libraryFAQ

=Librarian FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)=


 * Librarian Liaison**

A. The librarian liaison assists teacher participants to locate primary sources for their lessons, and facilitates in accessing them for imaging.
 * Q. What is the role of the librarian liaison?**


 * Primary Sources**

A. A primary source is a document, speech or other evidence written or created during the time that the historical event occurred. Examples include autobiographies, diaries, letters, official records, artifacts, etc. (Although transcriptions are included by definition as primary sources, it is the goal of //Voices Rising// to provide images of original sources whenever possible, and to include transcriptions as tools to assist in the reading of materials that lack visual clarity, due to handwriting style or damage to documents.) The Boston Public Library has a sizeable collection of original materials; our partnership with them allows us to access them for digital imaging. [] [|http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html]
 * Q. What is a primary source?**

A. Digitization is the process of taking a physical object and converting it into digital information. Only a fraction of relelvant content has been digitized, meaning there are many primary source documents and objects waiting to be discovered. TRITEC directors post the images to the teacher's web based lesson. In this way, the lesson will provide students with an opportunity to view a high-resolution image of the primary source pertaining to the hisorical event. By posting the lessons online, we are able to share them and images with other interested teachers. (Read about the digitization of 1950s architectural drawings on the [|Voices Rising blog].)
 * Q. Why digitize a primary source?**


 * Professional Development Day at the Boston Public Library**

A. Before the full-day professional development visit to BPL, each teacher participant reviews her/his lesson proposal. Opportunity is provided, during lesson planning sessions, to discuss possible sources with TLC directors and librarian liaison regarding sources that may be explored during the professional development day.
 * Q. How can I make the best use of the professional development day at Boston Public Library?**

(When filling out the Digitization Request Form, please enter all pertinent information)
 * Digitization Request Form**

A. The call number identifies the location of materials in a collection catalog. This is how librarians and curators identify and locate materials in their collections. A. Yes, because it is possible to have more than one material in a collection bearing the same call number. Providing title, author and other information will assist in accessing the specific item that you require for your lesson. Any additional information that you can provide will assure that you receive the item you wish to use for your project. A. Since not all materials are found at the BPL, it becomes necessary to identify the institution where the material was found. In an institution as large as the BPL, it helps to identify the collection, e.g. Microtext, Government Documents, Rare Books, etc. Again, this will serve to guarantee your succes in accessing the materials you need.
 * Q. Why must the call number be included?**
 * Q. If I've included the call number, must I also fill out title, author, etc.?**
 * Q. What are the Institution and Collection entries used for?**
 * Deadline for Digitization Requests**

A. You can imagine that, with several teacher participants, each using various items from several locations, the librarian liaison must coordinate the digitization services for various items from several institutions. Imaging services prefer that all requests be submitted at the same time. TLC directors post source images on the //Voices Rising// wiki. Lessons are submitted to historians for review; historians need to know shich primary sources will be used in the lesson. It is helpful for them to view the images as they review the lessons. A. Digitization Request forms are submitted directly to the Teacher Learning Center director for your group. Each director will review the requests to determine that the sourcess work within the context of your lesson. The director then submits the form to the librarian liaison, who then reviews the request for accuracy before organizing and submitting to the imaging lab for digitization.
 * Q. Why is it important to adhere to the dealine for submitting requests for digitization?**
 * Q. To whom do I submit the digitization Request form?**


 * 1) photographing primary sources during your research


 * 1) historians are a good resource for helping identify primary sources
 * 2) secondary sources

Primary Source Digitization Information
[| FAQ_Digitization.doc] [| Request_Digitization.doc]