TEAM MANAGERS

Managers include (beginning back, left) David Salley, Infrastructure Team Manager; Cindy Moore, Digitization Team Manager; Susan Buttaccio, Infrastructure Team Manager; Sheryl Saxby, Organization and Metadata Team Manager; Justina Elmore, Copyright and Content Team Manager; Jessica Cannon, Collection Development Team Manager; Heidi LaRou, Interface Design Team Manager; Jennifer Graham, Organization and Metadata Team Manager; and Alyssa Jordan, User Liaison Team Manager.

USER LIAISON

The User Liaison team included Kathleen Phillips, Alyssa Jordan (team manager) and Susan LaValley. The team maintained consistent communication with museum staff to relay pertinent information to other teams. In addition to conducting analyses of the Buffalo Fire Historical Society's existing and future user populations, the UL team developed a purpose statement for the digital library.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

The Collection Development team included Marie Peterson, Liz King, Jessica Cannon (team manager), Rebecca Grant and Elizabeth Sullivan. Their primary role in the making of the digital library was to create a collection develpment policy with the consideration of user needs, as well as the evaluation, compilation, and final selection of individual objects. In addition, the team coordinated with the Metadata/Organization and Digitization teams to assure that all needs were met as the collection was digitized and metadata created for each digital asset.

COPYRIGHT AND CONTENT

The Copyright and Content team consisted of Mary Mack, Jessica Fadel, Justina Elmore (team manager), Melissa Miller, and Justin Robak. Responsibilities for the team included researching current DL copyright issues, policies, and practices, developing a written copyright policy for use with the digital library, determining which objects meet copyright criteria and can be added to the collection, and developing the content for each page of the digital library in coordination with Interface, Metadata/Organization, and Digitization teams.

ORGANIZATION AND METADATA

The Organization and Metadata Team consisted of Jinxuan Ma, James Hurley, Courtney Westbrook, Sheryl Saxby (team manager), Jennifer Graham (team manager), and Benjamin Hockenberry. The responsibilities of the "OM" Team included the following: researching current digital library system organization and metadata issues; developing a written policy, metadata scheme and input rules; defining conventions for file naming; coordinating metadata capture; compiling a controlled vocabulary based on subject analysis; providing instruction and accessible documentation for metadata input; and reviewing completed metadata for the digital library's objects. The team also coordinated with Infrastructure and Digitization teams to ensure compatibility of metadata fields and file names.

INTERFACE

Comprised of Min Namgoong, Jenée E. Morgan and Heidi LaRou (team manager), the Interface Team was responsible for researching current interface design models, issues and policies. We have developed a user-friendly interface and corresponding policy for the consideration of standards, revisions and updates. Visually consistent and W3C compliant, the Firebrary interface offers the user ease of navigation and searching. A simple design and color scheme reflects that of the Buffalo Fire Historical Society museum. Created in Dreamweaver, the interface we have created provides users with an intriguing gateway through which they may experience a virtual tour of the BFHS.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Comprised of Nikki Grandits, David Salley (team manager), Susan Buttaccio (team manager), Susan Cutrona, and Benjamin Hockenberry, the Infrastructure Team was responsible for researching current technologies and models of access, focusing on system infrastructures, search engines, database management systems, networks and interoperability issues, to develop and implement the technical design of the digital library's interface. The Infrastructure Team also worked closely with the Interface, Organization and Metadata, and Copyright and Content teams to ensure best access to the digital library's resources and content.

DIGITIZATION

Comprised of Cynthia Moore (team manager), Jennifer Potter, Thadius Love, and Jing Wang, the responsibilities of the Digitization team included capturing digital images and recorded interviews. All aspects of the photography were managed: planning with professional photographers, preparing all items to be photographed and recording all pertinent data about those items. The Digitization Team was in charge of all scanning, recording information about the scanned items and teaching classmates these skills. Recorded interviews were planned, scheduled, captured and edited. As a team, the photos and scans were edited using Photoshop and the digital audio files were edited using the programs Sonic Stage and Audacity. Throughout the processes of photographing, scanning, sound recording and editing, quality assurance standards were followed and checklists were used to make sure all aspects of the digitization process were consistent with the standards that had been agreed upon by the class. Finally, all audio metadata was recorded and entered, and all images were uploaded to the digital library.

Retired firefighter and museum member Pat Coghlan provided oral history for the Hand-drawn hose cart and the Horse-drawn steam pumper

Buffalo Fire Department Radio Supervisor and museum member Bob Andrycha provided oral history for Fire Alarm Boxes 29 and 599

Buffalo firefighter, museum member and museum donor David Kazmierczak David Kazmierczak provided oral history for the Star design glass hand grenade fire extinguisher, the Soda-acid pumper, the Grattan/Cotter Fireboat, and the Leather bucket.

iMedia setting up shop

Museum member Ron Hefner provided oral history for the ballot box with black and white marbles; the Bader 284 leather smoke mask; the Pan-Am-McKinley record, and the Bed key

Dig team at work

OM leaders Sheryl Saxby and Jennifer Graham

White glove service

Meta-mayhem

Ben holds a fire axe

Capturing metadata with the help of retired fire fighter Pat Coghlan