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- For the soft launch there will be a number of changes to Hydra as it currently is
- Facet browsing will be improved prior to launch (More facet info)
- Search functionality will be extended to additional fields
- The display snippet for search results will be adjusted to show different fields. Creator term(s) will always show, not the generic term creator/maker.
- Blank/unused fields on an item page will be collapsed/ hidden
- Sufia will be upgraded from 6.5 to 7.2 to support multi-item works
- Currently Anna is working on building a migration path for 6.5 to 7. Hasn't yet been done in the Hydra community.
- The lightbox display tool will be used initially after migration, but there is a goal to move to a IIIF compliant viewer, possibly before soft launch.
- Once a Sufia 7 migration is completed, Digital Collections team will provide training for catalogers on the new workflow.
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- The goal of the soft launch is have to something representative of the different sections of the CHF (Museum, Library, Rare Book, Archives)
- The soft launch won't be limited to access on site, but it will not be announced and it will have the beta tag.
- Meeting this past summer with curators identified 3 broad themes to build the initial digital collection around.
- This has been challenging due to technical limitations: no Works (multi-page objects) in Hydra, and photography challenges with space, objects and equipment.
- As a result curators have branched out into other themes as well.
- This has proven to be positive: much of the content selected has been very exciting. (e.g. Second Skin museum exhibit and archival stamp collections)
- With the soft launch coming, what should be in Hydra and what would be a problem if it was missing?
- Archives: Inability to ingest multi-file works is currently limiting content, but there are no major missing areas. Would be happy to launch as-is and keep building.
- Photographs: There are no major missing areas.
- Rare Books: Some major acquisitions that had a high profile should be included in Hydra, such as selections from recent Debus acquisition. The Newton manuscript and the Ritman manuscripts were mentioned.
- Ritman mss already digitized but not yet cataloged, which needs to be done before it is in Hydra.
- Many user requests for manuscripts, so it would help to put them online. We will start with testing ingest of smaller multi-file works (front and back of a letter) before ingesting books that are several hundred pages long.
- Museum: Chemistry sets are a priority, then glassware, and then electro-chemistry. Given that soft launch date is close to opening of Decay exhibit, some material from that should be included, too.
- Pulling some objects for quick photography sessions is a possible idea.
- Objects in the exhibits may be on loan, so wouldn't go in Hydra. This was an appeal of Spotlight to allow linking the objects at other institutions.
- For Second Skin, there are objects waiting on the mannequin which can be done prior to the final dressing on Mondayfinal dressing (by mannequin dresser) to look their best; this happens right before the exhibit opens. Photography can be done on Mondays (when museum is closed) during the exhibit.
- The full sized adult mannequin will require some setup in another room, possibly a Conference Center room.
- Standards for mannequin shots are needed.
- An exhibit field on metadata template would be useful to track what digital objects have been in an exhibit. Exhibition history would be tracked elsewhere, but could add multiple fields if used in multiple exhibits.
- How should staff-curated exhibits made via Exhibit Labs be treated? Unsure, but open to future discussion regarding use of Exhibit or Collection fields.
- Oral History: Currently waiting on Works to add objects.
- There are still questions on viewers for both pdf transcripts and audio recordings. Will need to sit down with oral history when ready.
- Modern Library: Things look good.
- Ron suggested that Library includes some highlights from recent donor collections (e.g. Flavor Chemists)
- Ron and Erin shared the opinion that an eclectic collection was not seen as a flaw as long as some key areas are covered. Others agreed.
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- Should people be allowed to freely download images? Are we comfortable with free high res tiff currently available?
- At the start of the project there was excitement about a more open access goal.
- Rights and Reproduction (R&R) tends to cost more in salary than is gained from fees.
- Will photos include embedded metadata that CHF is the creator, just in case the image gets used widely.
- Doesn't match user behavior - won't check this.
- Many online tools such as Facebook strip the technical metadata
- Hillary suggested possibly adding an intermediary step to have users check a box to acknowledged the R&R terms and details before downloading (e.g. JSTOR)
- Scholars and publishers often contact R&R to confirm the permissions, so this can help with clarification.
- Some concerned extra click-through for download could be a barrier to usability.
- Public domain works should be clear that they do not need any permissions.
- Some of this will be address addressed when designing website. Conversations have already begun. For example, should R&R page on website be copied into Hydra or linked to the website?
- Anna confirmed that a lighbox could pop up that pulled the rights metadata from the record. A link could be placed to full R&R data on another page and link to RightsStatements.org
- Sarah brought up the difference between the legal requirements and the best practice ethical goals when dealing with this issue and that is a good idea to distinguish between them.
- Hillary stressed importance of putting the responsibility for checking permissions for use onto the user.
- Everyone seemed to share a broad concern for making sure the user understands what their rights are in regard to the image, not a concern for limiting access or downloads.
- Jim mentioned another library incorrectly adding a copyright warning on public domain works. Everyone shared the belief that works in public domain should be clearly presented as public domain.
- Cat recommended adding a sample citation somewhere that shows users how to correctly cite this work.
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