The Library of Congress, National Digital Library Program

Selected Topics from NDLP Internal Documentation

The discussions and descriptions listed below have been selected from internal documents used within the National Digital Library Program (NDLP), the group within the Library of Congress that is responsible for digitizing historical materials and building the American Memory collections. The documents were originally developed for other purposes, but may be of interest to applicants for the LC/Ameritech competition.

Identifiers for Internet Resources

• Identifiers for Digital Resources
  This paper discusses the current approach used within American Memory for identifying digital reproductions and provides a general discussion of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and Uniform Resource Names (URNs).
• Handle Server. In the coming months, the Library will be experimenting with using "handles," one form of URN.
  For details on the prototype handle server, see:
  1. Handle Server: Overview
  2. More on Handles and Naming Authorities
  3. A Global System of Handle Servers
• The Relationship between URNs, Handles, and PURLs

Planning and Workflow

• Steps in the Digitization Process
  This one-page summary of steps was last updated in January 1996.

Quality Review

• Quality Review of Document Images: Internal training guide
  This set of instructions is for staff involved in checking images of text received from contractors. The section "Imaging Guidelines for the National Digital Library Program" describes quality problems that have been encountered in practice at the Library of Congress.

Digital Storage

• Hierarchical Storage Management
  Some applicants have inquired about the approach the Library of Congress is taking to storage of archival versions of digital reproductions. The Library takes a common, centralized approach to to handling the vast requirements for storage as more information is acquired and generated in digital form. Hierarchical storage management supports automatic relocation of seldom used files to magnetic tape or other media that are less expensive than the high-speed magnetic disks that provide rapid access to the materials most in demand. [This approach is certainly not appropriate or feasible for all institutions.]

Selected Topics

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• LC/Ameritech Competition: Related Technical Information
• LC/Ameritech Competition: Home Page
• American Memory Home Page