We've selected and installed open source software to test crowdsourcing technologies over our
digitized primary source material at the
University of Alabama Libraries. First is an older version of steve-museum
which will enable patrons and researchers to tag images for which we currently have little or no description. We selected an
older version because of the lower
overhead (no need to install Solr and a version of PHP our server doesn't support). We found the upload interface less than functional, given what
we were trying to add; so I analyzed the database and file structure, and wrote software to extract fields from our MODS, generate derivatives, and
load the content from the back end instead of across the web.
Our thinking behind the use of this software is that the more tags that match for a particular image,
the higher the confidence level that the tag is a useful description for that image. We're hoping our audience will enjoy participating in making
our content more useful and accessible. We expect to rotate content through the tagging software, and extract the added tags for incorporation into our
primary delivery interface, Acumen.
The second software we've set up is Scripto as a plugin for
Omeka image management system. Scripto
is a PHP library dependent upon MediaWiki that will allow us to offer patrons
the opportunity to transcribe hand-written documents. Once transcribed, we'll be able to offer full-text searchability (and possibly display of
the transcriptions) in Acumen.
Please come tag and
transcribe our unique special collections!
For info on our latest efforts and new collections online, check out our blog.
Publications
DeRidder, Jody L.; Presnell, Amanda Axley; and Walker, Kevin W."Leveraging Encoded Archival Descriptions for Access to Digital Content: A Cost and Usability Analysis," in American Archivist(Spring/Summer 2012), Vol. 75, Iss. 1.
Zeng, Marcia Lei; Oh, Sam; Phipps, John; Summers, Ed; Hodge, Gail; Needleman, Mark; and DeRidder, Jody L. Linked Data -- Enabling Standards and Other Approaches, ASIS&T '10 : Proceedings of the 73rd ASIS&T Annual meeting on Navigating Streams in an Information Ecosystem, Vol. 47 (Silver Springs, MD: American Society for Information Science, 2010).
DeRidder, Jody L. "From Confusion and Chaos to Clarity and Hope" a chapter in Digitization in the Real World: Lessons Learned from Small to Medium-Sized Digitization Projects, Kwong Bor Ng and Jason Kucsma, ed., (Metropolitan New York Library Council, 2010).
DeRidder, Jody L. "Googlizing a Digital Library" An exploration of effectively and efficiently providing full-text web search capabilities to a dynamically-generated set of digitized materials, in order to leverage the power of web search to enhance access. Code4Lib Journal Issue 2, 2008-03-24. Available from http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/43
DeRidder, Jody L. "Choosing Software for a Digital Library" [Powerpoint] with exercises for students comparing Fedora and DSpace. Presented to University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences Digital Libraries classes in 2007 & 2008. Revised for presentation to another UT Digital Libraries class and a University of Alabama School of Information Sciences Digital Libraries class in 2011.
DeRidder, Jody L. Dublin Core Metadata Terms and Uses [Powerpoint] presented to a University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences class in 2007.
Digital preservation, or enabling long-term access for electronic documents
Grant application development and writing
Analysis of infrastructure or workflow problems and recommendations
Assistance in setting up the lowest-cost, most scalable methods of implementing a local
digital library
Digital library or electronic document management cost analysis
Assessment of digital library and electronic document management and delivery software
Metadata mapping
Transformation of structured information or data
Contact me for more information on consultation services.
Background
Current Position:
Head, Digital Services University of Alabama Libraries
Research Interests:
Currently researching and developing pragmatic solutions for capture, management, delivery, access, usability, and long-term support for digital content.
Fascinated by the potential applications of linked data, semantic web technology, the power of "pull," and ontological applications.
Education:
MS in Information Science, 2008, University of Tennessee.
MS in Computer Science, 2002, University of Tennessee.
Graduate work in Community Agency Counseling, 1981-2, University of Tennessee.
BA in Human Services, 1980, University of Tennessee.
An invited interview for Kent State University School of Library and Information Science, fall 2010:
5 years of development work on DLXS software, including modifications for
cross-type searching and linking, and support for streaming media and embedded audio and video
3 years of modifications and support for CONTENTdm, including analysis
for extraction of content and metadata to provide additional search/browse and storage capabilities
1 year of beta-testing for Ex Libris Digitool, testing multiple scenarios and issues, providing feedback and recommendations for improvements, and analysis of software support.
8 years of developing solutions for support of long-term access for digital content.
9 years of developing infrastructure, policies and proceedures, work flows, and information architecture.
