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G2S Project Code: 2019-WA-83483
State: Washington
Fiscal Year: 2019
Grantee
Washington State Library

Project Director
Director Name: Evan Robb
Director Phone: 360-704-5228
Director Email: Evan.Robb@sos.wa.gov
General Information
Title: Washington Digital Heritage
State Project Code: 9550-8921-22
Start Date: 10/01/2019
End Date: 09/30/2020
Abstract: Washington Digital Heritage supports digitization and digital initiatives at libraries. The current project incorporates Washington Rural Heritage, a 12-year-old digitization project that provides online access to historical materials held by more than 150 of Washington’s smallest institutions. Our digital repository received 234,174 item-level views from October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020 and 59,826 users interacted with the website and digital repository during the same period.


State Goal: Goal 2. Preserve and share Washington’s stories using methods and tools that balance accessibility
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$134,238.04
$0.00
$0.00
$134,238.04
Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.
History
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Digitization creation by sub-awardees
Narrative:

Academic, public, and tribal libraries were invited to apply for digitization sub-awards to capture and preserve archival and special collections. We awarded 13 digital projects. They produced 25 oral history audio and/or video recordings that were created, transcribed, and/or made accessible to the general public. Over 6,000 electronic files were created through digitization efforts, comprising 2,164 digital objects (resources) and accompanying bibliographic records and metadata files. Our awardees digitized 11 entirely new record series using grant funding, and four institutions continued to build upon, or improve, existing digital collections and records. Our collection now has over 56,000 digital objects.



Intent: Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Creation
Format: Digital


Quantity
Number of items digitized: 2,164
Number of items digitized and available to the public: 2,164
Number of physical items: 0
Number of open-source applications/software/systems: 0
Number of proprietary applications/software/systems: 0
Number of learning resources (e.g. toolkits, guides): 4,234
Number of plans/frameworks: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: ASOTIN COUNTY LIBRARY
Address: 417 SYCAMORE ST.
City: CLARKSTON
State: WA
Zip: 99403
Name: KALAMA PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 312 N 1ST
City: KALAMA
State: WA
Zip: 98625
Name: Lower Columbia College
Address: 1600 Maple Street
City: Longview
State: WA
Zip: 98632-0310
Name: NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL LIBRARY
Address: 16 N COLUMBIA ST
City: WENATCHEE
State: WA
Zip: 98801
Name: OCEAN SHORES PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 573 PT. BROWN AVE. N.W.
City: OCEAN SHORES
State: WA
Zip: 98569
Name: POMEROY (DENNY ASHBY) LIBRARY
Address: 856 ARLINGTON ST
City: POMEROY
State: WA
Zip: 99347
Name: RITZVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 302 W MAIN
City: RITZVILLE
State: WA
Zip: 99169
Name: Seattle Community College-Central Campus
Address: 1701 Broadway Avenue
City: Seattle
State: WA
Zip: 98122
Name: SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 1000 4TH AVE
City: SEATTLE
State: WA
Zip: 98104
Name: The Evergreen State College
Address: 2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW
City: Olympia
State: WA
Zip: 98505-0001
Name: TIMBERLAND REGIONAL LIBRARY - Aberdeen Branch
Address: 121 E Market St
City: Aberdeen
State: WA
Zip: 98520
Name: University of Puget Sound
Address: 1500 N. Warner Street
City: Tacoma
State: WA
Zip: 98416
Name: WHITMAN COUNTY LIBRARY
Address: 102 S. MAIN STREET
City: COLFAX
State: WA
Zip: 99111
Question 1: I am satisfied that the resource is meeting library needs.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 11
Strongly Disagree: 1
Non-Response: 0
Question 2: Applying the resource will help improve library services to the public.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 12
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Activity Details
Title: Digitization Training and Support
Narrative:

Washington State Library staff worked with 13 sub-grantees, including approximately 33 individuals, to carry out digitization projects and/or related digital initiatives. These individuals received in-person and virtual support and training in all aspects of digitization. Training was provided by state library staff in a variety of formats including, face-to-face training, online workshops, project documentation (standards, manuals), and instructional videos. Additional support and consultation was provided by telephone, email, and web-conferencing software. As a result, their home institutional capacity to initiate and carry out local digitization programs has increased substantially.

Our training included: 1) Project planning and management; 2) Selection of materials for digitization; 3) Copyright evaluation, documentation, and permissions; 4) Digital imaging, file formats, file management; 5) Digital image optimization and creation of derivatives; 6) Metadata creation and descriptive cataloging; 7) Advanced use of digital collections; and 8) Promoting the use of digital collections.



Intent: Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Consultation/drop-in/referral
Format: Combined in-person & virtual


Quantity
Total number of consultation/reference transactions: 34
Average number of consultation/reference transactions per month: 3


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: ASOTIN COUNTY LIBRARY
Address: 417 SYCAMORE ST.
City: CLARKSTON
State: WA
Zip: 99403
Name: KALAMA PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 312 N 1ST
City: KALAMA
State: WA
Zip: 98625
Name: Lower Columbia College
Address: 1600 Maple Street
City: Longview
State: WA
Zip: 98632-0310
Name: NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL LIBRARY
Address: 16 N COLUMBIA ST
City: WENATCHEE
State: WA
Zip: 98801
Name: OCEAN SHORES PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 573 PT. BROWN AVE. N.W.
City: OCEAN SHORES
State: WA
Zip: 98569
Name: POMEROY (DENNY ASHBY) LIBRARY
Address: 856 ARLINGTON ST
City: POMEROY
State: WA
Zip: 99347
Name: RITZVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 302 W MAIN
City: RITZVILLE
State: WA
Zip: 99169
Name: Seattle Community College-Central Campus
Address: 1701 Broadway Avenue
City: Seattle
State: WA
Zip: 98122
Name: SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 1000 4TH AVE
City: SEATTLE
State: WA
Zip: 98104
Name: The Evergreen State College
Address: 2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW
City: Olympia
State: WA
Zip: 98505-0001
Name: TIMBERLAND REGIONAL LIBRARY - Aberdeen Branch
Address: 121 E Market St
City: Aberdeen
State: WA
Zip: 98520
Name: University of Puget Sound
Address: 1500 N. Warner Street
City: Tacoma
State: WA
Zip: 98416
Name: WHITMAN COUNTY LIBRARY
Address: 102 S. MAIN STREET
City: COLFAX
State: WA
Zip: 99111
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Subawardees received in-person and virtual support and training in all aspects of digitization. As a result of our hands-on, individualized training, their home-institutional capacity to initiate and carry out local digitization programs has increased substantially. Eleven entirely new record series were digitized through grant funding, and four institutions continued to build upon or improve existing digital collections and/or records. The collection grew to include over 56,000 digital objects (an increase of 4,000) during this period, made available through the Washington Rural Heritage website and sent to long-term storage and preservation in a digital archive (i.e., OCLC Preservation Archive). Total number of survey responses: 12 I am satisfied that the resource is meeting library needs. SD: 0 | D: 0 | NA/ND: 1 | A: 2 | SA: 9 | NR: 0 Applying the resource will help improve library services to the public. SD: 0 | D: 0 | NA/ND: 0 | A: 3 | SA: 9 | NR: 0
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
The success of this grant program is tied to its alignment with IMLS and Washington State Library goals, as well as its concerted effort to build upon existing best practices. The Washington Rural Heritage program, awarding grants since 2008, continues to receive grant applications from both new and returning library partners on an annual basis. This popularity underscores the key role libraries have in preserving, and making accessible, local history materials, collections, and knowledge. The program directly addresses our goal to: “Connect Washingtonians to their history, employing digital initiatives and other preservation strategies to tell the stories of local communities and to celebrate our common heritage.” The enthusiastic response from the library community also highlights the need for centralized digitization and digital preservation services, centralized digital repositories, and continuing education at the state and regional level. State libraries can and should fulfill the need of smaller cultural heritage institutions to provide online access to their unique special collections. Creation of centralized digital repositories and portals and aggregation services are one way to meet this need. Finally, the consistent number of digital collection website views suggests that the general public has a continuing interest in or need for local history information, inaccessible records, and genealogical information. Digitized primary and secondary resources meet the particularly pressing demands of students to find and use primary source documents.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
We like to develop LSTA grant cycles to incorporate, or build upon, earlier work in a given domain. We require our subawardees to consider regional approaches, standards, and collaboration and sharing in grant projects. This requirement helps encourage best practices for digitization and oral histories from leaders in these fields: Orbis Cascade Alliance, Oral History Association, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Sustainable Heritage Network, Baylor University, and Oregon State University. COVID-19 interrupted the execution of a significant number of projects during this grant period. Physical collections became impossible or difficult to access for digitization, and public programming and events had to be cancelled. Libraries with the ability to create online programming as well as online publicity and marketing were much more nimble in this regard. When soliciting grant proposals, granting organizations might consider requiring an electronic or online component to programming and publicity activities; this helps ensure flexibility and resilience in carrying out projects to successful completion.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
Yes
Explain:
We are investigating metadata harvest and aggregation for the Pacific Northwest Region.
Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: oral history, oral histories, digital