Regional Training Workshop

Digital Libraries for Management and Dissemination of Agricultural knowledge for Development

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Home Workshop Agenda
 DAY ONE
 Duration
 Topic

1. Conceptual Overview of Digital Collections and Libraries

This unit introduces digital libraries and the legal environment within which they operate. Examples from different subject domains are used to demonstrate the use and main features of digital libraries. The unit also provides an overview of the legal issues related to the creation and management of digital material.
10:00 – 12:00
1.1 Why digital collections and libraries?
This lesson introduces the concept and benefits of digital libraries, and how they are used for organizing, preserving and providing enhanced access 
1.2 Digital collections & libraries in different environments
This lesson provides examples of digital libraries that are being used for various types of electronic document collections, describing their purpose, the user communities they serve, and services they provide.
1.3 Copyright: Basics and legal framework
This lesson covers the various issues and legal framework related to copyright, including a review of international and national legislation issues.
1.4 Copyright issues and procedures concerning libraries
This lesson provides practical information concerning copyright compliance for a digital library, including the basics of license negotiation, obtaining permissions, and ensuring user compliance.

2. Technical Overview of Electronic Documents and Formats in Digital Libraries – First Part

This unit describes several of the different formats of electronic documents that can be included in a digital library.
13:00 – 15:00
2.1 Electronic documents and mark-up: Introduction
This lesson provides an overview of electronic documents, text and image formats, and the main types of document mark-up.
2.2 Character encoding: Latin and non-Latin scripts
This lesson introduces the process of character encoding and provides instructions on how to manage documents written in different languages.
2.3 Formats of electronic pictures
This lesson shows the main image formats used in electronic documents, focusing on the most appropriate formats for the Web.

2.4 Presentational mark-up: HTML

This lesson introduces features and usage of the HTML and it provides instructions on how to create a simple HTML document.
2.5 Descriptive mark-up: XML
This lesson introduces features and usage of the descriptive mark-up XML.

2. Technical Overview of Electronic Documents and Formats in Digital Libraries – Second Part

It provides a technical overview of the various formats, character encoding schemes and encoding scripts, document mark-up, and how to convert between the various formats.
15:30 – 17:00

2.6 Procedural mark-up: Text processors and templates

This lesson introduces the concept of mark-up (format) of electronic documents and it describes the differences between the main formats used for mark-up.
2.7  Portable Document Format (PDF)
This lesson introduces features and usage of the Portable Document Format (PDF).

2.8  Conversion between formats

This lesson introduces the process of document conversion and provides you with some guidelines on how to convert a document from one format to another.
  DAY TWO

3. Metadata standards and subject indexing – First Part

This unit describes the role of metadata, metadata types, various standards and their application in organizing electronic documents, including the Dublin Core.
09:00 – 11:00
3.1  General overview of metadata standards
This lesson introduces the concept of metadata, and describes the usefulness and the main areas of application of metadata standards.
3.2  Metadata standards for the Web: Background
This lesson explains the usage of Dublin Core, a metadata standard used to describe Web-based resources.
3.3  Metadata standards: Element qualification & extension
This lesson shows how a metadata set can be defined for a specific domain, by reusing existing standard elements.

3. Metadata standards and subject indexing – Second Part

The unit also introduces the principles and procedures of subject indexing for document retrieval.
11:30 – 13:00
3.4 What is subject indexing?
This lesson introduces the process of document indexing, showing the importance of this activity for document search and retrieval.
3.5  Steps for subject indexing
This lesson provides step-by-step instructions for indexing documents.

4. Workflow in Digital Library - Creation and Management of Digital Documents–First Part.

This unit covers of the workflows involved in the creation and management of electronic documents, including digitization, the creation and adaptation of documents for a digital library, issues related to delicate and heritage documents, and the preservation of digital material.
14:00 – 15:00
4.1  Process overview
This lesson introduces the two main processes involved in preparing documents for a Digital Library: digitization of printed materials and the production and/or adaptation of electronic documents.
4.2 What to digitize?
This lesson provides you with guidelines to help you to decide whether you should convert hardcopy documents to electronic format.
4.3  Basic facilities and requirements for digitization
This lesson describes the equipment, software, human resources and funds required for digitization.

4. Workflow in Digital Library - Creation and Management of Digital Documents–Second Part.

This unit covers of the workflows involved in the creation and management of electronic documents, including digitization, the creation and adaptation of documents for a digital library, issues related to delicate and heritage documents, and the preservation of digital material.
15:30 – 17:00

4.4  From hardcopy to electronic documents

This lesson provides instructions for converting hardcopy documents to electronic format.
4.5  Handling born-digital documents
This lesson describes and provides guidance for the production and management of electronic documents.

4.6  Considerations for delicate and heritage documents

This lesson provides instructions on how to handle and digitize rare and delicate documents for preservation purposes.
4.7  Preservation of digital material
This lesson describes the issues and factors involved in the long term preservation of digital material.
  DAY THIRD

5. Creation and Sharing of Digital Libraries - Processes and Resources Required for Planning, Implementing and Managing a Digital Library Project.

This unit covers the processes and resources required for planning, implementing and managing a digital library project.

09:00 – 11:00
11:30 – 12:30

5.1  Creating a digital library collection
This lesson provides a systematic approach to the creation, promotion and management of a digital library collection.
5.2  Facilities and requirements
This lesson describes the infrastructure requirements (hardware, software, network, personnel) for creating a digital library collection.
5.3  Creating a digital library collection: A case study
This lesson uses a case study to present the various steps in building a digital library.

6. Digital Library Software – Greenstone Digital Library

This unit describes how to use the open source Greenstone Digital Library Software to build and provide access to digital library collections.
13:30 – 15:30

6.1  Greenstone tutorial

This lesson describes the key features of Greenstone digital library software.

6.2 Using Greenstone librarian interface(GIL):  Gathering and enriching documents

This lesson provides the first part of step by step instructions on how to build a digital collection by using the Greenstone Librarian Interface.
15:30 – 16:30

6.3  Using GLI: designing and creating a collection

This lesson provides the second part of step by step instructions on how to build a digital collection by using the Greenstone Librarian Interface.

6.4  Documented example Greenstone collections

This lesson provides a source for learning more about the customization of digital collections built using Greenstone.
16:30 – 17:00
 Conclusion and Wrapping up the Digital Libraries Training Workshop
  DAY FOUR
09:00 – 11:00

Session 1: Roundtable discussion and actions:  (Moderated) Definition of discussion themes for break-out groups. Participants would be placed into three Break-out groups, each allocated a facilitator.  Each group will address the proposed themes.

The themes would address the concerns of the workshop participants to develop a programme of activities for initiating the establishment of Electronic Agricultural Knowledge Resources Arab Network (Agricultural Virtual Library Arab Network).
11:30 – 13:00

Session 2: Plenary Group Presentations.  Each Group would present the output of Session 1.
14:00 – 15:30

Session 3: Conclusion and Recommendations: Follow-up activities and framework for actions to be formulated presented and approved by the participants.
 

FAO 2009.