Access to collections is expanded through digitization, but are we saving the "best" volumes, which volumes are the best, and how do we make that decision? Capturing "real" collection data to objectively make and support those decisions is part of Library of Congress (LC) research. Current data suggests that most cultural heritage institutions have digitized less than 10% of their collections, so preservation of the print record is critical for long-term access to this knowledge. This is especially true for 19th and 20th century paper-based materials, where mass production methods resulted in less stable paper. Moving from subjective to objective based data for retention and withdrawal decisions is critical for the robustness of the print corpus and the future of digital collections.
The paper will focus on a project at Kent State University using a local oral history digital collection. The project displays the potential of how the application of an additional layer of geospatial information into an existing digital collection can improve user access and provide alternate methods to browse material (geographically). Transcriptions from the May 4 oral history collection at Kent State University were analyzed and tagged at any point there was a mention of one of the location points of interest. A new website was created where oral histories could be browsed using a historical map from the time period (spring 1970). This paper will outline the project and provide some initial steps for other institutions to begin such a project.