Executive Summary of Results

Need for the Project

The Ars Femina Digital Library will provide world-wide access to an important collection of sheet music that would otherwise only be available to visitors who would physically visit the Indiana University Southeast Library.

The Digital Library will support the Ars Femina ensemble in residence at Indiana University Southeast, as well as our music history and music appreciation courses offered at our University.

Use of Technology

The technology utilized includes digitizing paper and microfilmed scores of music, sample sound recordings, as well as digitally recording a recital of music performed by the Ars Femina ensemble.

The website provides metadata that conforms to the standards for digital libraries, so that searching will be easier for users of this digital library, as well as researchers across the web.

We plan on creating an open archive of scholarship surrounding this collection as well as other contributions on women composers of this period.

Instructional Design Plan

With this project, it was expected that students would have increased access to an archival sheet music collection. That having access to music that could be projected in the classroom, printed off, and listened to via sound recordings, would encourage appreciation and perhaps new scholarship in this era of music by women composers.

We plan on creating feedback by providing social networking tools, such as a wiki encyclopedia of female composers, where researchers can add new knowledge. This resource will be offered to the music faculty to use with their students.

The resources of the Institute for Learning and Teaching Excellence, as well as Sherell Roseberry in Media Services, who designed the site’s header were utilized, as well as the network administrators who provided us with web and network storage. The Indiana University Digital Library team has also been extremely helpful on this project.

This project could easily be understood and executed by other faculty, if other such collections exist on their campuses.

Potential to Impact Student Learning

Because this collection is freely available on the web, it can be utilized by people throughout the world. It is a unique collection which creates differentiation for the University and the Library.

As the Ars Femina Digital Library is incorporated into Music and Humanities courses, more students will have access to a rich resource documenting the great achievements of women composers.

Assessment Plan

Plan for Colleague Development

I have provided consultation with a colleague in the School of Arts and Letters for a grant proposal for a small national digital library for a film collection. I taught her about the standards for digital libraries, metadata, and Enriched Archival Description. I have also consulted with a local community organization on a digital library project and am currently working with them to use our scanning equipment in the Library to complete their project.

Information on Digital Libraries changes very quickly, I would advise consultation with the IUB Digital Library Team for help on any digital library project.

Final Comments on Project Results

I think that the goals of this project will eventually be met as teaching faculty make use of this collection in their courses. Meanwhile, it will be a great resource to scholars interested in early women composers.

I would recommend providing electronic access to as many archival collections as possible. It is faster for scholars. Providing proper metadata creates stronger connections between different elements and makes for easier searching. It creates interest in your local institution.

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Last updated: 18 May, 2007

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