The document discusses a digitization project undertaken by the Public Library Čačak in Serbia to enhance local history research through the preservation and online accessibility of historical materials. Launched in 2006, the project has digitized thousands of items, including books, newspapers, and audio-video recordings, while demonstrating the importance of collaboration among historians, librarians, and IT specialists. Future plans include expanding online collections, improving user engagement, and addressing challenges in creating a sustainable digitization program.

1. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 DEVELOPING SERVICES FOR LOCAL HISTORY RESEARCH THROUGH A DIGITIZATION PROJECT: A PUBLIC LIBRARY CASE STUDY Bogdan Trifunovi ć , M. A. Head of Digitization Center Public Library “Vladislav Petkovi ć Dis” Čačak , Serbia [email_address] digital.cacak-dis.rs Zupan family, Čačak 1934

2. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 OVERVIEW Introduction Digitization in Public Library Čačak Local History Collections How digitization improves research Oral history and audio-video preservation Future plans

3. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 INTRODUCTION The Public Library Čačak (PLC) was founded in 1848 Main library for the district of Morava Serving population of 150.000 More than 200.000 volumes in hold Administrative seat of PLC

4. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 DIGITIZATION Digitization began in 2006 (postcards and photos)‏ In 2007 Digital Library concept was framed – an organized collection of digitized materials for preserving and presenting local history, culture and heritage Digitization Center (January 2008), the first among public libraries in Serbia

5. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 DIGITIZED RESOURCES Books Newspapers Journals Postcards Photos Audio-video resources

6. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 ONLINE SURVEY Created to collect more information about local history and digital collections coexistence in cultural institutions The main purpose of the survey was to collect data on how local history practitioners utilize digital collections to develop their research

7. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 SURVEY – general conclusions: Libraries lead digitization activities among cultural institutions in Serbia Local history is the most frequent historiography research Dominant majority of participants believe that digitization will improve research Digitization of paper materials is regarded as priority

8. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS Established in the 1970’s, now with tens of thousands items in hold The most important source of printed materials for local history research LHC holds old books, newspapers, journals, small library material about Čačak, published or printed in Čačak, o r written by people born or living in Čačak Audio-video resources

9. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 DIGITIZATION OF LHC Why: preservation of paper materials threatened by extensive usage and paper deterioration; greater access to collections (not only on-site)‏ bringing in more users promoting some parts of the collection over the Internet preserving local history (memory) from oblivion existence of strong community conscience

10. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 DIGITIZATION OF LHC How: through collaboration of Local History Collections and digitization department (collaboration between historians, librarians and IT specialists)‏ creation of the Digital Repository end-user orientation (stress on usability)‏: providing understandable and logical information for researchers and general public

11. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 Hotel “Kren” (1900), after 1945 renamed as “Belgrade”

12. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 Čačak, Elementary School and Gimnazium, nowadays Municipality House and High school of Economics

13. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 Čačak, main square between World Wars

14. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 Čačak, main square 1970 ’s

15. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 Knez Mihailova street in the 1920’s, nowadays a parking lot in the city centre

16. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 DIGITIZATION OF LHC What: more than 4.500 items with 47.000 digital pages total (8.000 online)‏ 2.000 digital photos and postcards of historical value PLC’s edition “Local History Bibliography” 7 newspaper titles in print between 1889 and 1937 (the most used collection!)‏ books about the local history

17. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 SERVICES “ Ask a Librarian” was introduced in 2006 Until the end of 2007 this service dealt mostly with questions about books, programs held in PLC and working hours The start of Digital Library created another type of questions, about population origin Two types of questions: where particular information can be found (content of resources) and how to use DL

18. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 Content? Full-text search option provides particular information, otherwise hardly accessible to librarians (search result for Strahinjić's family origin oral tradition)‏

19. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 Using DL? Help section in DL concentrates on topics about browsing collections, finding appropriate information, key words explanation, full text search, etc.

20. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 SERVICES “ Ask a Librarian” provided a feedback on quality of our services considering digitization and online historical materials, but it also extracts information on what material users expect to see in DL , how they use it and how often, what are the main problems We learned that too much “technology” and information confuse and repulse users

21. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009

22. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 AUDIO-VIDEO PRESERVATION Only several of public libraries in Serbia preserve and digitize their audio & video collections (recordings of programs, etc)‏ PLC has obtained digital copies of old video recordings regarding the history of Čačak (more than 20 hours of material) , while our existing collection of old VHS tapes is prepared for digitization Audio recordings – Oral History program

23. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 AUDIO-VIDEO PRESERVATION

24. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM LHC and Digitization Center joint project The aim is to collect existing interviews from public figures and ordinary people from Čačak , in an effort to create oral history audio archive The main task is to digitize and transcribe recordings

25. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 ORAL HISTORY The bulk of audio material considering oral history came from Radio Čačak archives (purchased by PLC in 2007/2008) and from the audio recordings made by outsourcing journalist Professionally recorded oral history material, with adequate meta-data indexing and access, is usable in numerous research projects

26. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 PLANS More online material for local history research More collaboration with other institutions Digitization Center will provide tools for easier collections building: Central Repository for digital documents (Digital Repository)‏ Omeka software localization in Serbian

27. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 Digital Collections – online thematic exhibits based on Omeka software (CHNM, GMU)‏

28. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 CHALLENGES The main challenge is creating long-term sustainable digitization program, which will be recognized by the users (researchers) as trustworthy institutionalized resource (overcoming the discomfort of “digital documents”, “virtual reality”, concerns over reliability and quality, privacy intrusions, etc)‏

29. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 SPREADING THE WORD Using blogs to comment about our digitization programs and about the accuracy and relevancy of online sources After the Digital Library was established, we sent an announcement through local media and over the Internet about the whole program (the response from the patrons was extraordinary)‏ Breaking through on genealogy websites

30. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 SPREADING THE WORD A blog Digitization and Digital Libraries digital.cacak-dis.rs Facebook page YouTube channel

31. 27/08/09 GENLOC open session, WLIC IFLA, Milan 2009 THANK YOU! QUESTIONS? Bogdan Trifunovi ć , M. A. Head of Digitization Center Public Library “Vladislav Petkovi ć Dis” Čačak , Serbia [email_address] digital.cacak-dis.rs Drag o mirovi ć family palace, Čačak