French version below The International Telecommunication Union contributed to the Arkhênum conference at the BIS Congress in Montreux (Switzerland). Digitization and promotion of patrimonial collections is at the heart of the everyday missions of a librarian. Arkhênum debated the various options offered to the librarian through the lights of the ITU case study (latest trends, scanners and promotion possibilities). The International Telecommunication Union, whose role is to build international cooperation to help the world communicate, talked about its Historical Documents Digitization Programme. ITU made a particular focus on the ITU’s journals which is their latest collection made available on the web. ------------------ L’Union Internationale des Télécommunications basée à Genève a participé à la conférence organisée par Arkhênum au Congrès BIS des bibliothécaires qui s’est tenu à Montreux. La numérisation et la valorisation des collections patrimoniales est au cœur des missions quotidiennes des bibliothèques. Arkhênum a débattu des différentes options offertes aux établissements au travers du cas pratique de l’ITU : dernières tendances, choix de scanners, modalités de mise en avant à disposition. L’Union Internationale des Télécommunications dont le rôle est de développer la coopération internationale pour promouvoir une communication ouverte dans le monde. L’établissement a présenté son programme de numérisation de ses documents historiques avec un focus particulier sur les Journaux de l’ITU qui est la collection qui a été mise en ligne récemment.

1. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Promoting patrimonial collections
The International Telecommunication Union case study
Heather Heywood
Head, Information Management Service

2. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Who are we?
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ITU is the United Nations specialized
agency for information and
communication technologies
(ICTs)
Enabling a connected
world

3. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Our history
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We were founded in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union

4. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
What do we do?
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Committed to
Connecting the World
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Sectors
ITU Radiocommunication
Managing radio-frequency
spectrum and satellite orbit
resources
ITU Standardization
Establishing global standards
that ensure networks and
technologies seamlessly
interconnect
ITU Development
Bridging the digital divide
to improve access to
ICTs everywhere

5. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
ITU Library & Archives
Our mission
To acquire, preserve and provide access to
accurate, trusted, and essential information
and research materials in all formats and
media on:
i. telecommunications and related topics
ii. the history of ITU from 1865 to the
present day
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6. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Digitization programme launched in 2007
Purpose:
• To create a knowledge base of ITU
decisions and activities as well as of
member participation in ITU-related work
• To make this information widely available
to:
– ITU staff
– ITU members
– Anyone who needs information about
ITU’s work
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7. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Digitization programme - Overview
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9. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
2013: New project – ITU’s monthly journal, 1869-2016
• Large collection (over 180,000 pages)
• Variety of special requirements
– Glossy covers
– Fold-out pages
– Graphics and illustrations
– Mixture of greyscale and colour
– Content in 3 languages
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10. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Why outsource this project?
• Our requirements:
– High quality images of graphics and illustrations
– Preservation TIFFs
– Web presentation with viewer and full-text
search
➢ thumbnail images, JPEG, ALTO (XML) files,
PDF+OCR
– Mixture of greyscale and colour
• Size of project
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We did not have the
in-house equipment
and/or experience to
meet these
requirements

11. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Step 1: Preparation!
• Assemble a complete set in all languages
• Analyse the characteristics of the
documents
• Create detailed inventories
• Write the RFP
– All decisions to be taken in advance: how to
treat supplements / foldouts / inserts / special
paper formats / printing errors
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Decide on
file naming
conventions and
file hierarchy

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Put the collection
in boxes and
create box lists

14. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Step 2: Scanning
• Contract awarded to Arkhênum in October 2014
• Original materials sent to Bordeaux, France
• Output: high-quality uncompressed single-page TIFF images
• 180,946 pages
(2,876 issues)
• Quality control
(2 ITU staff)
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15. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Step 3: Image conversion
• Contract awarded to Arkhênum in February 2016
• Page segmentation (analysis of page layout: text,
graphics, tables, photos)
• OCR processing
• Creation of consultation files
– JPEG
– ALTO (XML)
– Multipage searchable PDF
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16. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
Step 4: Digital delivery platform
• Requirements:
– User-friendly viewer
– Searching and filtering across the collection
– Full-text searching within a selected issue
– Download and print options
• LIMB Gallery selected in November 2016
– Distributed in Switzerland via Arkhênum
• Our digital library launched in March 2017
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18. Promoting patrimonial collections – ITU case study
ITU Library and Archives
www.itu.int/library
History of ITU Portal
www.itu.int/history
ITU’s historical journals
http://historicjournals.itu.int
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