"Imago Silesiae Inferioris online". Maps, plans and views of Lower Silesia from collections of Wroclaw University Library. Digitalization and access in Internet
"Imago Silesiae Inferioris online”. Maps, plans and views of Lower Silesia
from collections of Wroclaw University Library. Digitization and access in
Internet”
Project is being co-founded by European Union from European Regional
Development Fund
I. Goals of the project
Direct goals of the project are:
to digitize iconographical collections (maps, plans, sights, vedutas, graphics, old photographs) from the biggest, most precious and most differential collection of Silesia’s prints in the world that present Lower Silesia region,
to provide access to digitized materials for all interested persons,
to provide access to full information related to digitized materials about past of Lower Silesia region, including presentation of history and cultural heritage
By completing direct goals of the project also following indirect goals will be completed:
preservation of cultural heritage,
popularization of history and antiques of Lower Silesia region,
improvement of information regarding regional tourist attractions,
increase accessibility of information regarding cultural resources of region including the most important – more efficient usage of cultural heritage objects and support for cultural institutions’ activities that will increase tourist and cultural offers and in this way also - region's attractiveness on domestic and foreign market .
II. Realization (state as of 19.01.2015)
A. Preparing objects for digitization
Substantive preparations:
It took place in the following departments of the Wroclaw University Library that participate in the project: Graphic Collection Department, Maps Department, Manuscripts Department, Old Prints Department, Silesia - Lausitz Cabinet (till the year 2011), Bibliological Department (till the year 2011), Music Collection Department and Scientific Information (Reference) Department.
Detailed lists of items chosen for the digitization were entered into the computer system. Main criteria used during the selection process were: substantial value (historical and cultural), representativeness (among WUL’s collections), visual attractiveness, possibility to use item in regional promotion. These lists were created by managers of individual departments according to criteria listed above.
Scientific processing (cataloging) of specific items
This work was done by employees of WUL and among them many are editors of digital resources for many years. This processing is done in Dublin Core format with implemented additional features (inter alia indication of the selected elements of an item). Compatibility with Dublin Core will also allow to present items processed in Digital Library of Wroclaw University and, via it, also in EUROPEANA.
Technical preparations:
Cleaning and necessary conservation works were done by personal of Special Collections’ Conservation Workshop, Storage and Conservation of Collection Department (until the year 2011) and New Collections’ Conservation Workshop (since the year 2011). Mentioned above conservation works were necessary because of antique character of the collection. Dirty items prevent acquiring scans of good quality, and digitization itself can’t cause damage to the items (primum non nocere rule). During the conservation two basic rules were maintained: only items selected for digitization were undergoing conservation and only in the scope of work, that was necessary for conducting the digitization process.
B. Purchasing of equipment for digitization
Equipment for digitization must be able to:
reproduce large scale formats (e.g. maps and plans of the city),
make faithful reproduction,
repeat results,
achieve high efficiency,
be used for various kinds of items.
More over, in the case of antique collections, it is particularly important to expose items to minimal and the least aggressive illumination. With accordance to this rules and basing on previous experiences, following solution was chosen:
Flat scanner able to scan up to A0 format:
with planetary (above) LED lighting, that allows even illumination of the scanned object,
with replaceable table for, e.g., digitization of very heavy items and lighting from below for maps, pictures or loose papers,
with possibility of duplex scanning while scanning probe move forward and backward, which increases the scanning speed.
C. Purchase of computer and network equipment for: data input, processing and storage of files
In the framework of the project, processing and storage of many large files (one scan in full resolution includes, depending on size of original item, from several hundred MB to several GB) was necessary. These large files will be later transform into smaller usable files, that can be presented via internet. Need for processing of these large scale files implies the need for using graphical workstations. Need for high efficiency systems as well as solid and safe storage of large scale files implies the need for consolidation of resources. This consolidation is the easiest way to lower the costs related with electrical energy consumption, and in the same way, also with total cost of ownership (TCO) without affecting the efficiency. Suggested solution that includes that features is: 2 work stations for data input and 2 graphical work stations for processing files, a high-capacity disk array and server to control it. Disk array and servers with modular construction will be placed in rack type casing. Disk array will be equipped with enough disks to obtain a minimum of 100 TB of actual disk space, that will be protected from malfunction of a single disk.
At present time a new public procurement is being prepared (last one did not produce results) for purchase of this type of equipment.
D. Digitization
Saving of digital files, and later their technical processing, allows for easy identification, storage stability and easy publication. This work is done with using of existing WUL’s infrastructure supplemented with new purchases that were done in framework of other projects (e.g. Silesian Iconographic Archive that was finished in 2011). Process of digitization includes whole pages, regardless of whether iconographical element is present on the whole card, or only on the part of it.
Digitization was done in accordance with rules for cultural heritage. Main of these rules are: faithful reproduction and protection of collection. Because of this, preferred equipment is the one with higher prices but meeting these requirements. Wroclaw University Library is one of the leading institutions in Poland in the field of cultural heritage digitization. As part of previous projects, e-guide for editors of digital resources Interpretacja schematu Dublin Core wraz z materiałami pomocniczymi dla redaktorów zasobów cyfrowych Biblioteki Cyfrowej Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego (Interpretation of Dublin Core scheme with auxiliary materials for editors of digital resources for Digital Library of Wroclaw University), was developed. Most of the authors of this guide are actively involved of this project.
At present time, process of digitization is almost completed.
E. Development of the platform for dissemination of digitization’s results
IT work (as a part of the public procurement) includes preparation of interface for dissemination of digitization’s results. Selected items must be presented in reliable and convenient for the user form. We propose combining in one system the advantages of bibliographies, library catalogs, iconographic catalog and digital library. Applied method of non-interfere with catalogs and digital library standards, allows for integration them into other planes of catalog systems and digital libraries. Specific items were, as part of the interface, connected with presentations of stationary antiques from Lower Silesia region (e.g. old views of Lubiaz monastery connected with presentation of its current state), it is also possible to select items with accordance to specific criteria, e.g. all items that are presenting Cistercian monasteries or views of castles and palaces. Low cost expected results from the adaptation of existing solutions.
Method of presentation must also include characteristics of presented type of collections: in most cases this will be multi-charted maps (including sheets of map series) and city plans. To preserve reproduction accuracy (accuracy of details) files must be presented in high resolution. In that case trouble is connected with the size of files that are presented via internet. Solution in that case is the presentation of item on several detail levels and (automatically) cutting files to smaller parts, that will be dynamically put together during the presentation. That kind of method worked well for presenting iconographic and cartographic collections, e.g. in Kartenforum Sachsen service from Sächsische Landesbibliothek - Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Dresden and also in already finished project of Wroclaw University Library - Śląskie Archiwum Ikonograficzne.
F. Presentation of results of the digitization
In the case when iconographical elements are predominant in digitized item (or on the card), that item (or card) will be presented as a whole. But in case when iconographical elements will be only in a small part of the item (or card) – they will be computer-cut and presented as separate images. This second case concerns mainly:
illumination from medieval manuscripts,
graphics from old prints,
illustrations from new prints (published after 1800), both from monographs and serials.
In presentation of graphics (from the old prints) and vedutas we draw on experiences from Czech Republic, where that kind of processing is far more advanced then in Poland. Already vedutas up to 1850 from state and local government archives are cataloged.
G. Translation and promotion
At present time the album publication related to the project is being prepared, translations (in the framework of public procurement) of interface and selected elements of descriptions in the database as well as for folders and abstracts to album in English, Czech and German are being done. Selection of languages is dictated by the potential target group (researchers and lovers of history and culture of Silesia) and allows the highest expansion the range of the receivers.
Selected items digitized in the framework of the project:
First Silesian map by Sebastian Münster from 1544 r., p. 41. Call number: OSD 572278
Silesia on a map by Marcin Helwig in Ortelius’ atlas: Theatrum orbis terrarium..., Antwerpia 1609; Call number: OZK: 12-IV.B.
Silesia Inferior. (…) a Iona Sculteto Sprotta-Silesio, mapa Śląska Scultetusa, from 1644 in: Theatrum orbis terrarum sive Atlas novus…, J. Bleau, Amsterdam 1649, Call number: OZK 15-IV.B.
Sadebeck, Moritz; Schneider, F.J., Special-Karte von Schlesien und der Grafschaft Glatz, Verlag von Wilhelm Gottlieb Korn, Wroclaw [after 1875}, Call number: OZK 8385-III.B.
City plan of Wroclaw in: Civitates orbis terrarum G.Braun and F. Hogenberg, Vol. 4, Kolonia 1594, Call number: OZK: 8-IV.B. k. 42
City plan of Wroclaw by F.G.Endler from 1807 with visible Prussian fortifications of the city, Call number: OZK: 6012-A
Handwritten plan of construction of Wroclaw’s waterway and flood system: Schiffahrtsweg und Hochwasserabführung bei Breslau [1912]; Call number: OZK: 13877-IV.C.