Completed activities

ANDS identifiers and collection records

An activity to enable systematic application, maintenance and update of ANDS identifiers, for several collections which would otherwise not be citable. Collections included eBot, the SCA Archive and Sarah Colley's fish-bone images collection. For each a collection record was submitted to Research Data Australia, and each item within each collection was assigned a handle.

Archaeological fish-bone images collection

A collaboration with Dr. Sarah Colley to assist with preservation and management of her research data. The activity will provided Sarah with a secure online space for cross-institutional collaboration with research partners. Access the collection.

ASHET journal digitisation

A partnership project with the Australian Society for History of Engineering and Technology to digitise, archive and make available online two engineering journals. These are the Proceedings of the Engineering Association of NSW 1896-1920, and Sydney University Engineering Society 1896-1920. The titles are accessible as pdfs using the Open Journal System.

Australian Digital Collections

A collaboration with Creagh Cole (SETIS coordinator) to make the content of the SETIS Literary and Historical Text Collections (now known as the Australian Digital Collections) available through the eXtensible Text Framework (XTF).

Australian eResearch Sustainability Survey

As part of a national project, University of Sydney research communities were surveyed to discover issues surrounding the management, sustainability, and usability of their collections. A DEST funded APSR project involving a collaboration with the Australian Partnership for Advanced Computing and the Australian National University.

Botanic taxonomic keys : online representation and navigation

Dichotomous taxonomic keys enable users to identify botanic specimens through provision of sets of mutually exclusive choices. (For more information, see eFlora). Using XML, XSLT, Python, CSS and Javascript, this project developed an interactive prototype in order to support discussion of requirements within the eFlora project. The prototype enables the user to navigate the key and record and review each step within their path.

Data and Libraries: Notes from an APSR forum

A report on an August 2008 data management forum. more

Data management: Presentation to Library staff

A presentation to Library staff on research data management. more

Digital preservation of Salamanca manuscripts

A Library funded collaboration with the Centre for Medieval Studies to determine requirements for precise digital representation of a collection of manuscripts and preservation of the resulting digital images. The project investigated areas of technology and policy including digital capture specifications and issues surrounding in-house and out-sourced digitisation of manuscripts. The project also supported a broader discussion of the role of the Library in relation to digital preservation. more

Digital repository metadata management: Research data collections

The Library's dspace repository provides a default Dublin Core metadata set and the facility to implement multiple custom metadata schemas. Collections of research data are often underpinned by collection-specific or domain-specific metadata sets which if mapped to DC result in significant loss of granularity. Using several active research datasets as examples, this activity examined curatorial and usability issues surrounding metadata management and user access. Outputs informed policy development processes regarding definition and management of repository services. more

Digital repository submission workflows: Collection review service

The Library provides a production repository service and a development service. The development service has been used to test experimental software prior to incorporation within the production service. It has also provided a platform for collection submitters to fine-tune sample records in preparation for publication within the production service. The aims of development and review have proved incompatible and the current activity will examine requirements for establishing a stable environment for collection review. more

eBot

A Teaching Improvement Fund project to create a database of plant sciences objects to support research, learning and teaching at the University of Sydney. A collaboration between the Library, the School of Biological Sciences and the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Access the collection. more

eFlora

A New South Wales Environmental Trust funded project to revise and digitise the print version of the Flora of the Sydney Region (Carolin and Tindale), a key botanical text. eFlora interactively guides students and researchers through a process of botanical specimen identification. A collaboration between the Library, the School of Biological Sciences and University of Wollongong. Access eFlora. more

eResearch Forum 2007

Featuring an address by Rhys Francis and speakers from the University of Sydney, eResearch 2007 focused on raising awareness of eResearch activities and discussion of related issues. The morning session provided an overview of services and policies while the afternoon presentations gave an overview of a range of eResearch projects being undertaken at the University. more

eResearch survey

Using as its starting point a survey created by Belinda Weaver at the University of Queensland, this project created an online survey to gauge attitudes and requirements regarding the development of eResearch infrastructure. The project was a collaboration with Jim Richardson, the University's eResearch Reference Group and Intersect. Outcomes were reported at eResearch Australasia 2009

Flexible infrastructure for innovation

A collaboration between the Library and University of Sydney Information and Communications Technology to examine issues surrounding access to virtual operating environments. This activity used VMWare to provide a virtual instance of a Windows 2003 server as a supporting platform for the MDID2 image presentation application. It also provided a virtual instance of UBUNTU Linux to support installation of various other applications including Fez Fedora, Dspace, Manakin, Mediawiki, and the Darwin Streaming Server. This supported other projects and informed Library discussions surrounding implementation of virtual spaces for innovation, research and development and customised operating environments for non-standard applications. more

Guide to Library participation in externally funded projects

The Library engages in project partnerships (through schemes such as TIES and ARC) to advance Library aims and goals. In seeking to maximize the value of relationships, outputs and potential for development and marketing of services, Library Executive has commissioned a guide to project participation. The guide's key requirement is to assist staff to understand and comply with policy governing Library involvement. more

Image collections workflow

A DEST funded APSR project coordinated by the University of Sydney to develop a workflow for image collections submitted to and disseminated from repository systems such as dSpace and FEDORA and image presentation systems such as iSpheres. This included development of flexible presentation and dissemination interfaces and templates.

Legacy Research Data Collections

A briefing paper available online

NSW Archaeology Online, Stage One

A NSW Heritage Grant (Community strategic products and services) funded project lead by Dr. Martin Gibbs and Dr. Sarah Colley to digitise and provide online access to reports produced by consultant archaeologists. The reports contain site information of interest to researchers, and the project made the content more readily accessible. This activity was in partnership with the Archaeology of Sydney Research Group. The site is available online

Norman Haire collection preservation and digitisation

A Norman Haire Fellowship funded collaboration between the Library and the Faculty of Medicine to digitise, store and manage a subset of the Norman Haire collection to meet aims of digital preservation, print publication and online access. The project ensured the long-term preservation and security of fragile original material within the collection and enhanced access for local and international research. more

Online Research Collections Australia (ORCA)

A DEST funded APSR project to develop a national support network for online research collections. This was a social network that aimed to provide an element of connectedness for stakeholders involved in online research collections, including eresearchers, collection managers and technologists such as data scientists. eResearch 2007 was a key outcome of ORCA at the University of Sydney. more

PDF conversion service

A collaboration with the Library Division of Science and Technology to examine the need for a University-wide service for converting documents to PDF format. The project examined technical and user requirements and surveyed similar services at other institutions. Library Executive endorsed the project's recommendations and these were implemented by the Library's Information Technology Services Department.

Prototype project descriptions database and discovery service

Many project teams in different subject domains and administrative units employ common tools and skills. A project descriptions discovery service would help people discover commonalities beyond their discipline or organisational unit. It would provide information about products and services that may be reused or adapted. It would also enhance scope for collaboration and skills development and broaden awareness of project achievements and outputs. A collaboration between the Library and the Archaeological Computing Laboratory. more

Research data management seminar featuring Robin Rice

A joint initiative of the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales Libraries to host a seminar on research data management, including presentations from eResearch support service providers. more

Streaming online content

A collaboration between the Library, the School of Psychology and the Department of Performance Studies to trial streamed access to multimedia learning and teaching content. The project used a streaming server implemented by the Faculty of Arts META Centre to manage a small collection of video and audio files. Issues surrounding workflow were investigated in preparation for Library participation in a University-wide Learning and Teaching Program eLearning Streaming Project. more

Streaming online content (Lectopia trial)

A collaboration with University of Sydney Office of the Deputy Provost (Learning and Teaching), the Office of the Chief Information Officer to trial Lectopia and a range of University of Sydney Faculties and Schools. The Library was responsible for evaluating Lectopia's suitability as a tool for converting and providing online access to digital audio and video recordings. A draft report is available for information.

Sustainability Guidelines for Australian Repositories (SUGAR)

SUGAR is a prototype online information service covering the whats, whys and hows of digital collection planning, creation and management. A DEST funded APSR project involving a collaboration with the National Library of Australia and the Australian National University.

Sustainable digital archives and regional archaeology: Presentation to the Sydney Historical Archaeological Practitioners Workshop

A presentation to SHAP discussing the Library's partnership with Dr. Sarah Colley to support her research, particularly in the area of digital preservation and online presentation of her research data. more

Sydney College of the Arts digitisation

A Teaching Improvement and Equipment Scheme funded collaboration between the Library, the Sydney College of the Arts and the Sydney Power Institute to digitise, preserve and enable online access to the photographic slide collections of the College. The project produced a collection management strategy for College research outputs and teaching resources. more

Sydney College of the Arts Archive

The SCA Archive is a partnership initiative of the University of Sydney Library and Sydney College of the Arts, the visual arts faculty of the University of Sydney. The Archive preserves, and provides ongoing access to, the scholarly research works of SCA staff, students and alumni. Access the collection.

UK research data management site visits

A report on site visits undertaken during July 2008, intended to gather information to inform Library involvement in research data management services. more

Unifying access to digital services

A proposal to provide a consolidated point of access to the Library's digital services for learning, teaching, research and publishing. Draft wireframes for a Library/University page and a Library intranet page are available for information. The intent of the University page design was to market and communicate Library services by focusing on key benefits to potential project partners. The aim of the Library intranet page was to capture the ideas of staff at the earliest stage, provide attribution and encourage contribution. In both cases ideas would feed through to a project selection and development process and be supported by an online project management system and a project descriptions database.

XTF for mixed media collections

With content and metadata from the domains of fine arts, archaeology and plant sciences, this activity explored the application of the eXtensible Text Framework as an indexing and web presentation platform for collections of images and video. A model developed for eBot was used to present digital versions of research outputs from Sydney College of the Arts Archive and Sarah Colley's Archaeological Fish-bone Collection. A case study/how-to is available on the XTF wiki.

The University of Sydney - Digital Project Analyst