Salt Lake City, UT
November 5, 2005
8:00-10:00 am

Present:

Guests: Tammy Byrne, Olga Tabolina (East View Information Services)

Introductions

Janet Crayne, Chair of SEEMP, welcomed the group.

Project Business

1. Minutes
   Approved as submitted.
2. Election Results
   The elections were conducted over e-mail. The current executive committee stands as:
   Janet Crayne Dec. 2003-2006 (Chair)
   Geoff Husic Dec. 2005-2006
   Diana Greene Dec. 2005-2007
   Dan Pennell Dec. 2005-2007 (Secretary)
   Angela Cannon (Ex Officio, LC)
   Dan Pennell (Ex Officio, SEES-ACRL/ALA Chair)
   Miranda Remnek (Ex Officio, B&D committee)
   James Simon (Ex Officio, CRL)
   
   James Simon thanked those for running for the committee and Brad Schaffner for his service (2003-2005).

Budget Report, SEEMP/CRL News

1. CRL Report
   
   International Coalition on Newspapers
   This project continues to film newspapers, catalog, and otherwise share information about foreign newspapers. Slavic titles included in the current round are:
   Národní Listy (Prague, Czech Republic) [1918-1931]
   Szabad szó (Budapest, Hungary) [1945-1952; 1956]
   Új Magyarország (Budapest, Hungary) [1945-1948]
   New Hungary (Budapest, Hungary) [1946-1947]
   
   Digital South Asia Library
   DSAL has been awarded a four-year, $788,000 TICFIA grant to the Center for Research Libraries from the U. S. Department of Education for the creation of new resources that will be made available through DSAL. The South Asia project will develop and bring together complex digital objects in several different formats from several sources around the world. Specifically, four major products will be created and made accessible during the four years of funding:
   1) 120,000 new bibliographic records and authority records to be added to the South Asia Union Catalogue (which has received concurrent funding from the Ford Foundation), improving access to publications from western and north central regions of the subcontinent;
   2) Digital audio files of sound recordings from the British Library’s Linguistic Survey of India, delivered via the Internet;
   3) Preservation of and access to selected periodicals published in South Asia; and
   4) Electronic article delivery on demand from the South Asian subcontinent to researchers in the U.S.
   
   Digital Access to CRL collections
   At its annual meeting in April, the Center announced it will put in place by the year 2009 the workflows and mechanisms necessary to provide all CRL holdings in electronic form. The Center envisions four major streams of activities that will generate digital content. These include:
   1) On-demand conversion and delivery of collection materials
   2) Cooperative digitization of legacy materials
   3) Mediated procurement of electronic resources
   4) Acquisition of born-digital content.
   
   The Center is conducting analyses of the needs and behaviors of scholar-users of Center collections to inform our planning, in conjunction with the broader study of scholarly needs for international studies. A prospectus outlining specific procedures, costs, funding plans and timetables for implementing the new activities will be submitted to the Center's Board in February 2006.
   E-CRL activities will augment and support, rather than replace, the Center’s print and microform-based acquisition and preservation programs. Rather, the Center will strategically integrate E-CRL activities to increase the benefits and impact of those programs.
   
   CRL Purchase Proposal
   The 2006 ballot for major purchases was recently announced. One item of interest is "Russian Archives. Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905" (Gale, 170 reels $25,500). Deadline for voting is 12/2.



2. Global Resources Network
   At its September meeting, the Board of Directors of the Center approved the transfer of the Global Resources Network (GRN) from ARL to CRL, effective January 1, 2006. This action was the final step in the formal process of both organizations to accomplish the move. CRL, under the guidance of the Director of International Resources, James Simon, will assume leadership, governance, coordination, and services of GRN. In accordance with the transition plan recommended by the GRN Steering Committee, funding for 2006 activities will be shared by ARL and CRL. The joint call for voluntary contributions of $1,200 for 2006 was sent to ARL directors at the beginning of October. For information on GRN or to communicate your institution’s contribution to GRN funding in 2006, contact Eudora Loh at dora@arl.org. The transition plan is on the ARL Web site at
   http://www.arl.org/collect/grp/GRNtransition.html
   
   This project currently has 6 operating programs, which do not include anything related to Slavic. The network is open to the idea of adding a Slavic project.



3. SEEMP Report
   Simon distributed the budget and list of recent receipts. SEEMP's balance at the beginning of FY 2005 was $23,284. Expenses in FY 2005 were $12,686. Income to date in FY2006 is $17,400: expenses to date are $338. Current fund balance is $48,060. Commitments from previous years stand at $44,601, leaving an available balance of $3459.
   
   Recent Receipts include Pesti Hirlap, Koha Jone, and more years of Russian regional newspapers.
   
   Recent cataloging includes a large number of Soviet Central Asian Pamphlets. CRL staff is converting NYPL Romanization to LC Romanization. Presently the conversion is on hold until the Center's OPAC authority record upgrade project is complete.

Progress Reports on Current Projects

1. Koha Jone (Rondestvedt)
   Received [1996-2003] from East View. A copy for Stanford was not written in the original proposal. To be discussed later in the agenda.
2. Newspapers of the October Revolution (Cannon)
   The project is not done yet, but filming will begin imminently. LC has located the issues, and has prepared a finding aid. The issues are in the hands of LC PRD. Karen Renninger (Chief of the Serial and Government Publications Division) and Mark Sweeney (preservation) are supportive of the project and will consider this a "top priority" in the next year.
3. Oslobodenje (Crayne)
   SEEMP has received the majority of reels [1992-2003]. 10 reels are still anticipated.
4. Pesti Hirlap (Simon)
   SEEMP has received 11 reels [1841-1848]. This complements 1848-1849 already held by CRL.
5. Russian Regional Archival Guides project (Tabolina, Ingersoll)
   This project continues to suffer delays due to contract difficulties. Original contracts signed by archived were rescinded, and East View is having difficulty securing archival agreements. Olga Tabolina proposed going through RosArkhiv to assist in obtaining new agreements from the archives. This will be discussed and decided by the Executive Committee.
   To date, 121 guides have been filmed (28 reels). Cannot yet send to CRL.
6. Russian Regional Newspapers II (Tabolina, Simon)
   CRL has received a number of 2003 reels, expecting 2004 imminently.
   Tabolina distributed two lists to the membership: a progress update and a list of replacement suggestions. For some titles, years are partially or significantly incomplete. East View suggested filming additional years of titles for which supply is not a problem. The SEEMP committee discussed what constituted incomplete files (East View normally aims for fewer than 5 issues missing). In some cases, the limited availability may signify a larger issue (repression, censure?) and the committee suggested that some of the titles should be filmed in whatever supply we currently have. East View will combine issues onto one reel in those cases, and in others replace years with other titles. Details can be reviewed with the Executive.
7. Russian Right-Wing Newspapers III (Urbanic, Miller)
   Allan Urbanic has sent his supply of titles to CRL – not yet sorted. Larry Miller will send UIUC's titles shortly. This will be filmed in the next year. Members suggested we poll the membership to complete as many fill-ins as possible. Columbia, Library of Congress, Hoover may all have fill-in issues. Simon will post the titles and gaps to the listserv.
8. Soviet Central Asian pamphlets (Simon)
   Discussed above.

New Proposals / Developing Projects

1. University of Toronto proposals (Simon)
   Karen Turko described possible digitization projects to Simon and sought feedback from SEEMP. Items under consideration include:
   - 1880's/1890's immigrant materials, such as land grants etc.
   - Additional Luczkiw material (DP material)
   - P.J. Potichnyi Collections, dealing with insurgency and counter-insurgency in Ukraine, 1944-54
   - Hollar lithographs
   - Lunt collection of Macedonian books.
   
   Miranda Remnek explained that this list was jointly prepared with UIUC, with the intent of developing collaborative digitization projects. She believed this might wait until a new Slavic bibliographer is brought aboard. The membership agreed that this was not feasible at this time.
   
   The committee reflected briefly on its role in preserving and digitizing materials. With its limited budget, SEEMP is not able to take on large projects. SEEMP continues to emphasize preservation concerns over digital access projects at the moment. However, many agree that some digital activity should be explored. SEEMP might consider small projects as a pilot, especially if the material would better merit electronic access over microfilm. Simon suggested cooperative digitization might be an activity undertaken under a broader Global Resources-type partnership of Slavic libraries.
2. Central Asian serial runs (Crayne)
   Crayne discussed the possible loss of microfilm masters for Central Asian serials once held by Norman Ross. She inquired as to the interest of the group in pursuing fill-ins of these titles as well as other Central Asian serials.
   
   Miller mentioned that University of Illinois likely bought the entire set in positive copy, as did Princeton (Nina Shapiro). Could one make negatives from the positives? This is possible, thought resulting in lesser quality than the originals. Crayne suggested that hard copy originals might be found and that Todd Bludeau (Praxess) expressed interest in assisting in some mid-level projects.
   
   The group also discussed other possible resources. Miller reminded the group of Central Asian newspapers formerly held by the Scottish newspaper unit. James will re-forward the list to the membership.
   
   Shapiro urged the membership to consider adding something "Eurasian" to the proposal process every year. This material is not being picked up elsewhere. Possible joint action with MEMP? Columbia, UCLA, and others will make suggestions, and Janet will coordinate a proposal.
3. Continuation of South Slavic periodicals (Crayne)
   Crayne inquired as to interest in preserving or replacing South Slavic newspapers. Michigan has filmed some titles (?) and these continue to be published. Others have worked with libraries in the region: Tanja (Lorkovic?) worked with the National Library of Serbia to develop CDs of Politika. A CD of the early years is now available, but quite expensive. The Library of Congress has acquired Politika in microfilm from the National Library of Serbia, as well as certain other material from Mediacentar.
   
   Brad Schaffner (?) suggested exploring what the Central and East Europe Online Library has been doing – they are working directly with publishers? Schaffner had suggested to them they consider finding a partner to deposit archival copy.
   
   The membership expressed general interest in developing collecting South Slavic material, including titles beyond former Yugoslavia. There is much material we are likely not collecting.
   
   Miller suggested UIUC has the only copy in the US of the Zagreb edition of Borba. Interest in a proposal? Yes.
4. Early Soviet Ukrainian Press (Kiebuzinski)
   Ksenya Kiebuzinski (Harvard College Library) submitted a proposal, developed with East View, to microfilm early Soviet Ukrainian press. The five titles submitted are generally not available elsewhere in the US. They include Bilshovyk Ukrainy, the periodical of the Central Committee of CP(B)U whose purpose was to interpret the Party's policy directives in Ukraine. Also included was Zvezda, Chornomors'ka komuna, Zoria Poltavshchyny, and Sotsialisticheskii Donbass, concerning city and regional committees of the party. The newspapers are located in Moscow and Ukrainian libraries. The print is in poor condition.
   
   Committee members agreed the content is attractive. However, the availability of funds may require spacing this out over a number of years. The committee encouraged a resubmission of a portion in the next ballot. The proposal should take into account issues of parity to be discussed with East View (a copy for the donating library? Discounts for SEEMP members?)
   
   Members reflected that these may well complement other activities underway, such as the Nazi documents from Ukraine being filmed by Thomson-Gale and other material.

Member Reports on Preservation/Access Projects

1. Library of Congress (Cannon)
   Angela Cannon submitted a written report from various selectors (attached as appendix). Work is well underway in the Martin library in Slovakia. They have good film equipment and are filming their holdings. Once complete, Martin will approach other libraries to film more holdings – there is willingness to collaborate.
   
   Cannon is creating a finding aid for Bulgarian newspapers held by LC. This will be posted to LC's Web site.
   
   The Library of Congress is canceling a number of print subscriptions to Russian newspapers, especially for those already available in microform and digitally. A list was included.
   
   Lithuanian newspapers continue to be filmed with the Dept. of Defense camera in situ. Filming of these is complete, and the library will move on to other languages (Polish, Russian, German).
   
   A few small but interesting projects are underway, including digitization of a historic Bulgarian telephone directory (of interest to genealogists) and an index to a unique Polish ledger of persons registered at the Polish consulate in Shanghai. Cannon might make this index available online if there is interest.

2. Harvard College Library
   The Ukrainian division supported an effort to inventory Ukrainian DP press held in Munich (1944-1955). Harvard is also searching their holdings: an additional 100 titles were found, most of which do not duplicate that in the Luczkiw collection. Harvard will undertake the microfilming of DP press material, using Ukrainian funds. Will later film in Munich. Miller (UIUC) expressed interest and suggested he could compare their holdings. Shapiro asked whether members knew of collections of similar Russian DP material from Germany. Crayne added interest in DP material from former Yugoslavia.
   
   Harvard is also digitizing material from the Davis project, which includes interviews of Soviet émigrés. The copy is, unfortunately, not great and Harvard is exploring re-keying the text, as OCR is not feasible. This is funded through the Harvard University Library digital project grants.


3. Columbia University
   Columbia has received a two year preservation grant for the fourth installment of Slavic Culture and History project (Phase IV). This will include preservation of Dewey classes 940s and 890s.

Other Business (Private Session, for SEEMP members only).

Vendor Relationships with SEEMP Projects
The SEEMP proposal guidelines were not explicit in terms of recommending the donating institution receive a copy of film. In the case of Koha Jone, it was not in the proposal and Stanford did not receive a copy. Concern was raised over the cost of a duplicate copy of this paper, the lack of transparency over what the original costs entailed, and the nature of the partnership.

SEEMP members expressed concern that if they were funding the complete production costs, there should not be the need for East View to "profit" from the donating institution receiving a copy. More general concern over the fact that SEEMP supports the filming and receives no rights in the process.

The membership agreed that Stanford should receive a copy, but that this needs to be funded over time.

The SEEMP Executive will pursue the matter further with East View, setting out standards that SEEMP would expect to be followed in any filming project. Some members cautioned that such provisions may drive up the original cost of the project, as any vendor would seek to recoup those costs one way or another. To this, the sentiment of the group was that SEEMP need not accept a proposal if the costs were too high. While SEEMP does not seek to receive any unfair benefits from vendors, the process should encourage a competitive atmosphere. Conversely, East View or any other vendor may also choose to decline to participate if it is not in their interest.

The meeting was adjourned due to time shortage.

Submitted by James Simon. November 5, 2005.