This was a very exciting project and for those interested, here is
the original press release that describes the details and rationale
of the scanned catalog project:


                          NEWS RELEASE

IMMEDIATE RELEASE       May 3, 1993

PRINCETON CONTACT:  Eileen Henthorne, 609-258-1517

VTLS CONTACT:  Murray Crowder , 703-231-3605


VTLS INC. TEAMS WITH PRINCETON UNIVERSITY TO CREATE DATABASE OF 6.5
MILLION IMAGES, USING NEXTSTEP-BASED INTERFACE

Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A.--VTLS Inc., The Princeton University
Libraries, and Princeton's Computing and Information Technology
Department are working on a joint project to scan the libraries'
public union card catalog, containing 6.5 million 3x5 catalog cards,
to create a database of digitized images. The database represents
1.75 million titles acquired and cataloged before 1980, predating
Princeton's library automation and online catalog. Initially, the
image database will not be integrated with the libraries' online
catalog, but will work in conjunction with it. The 6.5 million images
represent the largest image database created in a library.

The project is planned in several phases. In the first phase, already
completed, library staff analyzed the card catalog and enhanced the
guide cards to create an index for the database of card images. In
three months, 65,000 index points were created. In the second phase,
beginning in June 1993, VTLS Inc. will use single-sided scanners,
located on site at the Firestone Library, to generate digital,
bit-mapped images of each card in the catalog. Princeton staff will
monitor the process for quality control, using workstations to view
statistically significant samples of the scanned images.

In the third phase, which will overlap the second, VTLS will develop
an interface for the display workstations--40 computers running
NEXTSTEP for Intel processors--to be used by library patrons and
staff for browsing the database of card images. VTLS will use NeXT
Inc.'s NEXTSTEP object-oriented development environment to build the
graphical user interface. The NEXTSTEP operating system was selected
because of its multimedia and client-server capabilities, and because
NEXTSTEP enables the rapid development and deployment of this
"mission critical," custom application, as compelled by the
continuing deterioration of the catalog cards. Using the
NEXTSTEP-based interface, users will browse a hierarchical index tree
to retrieve, view and save card images; library staff will also edit
scanned images, using graphics software. Initially, 40 display
workstations, powered by Intel 486 processors, will be located in the
Firestone Library and at all branch locations where there are now
card catalogs.

In a later phase, optical character recognition (OCR) will be used to
convert the digital image of each card to fully tagged and indexed
records of text in standard MARC format such as those found today in
Princeton's online catalog. With the present rate of rapid
improvement, OCR technology may be reliable enough to make feasible
this conversion of the card images.

Several factors led Princeton University to rely on scanning rather
than a standard retrospective conversion to combine their card and
online catalogs. Scanning will be far more cost- and time-effective
than a labor-intensive retrospective conversion. Much of the local
information in the card catalog, which is specific to Princeton's
collection, is complicated and esoteric and would require extensive
editing by library staff. A project in retrospective conversion would
therefore create an unacceptable backlog in current cataloging.
Moreover, since many of the cards are in poor condition and rapidly
deteriorating, the information they contain may be quickly preserved
by creating digital images through scanning. Due to the uniqueness of
Princeton's catalog, preserving the database by the traditional
approach to retrospective conversion, as opposed to scanning, would
require inordinate time and money. According to a recent estimate,
retrospective conversion of the card catalog would require 11 years
to complete and cost $18 million. In contrast, Princeton's image
database project will be completed in nine months and will cost less
than $1 million.

VTLS was selected to become a partner in this project after Princeton
University Libraries and Princeton's Computing and Information
Technology Department conducted an intensive, joint evaluation of
options and systems developers.

Dr. Vinod Chachra, president of VTLS Inc., said, "VTLS is delighted
to have the opportunity to work with Princeton University on such a
unique project. The developments from this project related to
handling and storing large image databases will surely be made
available to other libraries having similar needs."

Princeton is very excited about this imaging project. The project
will preserve valuable information, permit network access from
non-library locations, provide enhanced searching capabilities to the
libraries collection, create more efficient tools for maintaining the
catalog, and provide a relatively cost-effective and error-free
alternative to standard retrospective conversion. According to
Project Director Eileen Henthorne, "The project may serve as a model
for other universities and repositories that want faster, more
effective access to information and that are concerned about the
preservation of their information. Princeton is pleased to be working
with VTLS on such an ambitious project."

NEXTSTEP is a registered trademark of NeXT, Inc. in the U.S. and
other countries.


__________________
Footnote:
*  Two years ago, administrators of the Princeton University
Libraries selected a network of 27 NeXTstations to replace an aging
Wang OIS office automation system.  From my viewpoint as the system's
administrator, The Libraries' experience with NeXT's interpersonal
computing system --running office productivity applications, building
a multimedia database, browsing the Internet, and other
functions--has been positive.
   Of course, I speak only for those who think precisely as I do!
-Phil
__________________

--

G. Philippe Menos

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Systems Administrator, Princeton University Libraries
voice:  609-258-5183     fax:  609-258-5571