Digitizing the Menus
Funding
This project was made possible through funding from the Nevada State Library and Archives under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), P.L. 108-91, as amended, through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
The Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal agency that grows and sustains a “Nation of Learners,” because lifelong learning is critical to success.
Digitization
The selection of the material was performed by Su Kim Chung, Manuscripts Librarian.
Depending on size and condition, materials were scanned using either an Epson Expression 10000X scanner using EPSON Scan Ver. 2.94A scanning software, or a Zeutschel scanner and Omniscan software. The high-resolution (300-600 dpi) uncompressed TIFF image files were then converted into the JPEG2000 format. Master images (high-resolution TIFF files) are archived in the Web and Digitization unit of the Libraries.
To increase successful resource discovery, research was done to create metadata providing a variety of access points. Users can search the collection by keyword or through research elements such as: “Restaurant Name,” “City and Country”, “Menu date,” “Event Type,” “Graphic Elements” (or illustrations), “Contributors” (including chefs, printers, and entertainers) or “Enclosures” (such as wine lists, daily specials or music programs). Dublin Core metadata was created for each menu and terms were chosen by using controlled vocabulary from the Library of Congress' Thesaurus for Graphic Materials I and Name Authority File. Custom menu-specific vocabularies were developed in-house specifically for this collection.
Su Kim Chung provided narrative structure for the website and is author of all contributed text and scholarly content for this project.
Technical Notes
The images and metadata for this collection are powered by the CONTENTdm Digital Collection Management Software. Two open source software products developed at UNLV are in use with this collection. Images are viewed using dmMonocle, a viewer developed for high resolution digital collection images. The interface of the collection uses the dmBridge templating system developed to create robust and feature rich contextual websites for CONTENTdm collections. The site also uses the Drupal open source content management system.
Project Team
- Alex Dolski, Web & Digitization Application Developer
- Brian Egan, Web Graphics/Multimedia Designer
- John Fox, Information Systems Specialist
- Lateka Grays, Hospitality Librarian
- Stormye Hendrix, Digital Collections Intern (grant-funded)
- Cory Lampert, Digitization Projects Librarian
- Peter Michel, Director of Special Collections
- Kathy Rankin, Special Collections Cataloger
- Kelly Robertson, Metadata Specialist
- Annie Sattler, Digitization Technician/Metadata/Restoration
- Jane Skoric, Metadata Specialist
- Silvia Southwick, Metadata Specialist (grant-funded)
- Jason Vaughan, Director of Library Technologies
- Michael Yunkin, Web Content Manager/Usability Specialist
Copyright
Not to be reproduced without permission. To purchase copies of images and/or for copyright information, contact University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries, Special Collections. Menus: The Art of Dining is published by University of Nevada Las Vegas, University Libraries, July 2010.
Contact
For more information or to access original materials and reproductions please contact UNLV Libraries Special Collections at 702-895-2234. For comments about the website or digitization process please contact Cory Lampert 702-895-2209. We welcome comments and suggestions regarding this digital collection.
Email: special.collections@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-2209
Mailing Address:
University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries
Mail Stop 7010
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-7010
U.S.A.
