. In the
future, it may make sense to shift to a remote managed
process, utilizing the Public Knowledge Project’s private
LOCKSS network, allowing content to be managed directly
from OJS.
OSUL Images  OSUL image content currently resides in both DSpace and
the IMS

17. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
DIGITAL CONTENT DISPOSITION MATRIX
Knowledge
Bank/
DSpace
MOR:
IMS
MOR:
TBD
Remote
Repository
Notes
OSUL Audio/Video  Some A/V content currently resides in DSpace and the
ODEE streaming service
OSUL Institutional Records,
Manuscripts, and Personal
Papers
  OSUL currently manages a number of archival documents
and OSUL collections such as oral histories (audio/video),
sheet music, newsletters, and course bulletins within the
IR. Content requiring selective or managed access like the
OSU presidential papers, or donor letters and papers
presently are not managed within any repository system.
OSUL Digital Exhibits  OSUL exhibits currently reside in various websites, Omeka
and WordPress
OSUL Digital Monographs 
[Hathi Trust,
Internet
Archive]
OSUL currently stores monographic content related to the
Google Books digitization project at HathiTrust and the
Brittle Books program in Internet Archives. Unpublished
monographs, rare books publications, and manuscripts
are also found within the IR – but for the purpose of this
report, this content is being referenced as Institutional
Records, Manuscripts, and Papers.

18. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
LOOKING AHEAD
Develop a long-term management and
preservation plan for the Libraries’ master
digital objects, including:
• A detailed environmental scan of services currently
available to provide digital preservation services for the
Libraries
• Identification of additional local and external services
• Recommendations detailing what content will preserved
where
• An outline of cost and staffing considerations for each
local and external service currently in use

19. University Libraries | go.osu.edu/osul
CONTACT INFO
Emily Frieda Shaw
shaw.782@osu.edu
614.292.5085
Dan Noonan
noonan.37@osu.edu
614.247.2425
Terry Reese
reese.2179@osu.edu
614.292.8263