6.0388 Reports on Manuscript Digitizing and Encoding (1/87)
Elaine Brennan (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 8 Dec 1992 18:57:09 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 6, No. 0388. Tuesday, 8 Dec 1992.
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 92 17:21 GMT
From: PETERR@vax.ox.ac.uk
Subject: Reports on manuscript digitizing and encoding
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* Reports on digitalization of manuscript images *
* and on computer encoding of manuscript texts *
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I have contracted with the British Library to write reports
on:
1. digitizing manuscript images;
2. computer encoding of primary texts, especially
transcription of manuscripts.
These reports are to be written over the next four months
(that is, by 31 March 1993) and will be published in the
Office for Humanities Computing publication series. The
Office for Humanities Computing is funded by the British
Library Research and Development section and is directed by
Dr Marilyn Deegan. Both reports will attempt to explain
current practice and future possibilities in these areas,
with the report on manuscript encoding focussing on the
recommendations of the Text Encoding Initiative.
A large part of the two reports will be summary
descriptions of projects presently engaged in either or
both of these areas. Accordingly, I am seeking information
for these reports from scholars involved in either
manuscript digitization or transcription.
For the report on digitalization of manuscript images I am
interested in:
project name and staff; when the project began and is
due to end; its aim
general description of the manuscripts: what they are;
how many; their age; number of manuscript images
immediate and ultimate uses of the manuscript images
(image enhancement? publication in paper or electronic
form?)
the images made: their resolution (dots or lines per
inch; number of colours or greys; examples welcome)
how the images are captured: hardware and software used
how the images are stored: the file format; their
portability
any general comments you may wish to make
For the report on encoding of primary texts I am interested
in:
project name and staff; when the project began and is
due to end; its aim
general description of the primary texts: what they
are; how many; their age; the length of text to be encoded
(number of manuscript lines, pages, etc)
immediate and ultimate uses of the encoded texts
(linguistic, historical or textual analysis? publication
in paper or electronic form?)
the encodings: the transcription system used (examples
welcome); its perceived strengths and weaknesses. I am
interested in: how the text is divided (chapters, books,
verses, etc); how "non-standard" characters are handled;
the provision for editorial annotation; representation of
manuscript features (as damage, lacunae, etc); any other
mark-up
who does the encoding: hardware and software used
how the encodings are stored: file format and
portability
any general comments you may wish to make
I can promise anyone who submits information used in the
reports their own free copy of one or both of the reports.
I will (time permitting) give anyone who contributes a
chance to review the summary of their project before that
report goes to press. Copies of both reports should be
available in early summer 1993. Anyone who would like an
account of their work to appear in this report should contact
me at the address below.
Peter Robinson
Oxford University Computing Services
30 November 1992
telephone: +44 0865 273200
fax: +44 0865 273275
email: (within UK) PETERR@UK.AC.OX.VAX
outside UK: PETERR@VAX.OX.AC.UK