GAZETTE Volume 19, No. 38 • October 24, 2008 • A weekly publication for Library staff Federal Agencies Collaborate on Digitization Guidelines By Susan Manus aving the nation’s cultural heritage is an increasingly important matter for government agencies that hold large Samounts of material documenting the national record. While saving traditional printed archival materials continues to be important, the exponential growth of digitizing projects has created a new set of challenges related to producing and preserving materials in digital format over the long term. Individual government agencies are digitizing different content, yet they share many of the same technical issues and concerns. So, the sharing of information and tools is an idea whose time has come. To that end, the Library of Congress is participating in a new government collaboration, the results of which can be followed on the newly released “Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative” Web site (www.digitization guidelines.gov). By making the federal agencies’ guidelines easily accessible, the aim is to encourage further collaboration among federal agencies, while allowing other organizations and the public to benefit. Michael Stelmach, manager of Digital Conversion Services for the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) at the Library and a key organizer of this group, said: “We are hoping that by making our draft guidelines public and highlighting our priority challenges, we will encourage input from across the broader Wheeler Barry Diane Schug-O’Neill prepares a map for digitization on a Jumbo imaging community.” Scanner in the Library’s Geography and Map Division, which has scanned and posted online more than 17,000 maps in the past Feds to Standardize Digitization 12 years—7,000 of them in the past two years. Federal agency Twelve agencies have come together to develop a common guidelines for digitization will help standardize color calibrations; set of digitization practices and guidelines. the optimum resolution for image display and for file size, stor- To deal with different types of formats, two working groups age and migration to new technologies; integrity of digital content that is faithful to the appearance of the original archival item; and have been formed. A still-image working group will establish embedded metadata that will make the images accessible as DIGITIZATION, Continued on page 4 technologies change over time. Get Ready, Get Set, Give — to the Combined Federal Campaign participate.” The goal of this year’s cam- By Zina L. Watkins vice chairman Robert Gee, assistant direc- tor of law library services and chief of paign is to increase overall Library par- The 2008 Combined Federal Cam- public services, Law Library, is eager to ticipation and to raise at least $575,000, paign (CFC) will begin with a kick-off repeat last year’s goal-shattering feat. As if not more. rally for all Library staff at 10 a.m. on a reminder, Library staff surpassed the Other members of the management Friday, Oct. 31, in the Mumford Room, campaign goal of $600,000. team include Kim Black, Guy Echols LM 649. This year’s theme is “Be a Star “Meeting our goal,” Gee observed, “in (Superman), Reid Graham, Ricardo Gri- in Someone’s Life.” complex economic times is even more jalva, Nila Iwaskiw, Michael Johnson, The Library’s campaign team, led critical for the charitable organizations Josephine Ma, Kenneth Mackie, Shawna by the campaign chairwoman, Chief and the communities that they serve. We Malachi, Hector Morey, George Murdock, Operating Officer JoAnn Jenkins, and are inviting every Library employee to CFC, Continued on page 6 2 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GAZETTE OCTOBER 24, 2008 NOTICES Recycling toner cartridges helps Library The Employee Assistance Program families and the environment! All proceeds (EAP) wants to let all Library employ- benefit Little Scholars, the Library of ees and their families know that Octo- National Depression Education GAZETTE Congress Child Care Center. If you would ber is www.loc.gov/staff/gazette like to help your office go green please and Awareness Month. Depression contact us:[email protected] can occur in people who do or do not MATTHEW RAYMOND have a family history of depression. Executive Editor If you are interested in learning more GAIL FINEBERG Editor details about the symptoms of depres- The Library of Congress Shop MICHAELA McNICHOL sion, please contact the Library’s Art Director, Photographer Library and congressional staff with I.D. will on-site counselor, Susan Diamond, receive a 20 percent discount on regularly-priced Contributing Editors: Erin Allen, Calendar; items through Dec. 31. at 7-6389. The Employee Assistance Program is available for all employees Carlin “René” Sayles, Moving On and Length of Service; No additional discounts on already-reduced Runako Balondemu, Donated Leave and eligible dependents 24 hours a merchandise. Contributing Photographers: Nancy Alfaro, Katherine Blood, www.loc.gov/shop/ day at 1-888-290-4EAP. All sessions Susan Harper, Susie Neel, Christina Nixon, Cecelia Rogers, Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Saturday are voluntary and confidential. Jane Sargus, Barry Wheeler Proofreader: George Thuronyi Anonymously report suspected illegal activities, waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in Library programs PETER BRAESTRUP JAMES W. McCLUNG and operations. Library of Congress Regulation 211-6, available on the staff intranet at www.loc.gov/staff/ogc/ Founder Founding Publisher lcr/211-6.html, explains staff and Office of Inspector General responsibilities under the Library of Congress (1990 – 1997) (1990 – 1994) Inspector General Act of 2005. The OIG hotline phone number is 7-6306 and the e-mail address is oighotline@ loc.gov. An official publication of the Library of Congress, The Gazette encourages Library managers and staff to submit articles and photographs of general interest. Submissions will be edited to Security Operations Center Detects Unauthorized Software convey the most necessary information. Deadline for submission of articles is 5 p.m. Wednesday, one The Library of Congress Security Operations Center (LC-SOC) has recently noted the week prior to publication date. Please submit text in digital form via e-mail ([email protected]) preferably as an attachedM icrosoft increased use of unauthorized software. Word file. Installing unauthorized software on Library-owned machines, or updating Library-approved Back issues of The Gazette in print are available in the Public Affairs Office, LM 105. Electronic archived issues and the current issue software with new versions that have not been tested by the Library or reviewed for security, are available online at www.loc.gov/staff/gazette. poses a potential threat to the security of the Library’s network and resources. Library of Congress Popular software applications for personally owned computers, which are not approved Washington, DC 20540-1620 for use on Library-owned systems, include chat software (Skype, Google Talk), remote access/ Editorial: Gail Fineberg, 7-9194, [email protected] Design and production: Michaela McNichol, control software (GoToMyPC, Orb), and peer-to-peer software (BitTorrent, PANDO, uTorrent, 7-0970, [email protected] LimeWire, Morpheus, Gnutella, eDonkey and Napster). ISSN 1049-8184 Only staff with elevated privileges and specific authorization are allowed to install Printed on paper that contains recycled paper by the Printing Management Section, Office Systems Services approved software on Library computers and systems. Visit the staff security Web site at www.loc.gov/staff/security/rules_of.html to read the Gazette Welcomes Letters from Staff The staff is invited to use the Forum pages for lively and thoughtful Rules of Behavior, as well as the ITS Web site at www.loc.gov/staff/its/its_documentation. debate relevant to Library issues. However, just as other newspa- per editors exercise discretion over which letters to publish and html to review the Rules of Behavior for Privileged Use of Information Technology Systems how to edit them, so do we. In deciding whether or how much to publish, we consider content (including misstatements of fact, concerning LC workstations. libel, innuendo, ridicule of individuals or the institution, personal Staff with questions should contact their IT-security program managers (www.loc.gov/ attacks, and redundancy) and length (the limit is 600 words). Letters must be signed by the author, whose place of work and staff/security/contacts.html); automation liaisons; or e-mail [email protected]. telephone extension should be included so we can verify author- ship. Letter writers should understand that when they sign their letters and release them to us for publication they are relinquishing privacy. If a letter calls for management response, for example, TSP Board to Brief Employees an explanation of a policy or actions or clarification of fact, we will ask for management response.—Ed. The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board will present two TSP Employee Briefings in two sessions on Thursday, Oct. 30, in the Mumford Room, LM 649. Gazette Deadlines The first briefing, “Thrift Savings Plan at a Glance,” from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., is designed The deadline for editorial copy for the Nov. 7 for employees who are just starting out in their first federal job or are at mid-career level. Gazette is Wednesday, Oct 29. E-mail editorial copy and letters to the editor to It covers the advantages of participating in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) for those who are [email protected]. eligible and also provides information on the current features of the program. To promote events through the Library’s online The second briefing, “TSP Pre-Retirement/Separation,” from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., is designed calendar (www.loc.gov/loc/events) and the Gazette Calendar, e-mail event and contact for employees who are considering retirement or separation from their federal jobs. It covers information to [email protected] by 9 a.m. various topics including post-service withdrawal options and tax implications.