July2010BHLStaff

• Proposal for a new funding workflow (MRK)
  The BHL EC has authorized reallocating about $140,000 from the current budget to direct scanning costs. To simplify the allocation process to scanning libraries, the following scenario has been proposed that is targeted to cutting down on paperwork and other processing. The goal of this discussion is to see if it would function from a workflow point of view, on the ground, in the scanning libraries.
  • All funding for scanning with the Internet Archive would be placed on a single contract (the current Smithsonian FedScan contract which already has language that can direct funding to any IA scanning center in the U.S.)
  • Rather than make hard to revoke allocations to BHL member libraries, the funds could be allocated into big "buckets" directed at IA scanning centers. BHL member libraries could then direct materials to that scanning center where they would have "funds available".
  • This flexible funding model will allow BHL scanning libraries to focus on high impact or requested materials rather than having to fill a specific quota of pages
  • Selection of materials will be coordinated with Bianca, with high impact titles (such as serials for which permissions have been received) given priority
  • Example: The Jersey City facility is targeted to get $50,000 in scanning activity. NYBG and AMNH can both send materials to this facility. Working either from their own selection list or items that have been prioritized by the collections group, the libraries would send materials (using the current workflow) to the scanning center (keeping a rough count of the number of pages sent); Bianca would also tally this rough count (for later checking against invoices) to make sure funding doesn't run out at that center); invoicing would be charged against the standing FedScan account.
  • Similar workflows could occur at: Boston, San Francisco, Fort Wayne, Princeton, etc. One benefit of this proposal is that it would allow for BHL members such as ANSP, Cal Academy, the Field, Harvard Botany, that haven't done IA scanning, to get content through the IA workflow without the added overhead of managing the contract.
  • The increased workload will be a more careful selection of materials (and a bit more time spent in coordinating that selection.

Meeting Discussion

• Scanning requests! (Bianca, on behalf of Grace)
• FYI "Not in BHL" issue (Bianca, on behalf of Grace & Mike L.)
• Review action items from previous call
• Date for next call?
• Ingest review update (if time)
• Round robin (if time)