With the turn of the calendar into 2022, the library has now begun to pursue growing the digital content of the Robert A. Mason Digital Library. In 2020 and 2021 we were able to secure digital publication permissions for 50 philatelic journals, comprising over 630,000 pages. These journals along with several books and exhibits are now the focus of the library's digital efforts and are ready to be processed and uploaded into the Digital Library.
To that end we have purchased three new dedicated workstations to process and upload these digital files into the library’s ContentDM database. In order to bring this phase of the digitization effort to life, we have also hired two part-time Digital Projects Assistants, one a familiar face, the other a new recruit.
Processing and uploading digital files into the Digital Library
Our first Digital Projects Assistant is Betsy Gamble. Betsy, familiar to all of those who have frequented or used the library in the past, comes to us with a wealth of experience working with the resources of the library and more importantly the Digital Library. Betsy is the former APRL Technical Services Manager and it was Betsy, along with former Librarian Tara Murray Grove, who first began the digital collections project back in 2018, what is now the Robert A. Mason Digital Library.
Joining Betsy on the digitization team is Geoffrey “Geoff” Hobart. Geoff brings to the project firsthand digital experience in studio art and graphic design as well as pre-press design printing and publishing. In his previous employment Geoff was involved in all levels of digital content production including image and metadata creation, both essential for the library's Digital Library project. Together with Betsy they will form a resourceful and experienced team in helping us grow the Digital Library.
In the coming weeks we will report back on the progress of this initial phase of digitization and the growth of the Robert A. Mason Digital Library. If you have any questions or comments about the digital efforts of the library feel fre to contact us at stiffney@stamps.org.