RIPM’s Technology Partners
The following organizations have contributed in various ways to the development of the RIPM Online Archive of Music Periodicals (Full Text). We express our appreciation to each.
Image Access / Digital Library Systems Group (DLSG)
The Digital Library Systems Group of Image Access developed a customized version of their Opus Digitization Workflow software, enabling RIPM to link the RIPM Online database to the scanned pages. Utilizing XML-based linking, the RIPM-DLSG approach allows for the highlighting of individual parts of a page while displaying it in its entirety. The reader therefore easily perceives the relationship between the hierarchical structure.
Working with RIPM’s staff, the DLSG engineers first created a manual “zoning” application, importing records from the RIPM database and linking each to a page(s) or part thereof. The link includes periodical name, publication date, volume, issue, page(s), and location on the page(s). To introduce automation to the process, DLSG engineers created a semi-automated process which utilizes OCR and layout-recognition technology. Both manual and automated steps are subject to manual review before exporting the XML data and creating web-accessible derivative images.
RIPM also uses an Image Access WideTek high-speed A3 flatbed scanner. Working seamlessly with Opus workflow software, the WideTek offers excellent image quality at production-level speeds; however it is used primarily with reprints.
Web link:
http://www.imageaccess.com/
NES (NISC Export Services)
NES’s team of engineers provides high-quality application development and metadata services to publishers and educational institutions all over the world. For the Online Archive, NES expanded upon RIPM’s models and developed a robust search and retrieval system with statistics gathering, standardized subscriber usage reporting, account management, and support for outside OpenURL-compliant linking. NES is currently working with RIPM to develop the forthcoming Full-Text Supplement (FTS).
Brochure:
http://www.ripm.org/nes_pamphlet.pdf
Web link:
http://www.nes.co.in/
i2s / Image Retrieval
When scanning, images may be askew, have black borders around pages, and the color may not be ideal. To correct these problems in an efficient manner, RIPM employs i2s’ LIMB batch-processing image correction software. Operating with large batches of files, LIMB automatically deskews images with a high-quality process without leaving artifacts. Automatic cropping is set to remove black borders; coloration can be adjusted either at the batch- or individual page level. Most importantly, LIMB maintains the original image thereby always allowing the user to return to the original. LIMB also enables metadata creation and with the addition of an OCR engine generates full text documents from scans.
For the e-Library, RIPM is utilizing LIMB with the powerful ABBYY OCR engine to generate METS/ALTO data.
In the United States, i2s is exclusively distributed by Image Retrieval.
Web link:
http://www.i2s-digibook.com/ for i2s;
http://www.iiri.com/ for United States distribution.
Information Systems Solutions (ISS) of Towson University
ISS of Towson University, part of the University of Maryland System, provides web hosting and systems development for private, public and not-for-profit organizations. ISS has provided RIPM’s Online Archive with a hosting environment composed of Dell Servers, EMC storage and CISCO networks. ISS ensure RIPM’s availability through 24/7/365 monitoring, nightly system backups and system-wide redundancies.
Web link:
http://www.towson.edu/outreach/iss/
Wickes and Wilson, part of The Crowley Company
At first glance it may appear that scanning multiple printed books is more demanding than scanning a single reel of microfilm. However, one reel may contain thousands of images of variable quality, many requiring individual attention on the part of the operator. Therefore, one must balance capture speed with the operator’s ability to view and to correct individual images when necessary. A Wickes and Wilson’s RS 200 Rollfilm scanner is in operation at the Center. It utilizes 12-bit image processing to produce high quality images. Using Wickes and Wilson’s ScanFilm software, RIPM can automatically split pages, perform basic cropping, and visually monitor scanning accuracy.
Web link:
The Crowley Company / Wickes and Wilson