BOOKHAD

Support for nationwide research activities in the fields of book history and book design

This project provides researchers with access to a web interface which brings together records and relevant information from six major holding libraries in the areas of book history and book design, including a virtual database of identified catalogue records in this area. This is made available to the research community in this field, regardless of their institutional affiliation, through search tools on the World Wide Web.

Deliverables

• A web based user interface leading to a virtual database of currently c.125,000 records from book history and book design collections at six institutions, including c. 16,000 records, upgraded or newly delivered on-line.

• Links to over 2,500 existing images which are related to this discipline.

• A further 1,000 relevant images identified for future digitisation.

• Understandings on collaborative collection management and acquisition guidelines.

• The ability to sustain access to growing collections through the virtual database.

Achievements

• Major developments include a leading edge web based user interface, through which 130,000 records from all six partners’ catalogues can be searched simultaneously. This has been created in liaison with Crossnet Systems Ltd. utilising JAFER software developed by Matthew Dovey.

• Methods for filtering records from 23 identified, relevant special collections, which are already catalogued, are in place for all the partners, in liaison with their Library System suppliers. These records are available through the web interface.

• 16,000 relevant book records have been newly catalogued or upgraded.

• 2,500 relevant existing images from the partners’ collections have been linked to the web interface.

These include:

• The Spellman Collection of Music Covers from the University of Reading

• The Glasgow Style: Talwin Morris Bookbindings from London College of Printing, the London Institute

• Items from the Museum and Study Collection and The Teaching Examples Collection at Central St Martins College of Art and Design, the London Institute

• The History of Printing and Publishing: The Edward Clark Archive and From Paper to Print: The Production of Books from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, a multimedia essay for SCRAN, have been contributed by Napier University

• Of the 1,000 relevant images which have been identified for future digitisation, a proportion are on the theme of the Great Exhibition of 1851.

• Understandings of collaborative collection management guidelines have been agreed.

• Sustained access to BOOKHAD through digitial preservation of the web interface has been agreed for a minimum of one year.

Partners

• The London Institute

• Crossnet Systems Ltd.

• University of Reading

• Manchester Metropolitan University

• Napier University

• St. Bride Printing Library, Corporation of London

• University of London Library [Senate House]

Contact Details

Project website

http://www.bookhad.ac.uk

Content: Gill Davenport
Last updated 2 July 2002