As efforts to integrate and federate
digital resources proceed apace, information scientists are
learning more about the problems that emerge at different levels of
scale and granularity. Building on prior work of the Digital
Collections and Content project (DCC), researchers at the
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (UIUC) will investigate
and implement a systematic approach that confronts these problems
and offers robust means for adding value and improving access to
existing digital aggregations. Based on over four years of
development and research experience, the project has identified new
core initiatives that can substantially upgrade the quality of the
IMLS digital collection registry and metadata repository for users,
as well as, advance the current base of knowledge and practice in
the federation of digital collections. Work to date has positioned
the project to move into a more highly informed level of
development and theoretical work as it continues to test and ground
advances in the engineering pragmatics of building, learning, and
documenting.
The burden increase on NLG and
LSTA grantees is due to the reporting they will provide to the UIUC
study team. This burden is measurable, but rewarding for those who
will use and contribute to the digital collections database. It is
this database that will provide the library and museum communities
with better reporting and shared knowledge of digitization
efforts.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.