Basic metadata describing PARADISEC's collection can be freely and easily searched through OLAC, ANDS or the LINGUIST LIST gateway.

Access to the collection and catalogue records is available here: http://catalog.paradisec.org.au.

Access to data in the PARADISEC repository is available to those who have signed an access form. A nominal fee may be charged for files delivered on CD/DVD. Completed forms should be posted or faxed to PARADISEC (Sydney).

PARADISEC has been funded by the Universities of Sydney, Melbourne, New England, ANU the Australian Research Council and Grangenet.

View a glossary of acronyms used on this site.

To report broken links or for comments on this webpage, email PARADISEC.

Digitisation and Digital Links

These pages were correct at the end of 2009 but are no longer maintained

Note that links on this page appear in no particular order. Use your browser's 'Find on page' function to find keywords of interest within this set.

Moving Theory into Practice: Digital Imaging Tutorial This tutorial offers base-level information on the use of digital imaging to convert and make accessible cultural heritage materials. It also introduces some concepts advocated by Cornell University Library, in particular the value of benchmarking requirements before undertaking a digital initiative. You will find here up-to-date technical information, formulas, and reality checks, designed to test your level of understanding.
Building a National Strategy for Preservation: Issues in Digital Media Archiving Commissioned for and sponsored by the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program, Library of Congress. April 2002.
A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections (pdf) A recommended practice produced by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO).
Akustyk - Improving Signal Acquisition Signal acquisition is the foundation of successful field research. In a series of posts, I try to describe a few of the essential principles of field recording that are geared towards improving accuracy, consistency, reliability, and generalizability of speech data. I try to emphasize the importance of recording technique and understanding basic engineering and acoustic principles over equipment choices per se.
JISC: Keeping Research Data Safe This study has investigated the medium to long term costs to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of the preservation of research data and developed guidance to HEFCE and institutions on these issues. It has provided an essential methodological foundation on research data costs for the forthcoming HEFCE-sponsored feasibility study for a UK Research Data Service. It will also assist HEIs and funding bodies wishing to establish strategies and TRAC costings for longterm data management and archiving.
TAPE: Audio Tape Digitisation Workflow This workflow is mainly aimed to address newcomers in the world of audio tape digitisation. Hence we try to keep it short and simple, knowing that the full spectrum of technical knowledge and skills can only be achieved by further studies and practical training. Therefore for each point of the workflow you will find a list of useful literature and links. We recommend that you consult these sites for additional information specifically related to the topic under discussion.
Capturing Analog Sound for Digital Preservation (pdf) Report of a Roundtable Discussion of Best Practices for Transferring Analog Discs and Tapes from the National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress.
Sound Directions: Best Practices for Audio Preservation This publication presents the results of research and development carried out by the Sound Directions project with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities in the U.S.
Ara Kuwaritja Archival Project Ara Kuwaritja is a forum for the archiving and display of contemporary Anangu social history in the form of annotated graphic images. Ara Kuwaritja complements the historical material archived in the Ara Irititja ('early days stories') project website.
Dena'ina Qenaga Digital Archive The Dena'ina Qenaga Archive provides digital access to more than five hundred documents and recordings relating to the Dena'ina language, including nearly everything written in or about Dena'ina language. You may browse or search the available records. Some of the records have associated digital audio and text files which can downloaded. In some cases, access restrictions prohibit web-based access to digital materials
D-Lib Magazine Vol. 10 No. 7/8 of D-Lib Magazine focuses on Digital Preservation
VINE Volume 34 Number 1 2004 Special Issue: Digital preservation and libraries: part one
VINE Volume 34 Number 2 2004 Special Issue: Digital preservation and libraries: part two
Power solutions in the field: Using an accumulator We conducted research and tests in regard to the situation of a field linguist who needs to power a laptop computer and possibly other equipment (recorders, charging devices, lighting etc) where mains power is not available, or inconsistently available.
2004 APEC Workshop on Resource Sharing in Digital Libraries Digital library development has great potential for every member economy to transform digital divide into digital opportunity. This workshop program aims to provide a forum for member economies to share their experience in the digital library development and explore ways on cooperation and collaboration of digital libraries. In the workshop, Chinese Taipei, the host of the workshop, also plans to share with APEC member economies their experiences of the practices on a national-scale Digital Archives Project.
Wired News, Word Up: Keeping Languages Alive Fifty to ninety percent of the world's languages are predicted to disappear in the next century, according to the The Rosetta Project, a collaborative, open-source endeavor by language specialists and native speakers around the world who are creating a "near permanent" archive of the world's languages.
Why Digitise? Includes a rationale for audio digitization for fieldworkers, description of a particular project, and links to useful online resources.
Audio Digitisation Requirements, Library of Congress Typical Elements for Use in a Statement of Work for the Digital Conversion of Sound Recordings and Related Documents
Summary of analog to digital software from Linguist List Below is a summary of the responses that were sent to my query about analog/digital sound.
Historical voices An excellent site with lots of good advice on equipment and techniques for recording and digitizing audio material.
Timeframes: Online database of heritage images (New Zealand) Timeframes is an online database of heritage images from the Alexander Turnbull Library.
Australian Digitisation Projects, NLA This service aims to record and make accessible information about digitisation projects undertaken by Australian cultural organisations. It is site for those working in Australian art galleries, libraries, museums, archives and other public and private institutions who are engaged in cultural projects involving digitisation. Use it to keep up to date with developments in digitisation and to locate other institutions within the country - to share expertise and experience.
Australian e-Humanities The Australian e-Humanities Gateway is designed as a reference point for those involved in or seeking information about projects and events concerned with the use of digital resources in humanities disciplines in Australia. It is an initiative of the Australian e-Humanities Network, a group funded by the Australian Research Council, including representatives from the Australian Academy of the Humanities, the University of Sydney and the University of Newcastle, in order to develop links between current activities in the e-Humanities field and form bases for future projects.
Building Digital Collections: Technical Information and Background Papers Links to descriptions of technical methods and processes for specific collections arranged by original format, digital format, and Library of Congress division.
AHDS: Creating and Documenting Electronic Texts: A Guide to Good Practice The aim of this Guide is to take users through the basic steps involved in creating and documenting an electronic text or similar very broadly, and discussion is not limited to any particular discipline,
Digital Imaging Tutorial:  Cornell University Library This tutorial offers base-level information on the use of digital imaging to convert and make accessible cultural heritage materials. It also introduces some concepts advocated by Cornell University Library, in particular the value of benchmarking requirements before undertaking a digital initiative. You will find here up-to-date technical information, formulas, and reality checks, designed to test your level of understanding.

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