TCDL 2025

Piloting DSpace Entities for TDL-hosted Repositories
By: Nicholas Woodward & Kristi Park

Since version 7, the DSpace repository platform has featured an “Entities Framework” for creating object types other than simple items, including, for instance, the ability to create Person objects that can be linked to other object types like Publications. In summer 2024, Texas Digital Library staff began working with librarians at UT San Antonio to pilot the implementation of this framework in TDL-hosted DSpace repositories, with the aim of determining a path to migrate existing repository content into the Entities Framework. This lightning talk will present a brief overview of this pilot project, its aims and deliverables, along with our conclusions and next steps for implementing Entities for TDL members.

Making MicroLearning Macro: Building Online Learning Infrastructure at Scale
By: Henna Punjabi

In 2022, Texas State University Libraries received more instruction requests with less librarians to respond. To meet this demand, they reimagined their library instruction to offer digital learning objects for faculty to use in their course sites. For courses that needed specialized instruction, librarians were still available to teach in a flipped-classroom setting, after students completed the digital materials. This allowed students to learn at point of need, and the digital-first instruction alleviated the demand on the instruction librarians. This iteration did not last long; too much customized coding and a lack of reusability with the library website led the instructional designer to rethink the delivery methods entirely. Using digital tools already available, including SpringShare LibGuides, Canvas, and H5P interactives, the instructional designer transformed the content to solve the problems of quality control, brand consistency, and reusability, while better meeting the learning needs of the students. Now, even as the learning objects continue to iterate, there is a sustainable system for future growth. This lightning talk will highlight how to use digital tools creatively to solve problems while maintaining stability and sustainability in the collection.

Visualizing the Artists' Books Collection at Texas Tech University
By: Emily Grover

In 2024, the Texas Tech University Rare Books Department completed a project to create a visual library of approximately 350 artists' books representing the work of twentieth and twenty-first century creatives from around the world. This lightning talk will explore the ways in which this visual database of artists' books enhances the information available in the more traditional online public access catalog. Particularly, I consider the pedagogical value of the digital library in the context of a university course in making artists' books.

Cleaning Days: A Method for Digitization Lab Maintenance
By: Marcia McIntosh, Brianna Guerrero & Christina Kellum

Some of the production of the University of North Texas (UNT) Digital Projects digitization lab can be viewed online in the Portal to Texas History and the UNT Digital Library. While the contribution to over two million of items available there is a fine achievement, the daily upkeep -- and the dust-bunnies fought to complete that work -- does not get as much attention. This presentation will feature the cleaning routine implemented for a large lab area that employs many people. It will discuss how Cleaning Days were designed, set up, and allowed every employee to take part in maintaining the space to the benefit of all.