CIS-A2K/Events/Digitisation Workshop for libraries in Maharashtra

Background

CIS-A2K systematically started digitisation activity in Maharashtra with partner organisations from 2018 onwards. The digitisation set-ups with institutions like Vigyan Ashram, Lek Ladki Abhiyan, ACPR and Pune Nagar Vachan Mandir. The activity is being expanded in other states under the National Digitisation Program.

Pune Nagar Vachan Mandir, a 175+ year old library in Pune city, had started digitisation activity on its own in 2018. We have developed an institutional partnership and expanded that set-up from 2021. The Wiki aspect was introduced in their previous process and the digitised content is now made available on Wikimedia projects.They have more than 1.5 lakh books and Public Domain books are selected from this repository. Hence, there is a constant flow of books. TIll April 2024, total 1145 books have been digitised and uploaded on Wikimedia Commons in a separate PNVM category. The institution has a potential to develop into a digitisation hub for all other libraries. Hence, to develop this network, we jointly organised a digitisation workshop for old libraries from nearby districts on 15 May 2024 at PNVM, Pune. These libraries possess rare and public domain books and are ready to share them for digitisation.

A total of 50 members actively participated in the workshop. They consist of 31 members from 15 centennial libraries, 15 members from 12 libraries, 2 digitisation partners and 2 Wikisource editors.

Objectives

Empowerment of libraries working with the goal of preserving quality, rare and reference materials in perpetuity and making them available to the society.
Digitization and preservation Valuable books, documents, manuscripts, maps etc. before destruction.
Coordinating the digitization projects of various libraries and streamlining the procedures through development of the network.
To strive to improve quality and efficiency by sharing skills, technology, experience and information.
Optimizing resources by avoiding repetition in many tasks like preparation of book and author lists, scanning etc.
Exchange of books, equipment and skills required for digitization.
Identification of challenges in setting up the e-literature section in the library for promotion and optimum utilisation of the digitized books.
Creating a coordinated mechanism for digitization of all PD books from time to time.

Topics covered

Library management systems like KOHA and RFID
Best practices in outreach to increase readership
Digitisation project planning process
Copyright issues, relicensing process, Creative Commons licenses
Importance of authors’ database in identification of copyright free works
Books Metadata preparation
Technical requirements for digitisation, digitisation process
Making the digitised content accessible on internet, uploading on Wikimedia Commons
Promotion, utilization of digitised content

The sessions were conducted on the above topics by PNVM coordinators and A2K representatives. The hands-on training of scanning process and image processing was also arranged at the venue in the second half. Through this activity the digitisation concept was demystified. It was the first such exposure for all the participants.

Follow-up

The WhatsApp group of all the participants is formed to exchange best practices and discuss the progress on the follow-up activities. The following course of action has been decided -

PNVM and A2K will work with the libraries to prepare a comprehensive list of PD authors and their works
A2K will support libraries in working with Unicode and facilitate connecting with KOHA experts
Libraries will prepare and share the list of rare books published before 1930
Libraries will discuss the digitisation program with their management members and make necessary resolutions for the exchange of books for scanning whenever possible
PNVM and A2K will plan the visits to the potential libraries after the completion of the above initial stages
PNVM and A2K will initiate the discussion with State language department for collaboration
A comprehensive digitisation plus program will be proposed by PNVM and MoU will be executed with A2K for the implementation.

Press coverage

News published in Loksatta daily on 24 May 2024 - https://archive.org/details/20240528_20240528_0500
News published in Sakal daily on 25 May 2014 - https://www.esakal.com/pune/twelve-hundred-rare-textbooks-available-online-digitization-projects-pjp78

Gallery

Participants in the Digitisation workshop for libraries in Maharashtra organised by CIS-A2K and PNVM in Pune on 15 May 2024
Hands-on training of scanning process in the Digitisation workshop for libraries in Maharashtra
Digitisation process presentation in in the Digitisation workshop for libraries in Maharashtra