1st Chapter
1st Chapter
1st Chapter
1 Introduction
The introduction chapter gives a framework for the research offering the information on background to the research problem. Then, the research questions and the justification for the research are given and discussed. Besides, the list of definitions is provided and the limitations of the research are discussed.
See about administrative structure in B&H in the Definitions section of the introductory part.
can also begin to consider heritage as a collective inheritance that is passed down through the generations. ... collectivism is a necessary condition in order to arrive at the notion of heritage that we are interested in, and which we understand to a certain extent, if not fully". This research is also an expression of hope that the spirit of the people has survived. Collectivism in B&H exists and as a post-effect the comprehensive heritage in its historical duration exists as well, although it is physically destructed. If we take into account the fact that the cultural heritage of one nation, of the people authentically connected with the country is spiritual creation, human creation made out of human soul and mind, then we can also assume that the traces and essential foundation for recreation of the national cultural heritage still exists in the spirit of Bosnian people. The problem that anyway arises has to do with all mentioned facts and it is about possible ways to discover the appropriate solution in order to make regulations common for whole state that prescribe making of complete list of war damages on cultural heritage objects, planning the strategy for national cultural heritage digitization projects that would be product of whole B&H despite the divisions legalized by Dayton Peace Agreement2.
The aim of this research is to investigate the state of digitization activity in B&H compared to European best practices. All that must be adjusted to special situation in B&H in order to get complete and correct picture of possibilities for further development of the national heritage digitization policies and practices.
This research is justified because of the fact that at present there is no complete overview of digitization activity in B&H. As it is said in the Conclusions of the First International Symposium on Digitization of Cultural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2008, p.1), ... it can be concluded that this area in Bosnia and Herzegovina already has some recognizable results, which present completely acceptable grounds for more systematic approach, and more intense work that will follow.
1.6 Methodology
This study is based on grounded theory. As it is said in the article by Steve Borgatti, entitled as Introduction to Grounded Theory (1996), this method refers to theory inductively developed from the corpus of data meaning that the result must fit to the dataset which is in contrast with theory deductively derived from the theory itself without counting on data. The basis of this kind of approach is the process of variable labeling. The variables are categories, concepts and properties and their interrelationships are the basic structure of this kind of scientific approach. Besides, the dataset will be the responses on semi-structured interviews where the respondents were let to write their opinions based on their knowledge and experience connected to the subject. The methodology will be extensively developed in the Methodology chapter.
1.7 Definitions
This list contains all relevant and important definitions that are not a part of literature review. These are facts about Bosnia and Herzegovina and its cultural history and cultural heritage preservation facts, as well as some definitions of digital content issues which give insight on how these important issues have been understood in this research. The selection of definitions provides limits for further development of this paper. The definitions are given in the alphabetical order. Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina lies in the middle of South-Eastern Europe. The countrys total area covers 51,129 m. Bosnia and Herzegovina is bordered by Croatia to the North and West, Montenegro on the East-South and Serbia, East-North. Twenty kilometres of coastline in the South, gives to the country access to the Adriatic Sea. There are three main ethnic groups in present-day in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats. The languages are Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian. Religions are Islam, Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Protestantism and some others.
3
Through the history many of big powers have left their mark on the country: Roman, Ottoman, Austria - Hungarian Empires. From the beginning of the Christian era, the present day Bosnia was part of Roman Empire. After the Rome failed, it was contested by Byzantine and Rome successors. In the 7th century Slaves settled this region. The medieval kingdom of Bosnia emerged in 12 th century and it lasted until 1463 when the Ottoman Empire conquered the region. During four hundred long Ottoman rule, with its end in the 19th century, large amount of people converted to Islam, which made B&H the boundary between East and West, Islam and Christianity. These were mostly peaceful times however, with the Muslim, Catholic and Orthodox populations living together. 1878 the Congress in Berlin transferred the administrative control to Austro-Hungary Empire. The First World War begin when Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. In the First World War Bosnia became the part of the South-Slav State of Yugoslavia, but it was given to the Nazi-puppet state, the Independent State of Croatia during the Second World War. By the end of the War, the communist federal Yugoslavia was established and Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the six republics belonging to Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). After the death of Josip Broz Tito, the war-time socialistic leader who established SFRY, in 1980, Serbian nationalist Slobodan Miloevi rose to power in 1986. Milosevic's e mbrace of Serb nationalism led to intrastate ethnic strife (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2010). Slovenia and Croatia in June 1991 declared the independency from Yugoslavia. By September 1991 Bosnian Serb Radovan Karadis Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) declared four self-proclaimed SerbAutonomous Regions in B&H. In October 1991, the Bosnian Serbs announced the formation of Serbian Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina within B&H, with its own constitution and parliamentary assembly. In January 1992, Radovan Karadi proclaimed fully independent Republic of Serbian People in Bosnia and Herzegovina. On March 1st 1992 the Bosnian Government held the referendum on independence. The Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared the republics independence on April the 5th 1992. This was opposed by Serb representatives who in November 1991 voted in their own referendum in favour of remaining in Yugoslavia. Bosnian Serbs, supported by Serbia, responded by armed force trying to make the partition of the republic along ethnic lines. Bosnia and Herzegovina became recognized as the independent state by United States of America and European Community on 6th and 7th of April and Bosnia and Herzegovina was admitted to United Nations on May 22nd 1992. In March 1994 Bosnian Muslims and Croats signed an agreement creating the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina which was the end of Muslim-Croat conflict. The conflict with Serbs continued in 1995 (The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe [OSCE], n.d.; Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2010). A lot of atrocities were committed including
4
the genocide committed by Serbs in Srebrenica, the zone protected by United Nations armed forces in July 1995. In the genocide approximately 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed. The war ended in November 21st 1995 with Dayton Peace Agreement. Radovan Karadi and Ratko Mladi, the political and military leaders of Bosnian Serbs were indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in Hague in July 1995 on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity because of their role in crimes against civilians committed throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina with the culmination in the Srebrenica massacre (The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe [OSCE], n.d.; Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2010). Before the war there were 4,353,911 inhabitants. The last Population & Housing Census in BiH 3 was organized in 1991 by the Republic Statistical Office BiH in the former Yugoslavia. ... the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992 1996) resulted in significant migration flows of the population and huge devastation of dwellings. The forthcoming census should take into account the large number of refugees and displaced persons; their previous and present territorial distribution and basic demographic, social and economic structures in fulfilment of Annex VII and Annex X of the Dayton Agreement (Project Fiche IPA Annual Action Programme 2007 for Bosnia and Herzegovina EU Support for Preparatory Activities for the Population and Housing Census in BiH, Phase I, 2007, p. 3). COBISS (Cooperative Online Bibliographic Systems and Services) is a reference model of a system representing the platform for the national library information systems of Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, which are interconnected in the COBISS.Net regional network. Bulgaria, Albania and Kosovo are preparing for the implementation of the COBISS system (Cooperative Online Bibliographic System & Services, 2010). 34 libraries in B&H are using the platform COBISS including almost all important library institutions in the country, both in Republic of Serbska and Federation of B&H. The network has the tendency of spreading and the main obstacle is the absence of money. The project started in December 1987 when the Association of the Yugoslav National Libraries adopted shared cataloguing system as the common platform for the bibliographic data exchange. The role of the information and bibliographic service provider as well as the organizer and software developer was accredited to the Institute of Information Science (IZUM) in Maribor, Slovenia. After the break-up of Yugoslavia, almost all members renewed the COBISS collaboration. Nowadays, IZUM collaborates with the participating countries through the
3
national libraries. The Republic of Croatia adopted different solution. They are using different platform for bibliographic data exchange. The COBISS.Net is the joint project of the institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. The network has taken on the responsibility to develop national library information systems and research information systems. The linking between two systems is very important emphasized as a way to manage researchers bibliographies and evaluation of research results. The development of the COBISS.Net could have the key role in the regional development and integration in EU (COBISS.net, 2010). Digital Content Validity and Quality The criteria for the validity of digital content is the widest possible usefulness, portability and durability, which means that digital content has to be interoperable. The interoperability involves: consistency in approach to creation, management and delivery of digital content through effective use of standards, rules and good practice guidelines, as well as the availability of content to a range of services via internet protocols and application programming interfaces (APIs). According to DELOS, the quality domain of digital library (DL) is consisted of the aspects that permit to consider DL systems from the quality perspective. Every DL offers certain quality level to the users. The quality level may be implicitly agreed meaning that there is common understanding about what quality parameters guarantee or it may be explicitly formulated by Quality of Service agreement. Quality parameters express the users assessment of the resource considered. Quality parameters can be evaluated against different measures providing alternative methods for assessment of different aspects of each quality parameter assigning the value to it. Quality parameters are measured by measurement representing the value assigned to quality parameter with respect to selected measure (DELOS, 2007). Quality parameter is a class of various types of quality facets representing currently common practice (DELOS, 2007). The parameters are grouped into seven groups: generic quality parameters; system quality parameters; content quality parameters; functionality quality parameters; user quality parameters; policy quality parameters and architecture quality parameters (MINERVA, 2007) Cultural Heritage According to UNESCOs Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, cultural heritage is sorted into three main groups: monuments, groups of buildings and sites. To monuments belong: architectural works, monumental sculpture and painting works, archaeological structures, inscriptions, cave dwellings of outstanding universal value from historical, artistic or scientific perspective. To groups of buildings belong groups of separate or connected buildings that are of outstanding and universal value. Sites that belong to cultural heritage
6
are defined as human works, or human and natural works and areas and archaeological sites which are of universal value from artistic, historic or scientific point of view (UNESCO, 1972). In the traditional sense, the definition of cultural heritage includes all data: monuments, museums, libraries and archives collections and recordings etc. or practices inherited from the past in order to be preserved and transmitted for future generations aiming the constitution of common foundation of values, knowledge and references in order to develop feeling of belonging and sharing of common values (Rodes, Piejut, Plas, 2003). Digital Heritage According to UNESCOs Charter on the Preservation of the Digital Heritage, the digital heritage is consisted of unique resources of human knowledge and expression. It covers educational, scientific, cultural, administrative resources as well as all kinds of information digitally created or converted into the digital form. Digital materials embrace texts, databases, still and moving images, graphics, audio, web-pages, software as well as other kinds of digital formats. A lot of these materials have lasting value and significance constituting the heritage that is to be protected and preserved for the future generations (UNESCO, 2003). Digital Library In MINERVAs Handbook on cultural web user interaction (2008, p.16), a digital library is defined as a library with collections stored in digital form and accessible via computers, as opposed to prints, microfilm and other media. The digital library content is accessed remotely via computer networks. In the same document there are two points of view offered: information and communication technology (ICT) and library one. From the ICT point of view, the digital library is a sort of information retrieval system, from the library point of view it has been seen as another mean of cultural collaboration similar to the physical library, but in digital environment. There are three components of DL: the collection made up of text, image, sound, video files and metadata and includes permanent and temporary collections; the access services enabling the users to easily find the information which include user interface, research, identification, navigation and connection systems; the user acting alone without any intermediaries without boundaries by space nor time. There are a lot of Web creations defined as digital libraries: Web-accessible thematic and academic repositories of documents/publications, they could be based on DSpace open source platform for example; digital repositories characterized by content prevalence of the items born and collected during the project; collections and publications or multimedia which were originally in analogue form made accessible on the Web following their digitization process; web-sites of memory
institutions as well as other cultural institutions may be defined as digital libraries because they are offering the documents, multimedia and other publications. According to Building Digital Libraries: A How-to-do-it Manual (2009), the digital library is not just the information, but rather the organization, structure, presentation of the information which gives the value to the digital repository. In the Digital Dictionary DL is defined as organized collection of documents in electronic form available via internet or on CD-ROMs (compact-disk read-only memory). There are various types of content that can be offered to users of DLs: articles, books, papers, images, sound and image-files. According to ODLIS Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (Reitz, 2004-2010) DL is library with significant proportion of resources available in machine-readable form, accessible by computers. The digital content of the library may be locally held or accessible remotely through computer networks. A digital library is based upon digital format documents handled like traditional standard library documents but available on-line via catalogue records. It is an electronic software product containing primary data as well as manually created and approved metadata. The primary data may be thematically or collection-based. The DL is the electronic provision of digital documents in connection with online services..., which enables worldwide access via Internet (Seadle, Greifeneder, 2007, 3-4). The DL refers to systems heterogeneous in scope and functionalities production, ranging from digital object, metadata repositories, reference-linking systems, archives, content administration systems mainly developed by industry to complex systems mainly developed in research environments, integrating advanced DL services. Yet, there is no agreement on what DL is and what functionalities associates which has the result in lack of interoperability and reuse of both content and technologies (DELOS, 2007, p. 15). Digital libraries are meeting points for variety of disciplines and fields: data management, information retrieval, library science, document management, information systems, Web, imageprocessing, artificial intelligence and digital curation (DELOS, 2007, p. 16). According to A Digital Library Manifesto and Reference Model (DELOS, 2007), there are three conceptual levels of the DL universe: Digital Library, DL System and DL Management System. The same document offers precise definitions of all three levels defining DL as an organization, possibly the virtual one that is comprehensively collecting, managing and long-term preserving rich digital content offering to the user-communities specialized functionalities on the content of measurable
8
quality according to codified policy. The Digital Library System is defined as a software system based upon defined architecture and providing all functionalities required by the particular DL. Users interaction with the DL is being established through the corresponding DL System. Digital Library Management System is generic software system providing appropriate software infrastructure for produce and administer DL System incorporating accompaniment of functionalities considered as fundamental for DL, as well as integrating of additional software which offers more refined, specialized and advanced functionalities (DELOS, 2007). There are six basic concepts which provide a DL foundation: Content, User, Functionality, Quality, Policy and Architecture. All except the Architecture belong to DL definition and the Architecture belongs to the DL System. There are four roles acting in the DL universe: DL end-users who are the ultimate DL clients; DL designers, the organizers and managers of DL from the application perspective; DL system-administrators, organizers and managers from the physical perspective; DL application developers, implementers of the software (DELOS, 2007). Digital Surrogate Libraries use digital images as surrogates in order to protect originals if the surrogate is of sufficient quality and accuracy in order to replace originals, or the surrogates may be used externally in order to provide access to those who might be unable to view originals. Electronic surrogates can be efficiently and inexpensively delivered through electronic networks to whichever location in the world. Surrogates can be physically reproduced. Surrogates are being generated for the variety of purposes: JPEG files are for the Web display, TIFF files are for storage, PDF for print reproductions, PICT for being incorporated into word processing documents etc. (McDonald, 2006). Thumbnails can be put on web-sites as reference copies for the originals. Images from different original works or even from various libraries can be put together forming the virtual collections. Images can be enhanced using close analysis programming tools. Sophisticated webs of information combine catalogue data, explanatory text, images as well as all kinds of ephemera and annotations into robust data repositories. The important advantage of digitization is the availability of inexhaustible supply of identical copies because electronic copies suffer no degradation through the duplication process (McDonald, 2006, p. 35). Digital images can be surrogates protecting the originals from over-circulation and excessive handling. Digitization projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina The digitization activity in B&H exists within some cultural institutions and, besides, there are several projects led by the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology. UNESCO supported the project Bosnian Traditional Objects as part of
9
the bigger regional project Cultural Heritage: A Bridge towards Shared Future, that was led by UNESCO Office in Venice with the mission to strengthen cooperation between Central and SouthEast Europe. The cultural heritage digitization activity is being done in the following institutions: The Institute for the Protection of Cultural-Historical and Natural Heritage of Canton Sarajevo; The City Library of Sarajevo; The Bosnian Institute in Sarajevo; Mediacentar INFOBIRO Digital Archive; The National Library of Republic of Serbska.4 As part of the Tempus Project Computer Graphic for the Media Industry, Sarajevo School of Science and Technology founded the Digital Media Center. Laboratory for Cultural Heritage Digitization works on digitization and multimedia presentation of national cultural heritage uses computer graphic techniques like 3D modeling, computer animation, digital story-telling, 3D technologies like laser scanning and 3D printing. Six projects have been passed so far: Virtual reconstruction of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Mostar; Multimedia 3D presentation and the 3D printout of the Saborna Church in Sarajevo; Prusac a multimedia virtual heritage site; Virtual Museum Svrzos House; Virtual reconstruction of the Viziers Konak in Travnik and Interactive Digital Media Presentation of Butmir Neolithic Culture (Digital Media Center, 2010). Distribution of power in B&H The State of Bosnia and Herzegovina is consisted of two entities: Federation of B&H covering 51% of the territory and Republic of Serbska (RS) covering 49% of the territory. Each territory has its own administrative and political structure, with the encompassing Central Government situated in Sarajevo, the capital. The Central Government, B&H State, is consisted of the Parliamentary Assembly, divided into the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples; rotating tripartite Presidency and the Council of Ministers consisted of nine ministers. The political structure of the Federation of B&H is divided into three levels: the entity level with its own House of Representatives and the House of Peoples, the President, two vice-presidents and the Government under the jurisdiction of the Prime-minister. The Cantonal level: each of the ten cantons has its own assembly with the jurisdiction of adoption the cantonal laws and the cantonal government. The Municipal level: each municipality has its own municipal council and administrative structures. Republic of Serbska has no cantons but only municipalities. At RS level there is National Assembly, Council of Peoples, President, two vice-presidents and the Government under the jurisdiction of prime-minister. The municipalities have own administrative structures and assemblies.
4
10
There are three constitutional courts in B&H: the first one on the level of the State, and another two for each of the entities. The District Brko has the special status and it is under the sovereignty of the State B&H with the multiethnic democratic government. The District authorities are consisted of the District Assembly, Multi-ethnic Government, police force and the judiciary. (The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe [OSCE] (n.d.)) European cultural heritage digitization best practices and recommendations MINERVAs publications that form theoretical basis for the Europeana digitization projects, are taken as theoretical background as that has been presented in the literature review of this paper. The Europeana is taken as the goal for Bosnian valuable collections to be involved in. The arguments are that B&H belongs to Europe and that the national cultural heritage of B&H is the part of European heritage as well.
Main Memory Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Institutions of National Importance National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina, National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina are the main memory institutions in B&H. The National Museum of B&H is the oldest scientific institution in the state of the western type. It was founded in 1888. Since the very beginning of its existence, the Museum has been the complex cultural and scientific institution bringing up many scientific and scholarly disciplines: History, Geography, Archaeology (prehistoric, ancient and medieval), Ethnology, History of Art and Natural History. There are four organizational units in the Museum: Archaeology Department; Ethnology Department; Natural History Department and Library. Library reserves cover Archaeology, History, Ethnology, History, Folklore, Mineralogy, Geology, Botany, Zoology and Museology. The institution has strong connections with scientific institutions and museums from all around the world. 341 institutions from many countries receive issues of Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja and Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen aus Bosnisch-Herzegowinischen Landesmuseums. Following institutions have developed from the activities of the National Museum: Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments and Natural Rarities of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Institute of Oriental Studies; Institute of Balkan Studies; Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Institute of Folklore Studies; Institute of Biology; Institute of Phytopathology. There are four kinds of the Museum activities: Museum studies; Scientific-research activities; Educational activities and Publishing. (The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, (n.d.))
11
The National Archives of B&H is the main archival institution in the state. It was established in 1947 although preserving archival records has much longer tradition in B&H. The first archival net was established in 1953 and 1954. Archives keeps, protects, preserves and enables the usage of the archives and current records of state bodies, state and public institutions and enterprises as well as the corporative bodies, families or persons who perform their activities on the territory of the state. Archives as well as the current records are being preserved regardless of whose property they are or whether they are registered or recorded. The National Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only main memory institution of the national importance that satisfies the criterions for such a role. There is established net of archive institutions in B&H on the level of state and the leading role has the Archives of B&H. (The National Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2010)
The National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established in 1945. In August 1992 the Library was burned. Before the fire it held 1.5 million volumes, including more than 155,000 rare books and manuscripts, the national archives, deposit copies of newspapers, periodicals and books published in B&H as well as the collections of the University of Sarajevo. The National and University Library of B&H was bombarded with incendiary grenades from Serbian nationalist positioned across the river. The library was burning for three days and majority of its irreplaceable collections were reduced to ashes (Riedlmayer, 1995). Today, this institution is placed in the campus of the University of Sarajevo and in extremely bad conditions is trying to manage in performing its role. The status of the library, that is to which legal level of administration it belongs, is still not solved. Practically it means that there is no permanent financial support for this institution from the state level and having in mind its importance for the librarianship in B&H, it is obvious how difficult the situation is. As it is said in the text published on the Librarys web-site anent 17 years from the destruction of the Library, in non-adequate space, despite unsolved legal and financial status, abiding all adversities that are common for many other the most important cultural institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the National and University Library carries out its tasks in as good as possible (Informativna sl uba NUB BiH, 2009).
National Cultural Heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Its Destruction During the War 19921995 The war destruction caused the loss for the majority of the library collections as well as the disruption of library services. The extent of destruction was larger in Federation of B&H than in Republic of Serbska. Many libraries were completely destroyed: they lost their buildings, stocks and
12
equipment as well as the professional staff. The biggest damage to the whole country, to librarianship and to the culture as a whole, was caused by the destruction of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina which was the parent library institution in the State (Pulman Country Report: Information on Public Libraries (n.d.)). Three months before burning the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevos Oriental Institute, host institution for one of the largest collection of Islamic and Jewish manuscripts and Ottoman documents in South Eastern Europe was deliberately burned by Serbian forces. The losses included 5,263 bound manuscripts in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Bosnian written in Arabic script, 7,000 of Ottoman documents that were primary source materials for 500 years of Bosnian history; collection of 19th century cadastral register as well as 200,000 other documents from the Ottoman period including microfilmed copies. The Institutes collection of printed books that was the most comprehensive library in the region was completely destroyed together with the catalogues and all works in progress (Riedlmayer, 1995). The Library of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina containing 200,000 of volumes was successfully evacuated under shelling and sniper fire in 1992. Meanwhile, the National Museum was badly hit; the roof and skylights together with all 300 windows were crashed by shells as well as the walls of several galleries. Parts of the Museums collections that were unmovable stayed and were exposed to further shelling and sniper attacks (Riedlmayer, 1995). In April 1992 Serbian forces started bombarding historic city of Mostar, the centre of Herzegovina, the south-western region of the country. The Archives of Herzegovina, the institution that treasured the past of the region since medieval period was bombarded many times and suffered severe damages. The Library of Mostar Catholics Archibishopric, the Library of the Museum of Herzegovina, University of Mostar library as well as many other libraries and archives in many locations in the city were burned (Riedlmayer, 1995). Throughout Bosnia, libraries, archives, museums and cultural institutions have been targeted for destruction, in an attempt to eliminate the material evidence D1 books, documents and works of art D1 that could remind future generations that people of different ethnic and religious traditions once shared a common heritage in Bosnia. In the towns and villages of occupied Bosnia, communal records (cadastral registers, waqf 5 documents, parish records) of more than 800 Muslim and Bosnian Croat (Catholic) communities have been torched by Serb nationalist forces as part of "ethnic cleansing" campaigns. While the destruction of a
Please, see about institution of waqf in Islam via following link: <http://www.mideastweb.org/Middle-EastEncyclopedia/waqf.htm>
13
community's institutions and records is, in the first instance, part of a strategy of intimidation aimed at driving out members of the targeted group, it also serves a long-term goal (Riedlmayer, 1995). There is no complete data about losses on the cultural heritage during the war 1992-1995. Cultural heritage in B&H mostly is the political issue which can be seen from the fact that it was an object to purposive destruction, from the fact that one of the annexes of the Dayton Peace Agreement deals with the cultural heritage only, as well as from the fact that the guilty of some war criminals was proven by proving their implementation of planned culturocide.
In his interview given to the Bosnian weekly magazine Slobodna Bosna Mr. Andr s Riedlmayer,
expert for the national heritage problems in B&H who was the witness at the Court in Hague strongly emphasizes the national cultural heritage destruction as a method of ethnical cleansing. He says that at the territory that was under rule of Bosnian Serbs almost every mosque was destroyed. There were only a few exceptions. One of these exceptions was a mosque in Donje Baljvine village near Mrkonji Grad which was protected by inhabitants Serbs. That was the only mosque at whole territory of Republic of Serbska that in 1995 had the minaret6 preserved. There were a few more mosques that survived the war unimpaired. Mr. Riedlmayer was intrigued and he explored these cases until he perceived unique paradigm. All of these mosques were unfinished and still not officially opened. The conclusion was obvious: the destroying was done according to the plan and that there was a list of mosques to be destroyed. In the same interview Mr. Riedlemayer cites the book The Ferhadija Mosque in Banja Luka: The Beauty that was Killed by Aleksandar Aco Ravli mentioning the exhibition described in that book. By the beginning of 1993 all 16 mosques in Banja Luka were destroyed. By beginning of 1994 two leading institutions in Banja Luka The Archives of Bosanska Krajina and The Museum of Bosanska Krajina (in meanwhile renamed to the institutions of Republic of Serbska) organized the exhibition Ba nja Luka the Center of Vrbaska Banovina 1929 1941. Many photographs of Banja Luka from 1930s were exhibited and that was the time when in Banja Luka there were about 30 mosques. Every of these 30 cupolas were erased from the photographs: it was like with Stalins commissars who were disappearing from the photographs after they fell into Stalins disgrace. The same was occurring in Banja Luka in 1990s and it only can be explained by ideology: if the ideology says that Bosnian people cant live together although there are the proofs that they have been living together through centuries that only means that the proofs have to be erased in order to recombine the history. Besides, Mr. Riedlmayer talks about terrible destruction of extremely valuable funds of the National and University Library of
6
14
B&H, the Oriental Institute and other important institutions and talks about the fact that the destruction was planned and led according to the plan with the aim to destroy Bosnian history and the historical right of Bosniaks7 to their land. (Riedlmayer, 2008, pp. 58-61)
15
The third chapter describes the methodology as well as the justification for choices of methods. The process of resolving the research questions is explained. The fourth chapter contains data analysis and discussion. This chapter is the most extensive and the focal point of the study. Trying to stay consistent, this chapter still aims to approach research questions from different perspectives. The discussion is based upon facts collected in the literature review part as well as the data presented out of interviews. More precisely said, the literature review is not treated as a background but rather as additional data source. The analysis and discussion results have been presented quantitatively and qualitatively, depending on applied criteria. In most cases, the qualitative analysis was supported by presentation through charts. The fifth chapter is the final chapter concluding the study by presenting findings and implications as well as the possibilities for future research. It contains the conclusions of every particular chapter summarizing them as a whole and producing final conclusions and recommendations.
1.10 Conclusion
The introductory chapter is the background for this research and it, in main lines, gives an overview of the whole study introducing the research problem, justification for the research, introduction to the methodology, definitions, scope and limitations. An outline for the thesis has been provided. The following chapter is the literature review concerning this study.
16
2.1 Introduction
This literature review is not exhaustive due to time constraints and the nature of the research. The criterion for choosing the literature were materials that have been recommended in order to expand students understanding of digitization project issues during my two -year DILL master study. The MINERVA materials have been emphasized by many professors and lecturers as very relevant ones. Besides, I searched Google using key-words such as digital preservation, digital master materials, cultural heritage etc. Some of materials were included thanks to recommendation of my supervisor. The fact is that my knowledge on cultural heritage digitization projects before starting of this research was concentrated around recommendations of my professors whose knowledge on the subject was much better than mine and so their choice of literature to be recommended to students was appropriate. Only materials in English language have been included. Decision to use Google instead of some full-text databases was made because Googles results of searches on queries include the materials of Emerald and other databases together with other relevant materials. This has made the research more interesting and vivid and the quality of materials was enhanced using specific and right keywords. As I was interested to study the best practices and recommendations in digitizing cultural heritage, I concentrated in looking for relevant materials to the publications of global and European leading organizations and projects initiated by them. My research has been drafted in such a way that the presentation of the technical approaches to digitization projects has been important and such kind of materials have been available through the web-sites of important initiatives and organizations for support of cultural heritage digitization projects. The literature review first gives an overview of European best practices concerning digitization projects. This is needed because it will enable me to answer the first research question. As a backbone, the MINERVAs materials are taken because they are compatible with main European initiatives when it comes to cultural content digitization projects. As it is said in the Introduction of Technical Guidelines for Digital Cultural Content Creation Programs, the MINERVA material has been prepared in the context of a series of European and national initiatives in recent years to make digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable(MINERVA, 2008, p. 9). Besides, the broader context for the technical guidelines is i2010 Digital Libraries initiative,
17
published by European Commission with the objective to form the European Digital Library accessible to all European citizens (MINERVA, 2008, p. 9). Following the guidelines, papers published about the projects of cultural heritage digitization done in B&H are included. Finally, the conclusion is given, summarizing the whole chapter and making an introduction for the next one.
2.2 Cultural Heritage Digitization Projects Digitization of cultural heritage has been intensively discussed and used in practice during last decade. UNESCOs E-Heritage program (2007) defines digital heritage as consisted of computerbased materials of enduring value intended to be kept for future generations. Starting with the premise that the knowledge societies should be based on human rights principles and fundamental freedoms, especially the freedom of expression, it is obvious that the right to education and cultural needs of the citizens can be realized through worldwide access to the public domain of information and knowledge. The goal is achievable by providing diversified and reliable information of high quality with the emphasis to diversity of languages and cultures. Besides, the production and dissemination of cultural, scientific and educational resources, the digital heritage preservation, learning and teaching quality standardization should be considered as crucial elements (Khan, 2003). Even if the expansion of digitization in the sphere of cultural heritage is emphasized, its non-homogeneity and fragility have been discussed as well as its weak sides together with the efforts to overcome these shortcomings (Rodes, Piejut, Plas, 2003). The experiences of different approaches have been summarized in the so called best practices and guidelines for digitization activities, published by UNESCO, EU, IFLA. Being based on EU best practices and recommendations when it comes to cultural heritage digitization projects, this literature review, if needed, also includes global sources in order to confirm and to amplify the approach to threatening problems.
project implementation. Projects should be successful concerning all three objectives, but project managers and sponsors mostly tend to identify the most important one out of these three. People are fundamental for the projects success accomplishing good project management in balance between the objectives. Project objectives have to be SMART: specific, meaning singularly expressed; measurable, preferably in quantitative form; acceptable for stakeholders; realistic in achievements; time-bound meaning that time-frame is clearly stated (MINERVA, 2007; Good Practice Guide for Developers of Cultural Heritage Web Services: Project Management, 2010). According to MINERVA, digitization projects in general may be described using the life-cycle approach presented in eight sections and four phases. The sections are: the project planning; preparation for the digitization process; storage and management of digital master material; metadata, standards and resource discovery; Web publishing; delivery formats; reuse and repurposing; intellectual property rights and copyright. The process is divided into four phases, of which the pre-project preparation is the first one. The aim of this phase is to establish project design containing the explanation about why the project is needed, what will be digitized and how, the costs and resources needed; how the project will be funded; establishment of senior management team, project board and project manager; stakeholders and quality expectations (MINERVA, 2007).Each digitization project has to have: lifespan and defined life cycle; defined products; activities to achieve products; finite amount or available resources; organizational structure. The Getting-started phase has to cover plan and costs of the work; refinement of the business case including long term maintenance, promotion, sustainability, administration, preservation; quality planning which means the explanation on how the stakeholders needs will be fulfilled; risk assessment. In the third phase, the project implementation, managers have to establish tasks, allocating people, equipment, budget and time needed for each task; evaluation procedures and quality benchmarks which include the obtaining stakeholders feedback and measuring the project quality against the users needs and stakeholders requirements; monitoring procedures including progress, risks and quality assessment; reporting procedures on how to keep sponsors, seniormanagers and team members informed about the progress of project; dissemination meaning information for people outside of project about the project progress. The final stage, the closing of project, means bringing the project to its formal close and it includes checking if all products have been delivered and accepted as well as the notifying of suppliers about the closure so that they can plan return of resources or submission of invoices; identification of follow-on actions; planning of the post-project review; production of the final report; archiving the project records (MINERVA, 2007).
19
In the Good Practice Guide for Developers of Cultural Heritage Web Services: Project management (2006), the life cycle approach is also described using the four phase division. In the first phase, the Initiation, the need is identified by clients, customers and a founder, which results in request for proposals, describing and defining needs and requirements. The second phase, bidding process, is characterized by structured bid form, requesting specific items of information in relation to the project costs, staff and other resources, timescales, activities description, technical standards compliance and key deliverables. The third, implementation phase, covers detailed project planning. The final phase is the closure, sometimes expressed in formal acceptance with the signed documentation. There are two more important issues, evaluation and dissemination that should be led throughout the whole project. Another approach is more user-oriented. This approach does not assume that project funding is already found, but it includes funding finding as well. This makes it more appropriate for the projects that are being done in environments without established patterns for getting financial support for the projects of cultural heritage digitization.
3. What technologies, including an initial review of adequate technical requirements with regard to creation, management and resources delivery with the focus on network, hardware and software requirements and technical standards meaning file formats, encoding methods, compression techniques; 4. What costs and funding will be invested, including the costs estimations as well as the assessment on how and from what sources they will be financed (AHDS: Arts and Humanities Data Services, 1999). In the planning phase, which is the crucial one, it must be stated: whether, how and at what cost digital resources are to be created and how these resources, after being created, will be used (AHDS: Arts and Humanities Data Services, 1999). The project manager has the responsibility of preparing the plan for the initial project and for updating of it at the beginning of each phase. When planning the project stages these issues must be taken into consideration: looking at the details of the work required, identifying specific tasks and estimating the time and cost to complete and who will carry out the work (MINERVA, 2007, p. 20). The Work Breakdown Structure is a technique that facilitates project planning in a way that describes tasks and their relationship hierarchically. The Gant Chart represents how tasks are planned chronologically. The Network Analysis shows dependency structure between tasks. The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) helps in analyzing the tasks involved in a project as well as the time planned for each task (MINERVA, 2007). Coordination of digitization project's elements is an intensive labour and it is task which has to be done by the institution and the digitization project team. It is very important to avoid replication of mistakes done by other digitization projects (Digital Best Practices of the Washington State Library, s.a.). For example, for the project Collect Britain, the British Library established the production system in order to deliver the project in time and within the budget, as well as to manage the complete content production cycle for Digital Library Objects (DLOS). That was done from the selection through digitization and creation of metadata through to return of the original item to its storage location (McDonald, 2006, p.23). The essential workflow included the follow ing tasks: selection of material by the curatorial staff; retrieval of a physical item from the storage area; entering the object into workflow system; creation of the unique ID; matching ID to the object; mounting ready for the image capture; capture of archival master image; quality assurance of archival master image; production of the image service copies, which is the automatic process in the content management system; metadata creation; linking of the images and metadata to the object ID, which is the automatic process in the content management system; quality assurance by checking
21
metadata against object; object and metadata storage; feed to the web server; return of the physical item to the storage (McDonald, 2006, p.23). In MINERVAs Good Practice Handbook (2004) project planning has been described as the first step in any digitization project. Time and money spent in project planning will be worthwhile later in easier project management and project execution. 5W questions are mentioned to be answered: WHAT (work is to be done); WHO (will do it); WHERE (will it take place); WHEN (will it take place) and HOW (will it be realized). For accommodating roles and skills needed for the digitization project there are three strategies: in-house staffing; outsourcing; collaboration with one or more partner organizations. For the success of the project it is necessary to make sure that staff has received adequate training (MINERVA, 2007). Concerning human resources needed for the realization of digitization projects, some pragmatic recommendations are given in the MINERVAs Good Practices Handbook (2004): it is needed to ensure availability of sufficient staff; to assign the staff for each work-package of the project plan; to identify training requirements meaning the information technology training and training on delicate artifacts and documents handling; if it is possible, it is needed to carry out the training for hardware and software solution used for the project, before the commencement of the project; to aim for a small group of skilled staff dedicated to the project rather than large group of staff that is occasionally engaged. The staff training should be considered for every phase including the handling of originals, technologies accepted, cataloguing and project management (MINERVA, 2007). The training requirements must be stated at the very beginning of the project, in the planning phase. If the staff has not earlier experience from the previous projects the staff training is required in two areas: technology and source materials handling. Lack in staff training can lead to the accidents. Small core team of professionals is needed for digitization projects and the time invested in the training will be repaid trough extra productivity and less problem during the life cycle of digitization projects (MINERVA, 2004). The digitization may be carried out in-house or outsourced, by external agency or bureau (MINERVA, 2007; EnrichUK. Good Practice Guidebook, 2004). Setting up the digitization unit gives to the institution equipment and trained staff available for the future digitization activities; besides the movement of items and materials treatment can be controlled. External supplier involvement means that equipment and expertise of the external party will be used while the project team is concentrating on their specialist area as well as that the costs of buying and maintaining specialists and equipment are not carried out by the project (EnrichUK: Good Practice Guidebook, 2004). The factors making an impact upon the choice about this issue are: the volume of similar
22
material to be digitized; fragility of material; organization of physical collection and associated catalogues; complexity of process of digitization; availability of trained staff; availability of IT support. The reasons to choose outsourcing may be cost reduction; access to specialized equipment and practical limitations within the institution (MINERVA, 2007). The Library and Information Technology Association Blog (LITA) offers a list of disadvantages of in-house and outsourcing digitization. The disadvantages of outsourcing are, that changes and adjusting in the middle of the process cannot be done; the difficulty is on how to be sure that the vendor is experienced enough; the contract must be set up in advance regulating needs from the beginning. The disadvantages of in-house digitization are large investments, especially because each type retooling staff-complex skills to be developed (Shepard, 2009). Another disadvantage, according to the same text, is that it is difficult to set prices per item digitized and encoded. The digitization project planners must be aware of the range of available hardware and software and it is advised to consult the latest reviews and reports before they purchase the equipment. In planning and selection of digitization equipment following characteristics have to be taken into consideration: format, size, condition and importance of original material. Projects must ensure that the selected hardware and software has the functionality to produce digital objects of a quality that meets the requirements of their expected use, within acceptable constraints of cost (MINERVA, 2007, pp.29 30). For example, for the Collect Britain digitization project, the British Library staff made a decision to use digital cameras with scanning backs. The competitive procurement was undertaken in order to select and purchase the equipment. The major selection criteria was based upon achieving the quality and throughput targets. These were: quality of image capture; ease to set up for different types of material; speed of capture; reliability and cost (McDonald, 2006, p.18). Hardware is defined as range of available equipment, factors determining the sustainability and ways of connecting it with other hardware components. Selected equipment must produce the digital objects of adequate quality in order to meet the requirements of expected use. Appropriate advice and an accurate costing based upon the project's specific requirements should be found before the purchasing of digital equipment. Some characteristics of the physical objects to be digitized should also be taken into account, such as size, brightness, presence of seals, illumination and precious bindings (MINERVA, 2007). The hardware equipment typically is consisted of digital image capture equipment like digital cameras, scanners, audio and video hardware connected to appropriate computing platform. According to types of hardware digitization methods used are divided into two groups: ones using digital cameras and ones using scanners (MINERVA, 2004).
23
Software is used for creation of digital surrogate of an object, the resulting file requires processing before it can be used. Color of the digital image may need a correction; some extraneous detail may need to be cropped etc. Besides, master files are typically very large, so smaller compressed version will be needed. All these operations are being done using software applications (MINERVA, 2004). Awareness of use of software in image capture and image processing as well as hardware and software requirements of individual software products must be considered. The digitization project must ensure that software provides functionality required by future uses of the digital objects and that software is usable by responsible project staff. If the choice is open source software, benefits should be compared to potential risks like quality of documentation or sustainability of the development community (MINERVA, 2007). According to DELOS, detailed specification of concepts and relations characterizing the digital library has been widely used in designing of concrete software service which partially automates the process of the virtual library creation. Using these services, efforts invested by digital library designers and system administrators in performing their tasks are significantly reduced (Candela et.al. 2007, p.56). In the project development the risk assessment should be done, identifying potential weaknesses and problems as well as planning how to overcome obstacles if they appear. There are nine types of risks: scheduling, if not enough time is planned for the task to be completed; project scope creep, when taking unplanned tasks; key skills in existing staff, meaning the lack of skills in existing staff; time to appoint new staff; staff leaving project; insufficient documentation about workflow or methodology issues; equipment failure; insufficient IT support; problems with commissioning external suppliers work. Risk management involves identification of potential risks, assessment on their impact on the project, planning on how to reduce the impact of risks upon the project (MINERVA, 2007). There are a lot of challenges facing those who are planning an ideal project of digitization: capital investment and its return, technical know-how and its acquisition, workflow management and its implementation, equipment and technology maintenance, and digital assets management, to enumerate only the most obvious (McDonald, 2006, p.p.35 -36). In the Good Practice Handbook it is said that the goal of project planning is not to eliminate risks but to be ready to face them by creation of project framework that offers responses to the unforeseen resourcefully and effectively. The aim is to create the program that can accommodate the changes. In the same book there are some pragmatic suggestions: it is recommended that copyright issues with planning possible consequences of violating against them should be taken into account; it is needed to provide the public information on legal value of the information offered; the authenticity has to be guaranteed as well; because of possible budget cuts it is needed to have alternative solutions for
24
reaching the goal of the project; the issue of skilled staff must be considered meaning that it should be taken into account the affordability of new highly skilled staff as well as to appraise the risks of not engaging such staff in the project (MINERVA, 2004).
service in which they create the digital content on request, the selection policy is not so important. However selected, a good digital collection consists of digital objects that have been dev eloped according to a collection development policy, which aims to make sure that the content is created in line with best practice guidance and is described, actively managed, available, interoperable and sustainable over time (MINERVA, 2007, p. 26). As it is stated at NISO (2007) the digital collections development is the most closely tied to the organizations goals and constituencies. The collection builders should refer to the organizations mission statement and explain how the proposed collection supports the mission. The institution should identify collections target audiences but also take in account unexpected users. For example, Metamofoze, the Dutch national preservation program for library materials uses five criteria concerning collections which are to be digitized: the collection has to be also preserved by microfilming; collection importance; frequency of use; user target group; physical state of the collection (Reerink, p.155). Every physical object should be catalogued before being digitized. If it is not the case, they are to be catalogued during the project. The cataloguing is important in order to get the knowledge about the object to be digitized and interpretation of it for preservation purposes; contextualization of objects meaning that the catalogue is linking the object with the collection it belongs to; finding and understanding of original object and the resource representing it (MINERVA, 2007). In many cases, the materials to be digitized are very sensitive and fragile. Online accessibility is often the main reason for digitization of such materials. The critical step in any digitization projects is to ensure that no damage has been done to the originals during the project. It can be achieved in variety of ways and they range from usage of correct hardware to establishment of the appropriate micro climate. It is better to move digitization centre to the location of materials to be digitized than vice versa (MINERVA, 2004). Before the digitization, the object may need cleaning or conservation. Every effort, time and cost for such kind of activity should be considered during the project planning. Project planning should involve consideration on the format of original materials when establishing the digital capture workflow (MINERVA, 2007). According to MINERVA, there are three issues needed to be considered in the preparation phase: selection of materials to be digitized; physical preparation for the digitization; the digitization itself. Besides, the good level of knowledge about the collections to be digitized must be developed as well as future use of digital collections done. The large scale digitization projects and methods for cost reduction should be taken into account. The preservation concerns both, object being digitized as well as the surrogate digital object.
26
The risk of exposing original documents to the digitization process must be considered (MINERVA, 2007). When it comes to digitization process itself, the recommendations and guidance to digitization process should be taken from variety of available publications in order to find the best practices in confrontation to real circumstances of specific project. The digitization project implementation strategies should be assessed as part of the project design including four main issues to be considered: how to make the data; where and how to store the data; how to find the data and how to get the data. For the first issue, how to make the data, the review and selection of data creation strategies as well as the related hardware and software should be carried out, including the selection of standards and best practices which are to help in maximizing the achievements and minimizing the costs (MINERVA, 2007). Typical digitization project involves hundreds or thousands of items to be digitized. In order to conduct an efficient project it is necessary to establish the workflow that maximizes throughput of team for digitization. The information resources creation, like knowledge basis of the digitization project, is important. Besides, documenting each step of workflow for every particular item is very good and needed practice. Digitization project knowledge basis can be used to make and keep track of an object through the digitization project. Also this enables the project to be reviewed at any moment. The knowledge basis may be in form of database, it can be in form of spreadsheet or in form of collection of documents. The name, identifier and all other relevant information must be entered in the knowledge basis of the project for every particular item. The status of every item must be recorded on an ongoing basis. Articles that require similar activities of hardware setups should be digitized together. The larger the project is, the more important it is to establish the workflow of digitization (MINERVA, 2004). Preservation issues are integral part of the digitization process and it depends on documenting all technological procedures. Creation of fully documented high-quality digital master from which compressed versions for access via internet can be derived must be done helping with the periodic data migration and development of new products and resources (MINERVA, 2007). The digital master file is archival data version and it is the purest possible representation of the original. A few copies should be stored on more than one media type, in more than one geographical location in order to protect data against data corruption, media failure or physical damages on the equipment. The high quality digital master should be created in the highest possible resolution and bit depth in order to enable future derivations. The digital master is a source of any other version of the same item required by the digitization project including Web surrogates, versions for high quality printing
27
etc. Surrogate and access versions of the file can be created out of the digital master using image manipulation software like Adobe Photoshop or Paintshop Pro (EnrichUK: Good Practice Guidebook Digitization Process, 2004). As to digital master files The British Library uses standards taken by peers like the Library of Congress, the National Library of Australia and large US research libraries. The accumulated best practices are to: capture an initial high resolution digitized master file (the archival master) as an uncompressed raster image; store into TIFF format; use 24-bit sampling , three channels of 8 bits each, for colored materials like illuminated manuscripts, photographs, maps; use 8-bit sampling for printed half-tones and microfilm; use 1-bit sampling, black and white, for simple printed texts and microfilm; derive service copies of a lower resolution for web delivery, primarily the screen viewing out of the digital master file; store service copies in the JPEG compressed file format; retain the digital master on adequate media in a secured environment for future reuses and references (McDonald, 2006). For the digitization project Collect Britain the British Library chose to test master files quality by small team inspecting images against following quality attributes: sharp, clean image; color balance faithful to the original; accurate brightness and contrast; accurate file image data captured in the TIFF header (McDonald, 2006). The digital preservation is the fundamental management responsibility ensuring long term use and reuse of digital materials. There are some technical strategies to be adopted during the digitization in order to facilitate the digital preservation, like metadata-rich digitalmaster creation (MINERVA 2007). The output of the digitization process is master file in uncompressed TIFF format with some of metadata embedded. The file format and the compression technique used will have major impact on the digital output usability. Issues such as file formats, network transmission time, standard file size and different kinds of outputs like monitor or printers should be taken into consideration (MINERVA, 2004). In order to maximize access to the digitalized materials the open standard formats should be used, which helps in interoperability meaning that they can be reusable and can be modified and recreated by many other applications. If there are no available open standards or if the relevant standards are sufficiently new ones so that conformant tools are not widely available, the use of proprietary formats is acceptable, but with the adopted migration strategy to open standards (MINERVA, 2007). Character encoding is an algorithm for the character representation in the digital form using mapping sequences of code numbers of characters into the sequences of 8-bits values. An application requires the indication about character encoding used. The character encoding used by text based documents should be explicitly stated (MINERVA, 2007).
28
Text based content should be created and managed in format which is suitable for generating HTML and XHTML documents. Mostly, storage of the text-based content in SGML or XML form is the most appropriate solution. Such content may be stored in plain files or within of database. All documents should be validated according to DTD or XML schema. The Text Encoding Initiative, is a standard format for the text encoding; text based content should be stored in such formats when appropriate. There must be mappings to a recognized schema provided. To store text-based content Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) may be the choice. It preserves fonts, formatting, colors and graphics of the original document. PDF files are compact and can be viewed and printed using open source Adobe Acrobat Reader. PDF is standardized and PDF/A is ISO standard for PDF usage for long-term preservation purposes (MINERVA, 2007). Videos should be stored in an uncompressed form received from the recorder without the application of subsequent processing. It should be created at highest resolution possible, color depth and frame rate which are affordable and practical for the intended uses. Each project must identify the lowest quality level for the videos included (MINERVA, 2007). The video should be stored in an uncompressed form received from the recorder without the application of subsequent processing. It should be created and stored like an uncompressed format like Microsoft WAV and Apple AIFF. For master copies, 24-bit stereo sound at 48/96 KHz sample rate should be used. Audio may be created and stored using compressed formats like MP3, RealAudio or Sun AU (MINERVA, 2007). Multimedia formats integrate text, image, sound and video resources. As opened standard for multimedia delivered over Web, W3C SMIL format may be an appropriate one. The Flash, the Macromedia proprietary SWF format may be suitable as well, but with adopted migration strategy in order for them to move to open formats after they have become widely deployed. The Timed Text authoring format is a content type which represents time text media with the aim of interchange between authoring systems. The Distribution Format Exchange Profile may be appropriate open standard for time text information such as subtitles and captions (MINERVA, 2007). The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a standard for integration, storage, edition, management and presentation of spatially referenced data. The GIS may include raster images (digital historic maps), vector images (maps captured by drawing software or data captured by measuring instruments) as well as the text and numeric data (databases which describe the attributes of locations). Geographic information should be created and stored using non-proprietary open data formats and ISO and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards (MINERVA, 2007).
29
3D models are consisted of collection of points in three-dimensional space connected with lines, curves, triangles and surfaces n order to represent the complex geometric objects. There may be the virtual worlds created via designers imagination or it m ay be based on the monument or building remains (MINERVA, 2007). Real-time interactive 3D graphics and virtual environments include a lot of multimedia capabilities including video. The Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphic is the ISO standard produced by Web3D Consortium which defines 3D scenes using scene-graph approach. The multiple X3D file formats as well as language encodings are available with an emphasis on XML for maximizing the interoperability with the Web architecture (Brutzman, Kolsch, 2007). 3D scanners electronic survey equipment or photogrammetry may be used for capturing geometry of the real world objects like buildings and monuments. The point data produced like this are imported into the 3D software and become 3D models. The data may be combined so that they represent complexity of shapes. The CAD software is used mostly for the architectural objects or archaeological sites, but there is a variety of other available 3D software. MeshLab is open source software for processing 3D meshes and data produced by 3D scanning. The Virtual Reality integrates 3D models with the texts, images, sounds in order to create the virtual environments in which the users can interact with a game itself or with each other. The Virtual Reality Modeling Language is the language developed by W3D Consortium from which it is derived the Virtual X3D ISO standard for virtual reality. It provides the system for storage playback and retrieval of real time graphic contents. Collaborative Design Activity (COLLADA) is an open standard XML schema foe 3D files exchange between 3D software applications (MINERVA 2007).
requirements; routines checking. Content maintenance means: robust computing and networking infrastructure; files storage and synchronization at multiple sites; continuity in monitoring and files management; refreshing, migration and emulation programs; disaster prevention and recovery planning; permanent updating of policies and procedures (ALA 2007). Different digital storage media have different software and hardware requirements for access an d different media present different storage and management challenges (MINERVA, 2007, p.46). The risks of continued access to digital media are dichotomous: physical deterioration on the medium itself and technological change resulting in hardware and software obsolescence. The products of digitization projects are normally stored on hard disks of one or more file servers and on portable storage media. Projects should consider the creation of copies of all digital resources, the metadata records and digitized objects, on two different types of the storage media. At least one copy should be held at the location different from the primary site for the safety reasons. All transfers to portable media should be recorded. Digital media should be refreshed, meaning that data should be copied to a new instance of the same media, regularly, according to the life-time of the medium. Refreshment activities should be recorded as well (MINERVA, 2007). There are three technical approaches to digital preservation: technology preservation, technology emulation and data migration. The first two approaches are focused on technology used to. The first one is based on maintaining of the original hardware and software, and the second one is based upon replication of the original environment by the current technology. Migration focuses on maintaining of digital objects so that they stay usable through current technology. This involves periodical transfer from one technical environment to newer one with the purpose of maintaining the content, context, functionalities and usability of the original. Migrations sometimes require the process of object copying from one medium or device to newer one, as well as the object format transformation to newer ones. a migration to a very different environment may involve a complex process with considerable design effort (MINERVA, 2007, p.47). Metadata capture is the most important issue when it comes to migration-based digital preservation. Metadata has to support the object management as well as migration management. But sooner or later, inevitably, the migration results in some losses and changes of the original functionality. If the losses and changes are significant to the interpretation of the object, users are provided with metadata about the process of migration in order to provide some kind of understanding of the original environments functionalities (MINERVA, 2007). Long term digital preservation, defined by Digital Preservation Europe (DPE) appears like set of activities required in order to ensure that digital materials can be located, rendered, used and
31
understood in the future, which includes objects and locations management, storage media maintaining, content documenting and tracking of hardware and software changes. According to American Library Association (ALA, 2007), digital preservation must combine the policies, strategies, actions in order to ensure long term access to reformatted born digital content regardless of media failure or technological changes. Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS, 2002) defines it as the process of information maintenance in independently understandable form for the long term. Research Councils UK (2008) define digital preservation as set of activities in connection with maintenance and curation of digital or electronic documents in relation to storage and access. Long term preservation, in order to be able to set up its aims and purposes has to have definitions about what long term means in the digital context. Five years or more it is the long term preservation (Verheuil, 2006). According to CCSDS (2002) it is the period long enough for the digital object that, changing technologies impact and changing user community, have impact on it. The period extends indefinitely. Data should be accessible for not less than ten years, but for clinical, social, environmental or heritage projects, data should be provided for twenty years and, if in national collection, permanently (Research Councils UK 2008).
terms; they should be developed using collaborative, balanced and consensus-based process of approval; they should be developed under the formal, binding commitments for disclosure and licensing of copyrights and patent claims; they should be made available under reasonable reciprocal licenses requiring licenses to share under the same conditions own patent claims readings on the standard; the open standard specifications should be available to everyone according to open source copy rights license terms. Selection of appropriate open standards was recognized as not easy task emphasizing the number of potential failures in the process of their maximized appliance. These are: complexity of standards developed which makes their usage difficult; failure to gain marketplace acceptance; costs of standard development may be too high; lack of users interest; en hancement in proprietary solutions (MINERVA, 2007). Metadata is structured data about the resources useful for supporting of operations on those resources. Resource may be anything with identity and it can be digital or non-digital. For the same resource different metadata may be required in order to support the different functions like disclosure, discovery, resource management, long-term preservation. There are five classes of resources for which it is recommended to provide metadata: digitized physical objects; digital masters; digital objects derived from the digital masters for network delivery to the users; new resources created using the digital objects; collections of some of the previously described resources (MINERVA, 2007). Sometimes, metadata is classified according to functions it is created to support; individual metadata schemas often support multiple functions and overlap the categories below(MINERVA, 2007, p.49). The library community uses MARC standards to support presentation and bibliographic metadata exchange. Concerning digitization projects, the metadata schemas adopted should be fully documented including detailed cataloguing guidelines listing metadata elements to be used and describing how the elements are to be used in order to describe the types of resources created and managed (MINERVA, 2007). Descriptive metadata is used for discovery and interpretation of digital objects. The sufficient metadata must be generated for each item using the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (DCMES) in the simple unqualified form. DCMES is simple descriptive metadata schema, cross-disciplinary developed and designed in order to support the resources discovery across wide range of domains. It defines fifteen elements: Title; Creator; Subject; Description; Publisher; Contributor; Date; Type; Format; Identifier; Source; Language; Relation; Coverage; Rights. The simple DC metadata is the minimum requirements for each item. In order to support discovery within the cultural heritage
33
sector, the digitization projects should provide metadata description for the items conforming to DC.Culture schema (MINERVA, 2007). Administrative metadata is used for the digital object management and for providing more information about its creation as well as any constraints in its use. Administrative metadata includes: technical metadata; source metadata; digital provenance metadata; rights management metadata. Technical metadata is information that can be capture during the digitization process like information about the nature of the source material, about the digitization equipment and the parameters, for example like format, as well as the information about the agents responsible for the digitization itself. Sometimes it is possible to generate some of these data to form the software used for digitization (MINERVA, 2007). Structural metadata is describing logical or physical relationship between parts of a complex object. The Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS) provide an encoding format for descriptive, administrative and structural metadata. It is designed to support the digital objects managements and delivery as well as the across systems digital objects exchange. IMS Content Packaging Specification describes means for structure description and composite learning resources organization (MINERVA, 2007). Sixteen basic elements of metadata for digital preservation were published by the Working Group on Preservation Issues of Metadata constituted by the Research Libraries Group (RLG) in 1998. The Reference Model for an Open Archival Information System (OAIS) is the high-level framework for the development and comparison of digital archives. It provides a functional model which outlines operations undertaken by the archive, as well as the information model describing metadata required to support the operations. Based on OAIS model, the OCLC/RLG working group has developed two components of OAIS information model relevant for metadata preservation Content Information and Preservation Description Information (MINERVA, 2007). Digital collections are to be described so that it enables users the discovering of collections important characteristics like scope, format, ownership, access restrictions (NISO, Collections Principle 2, pp.9). Description enables collections to be integrated into the wider context of digital collections and the digital services operating across the collections. Projects should display awareness of initiatives to enhance the disclosure and discovery of collections, such as program-, community-, sector- or domain-wide, national, or international inventories of digitization activities and of digital cultural content (MINERVA, 2007, p.55). In order to make the transmission of information contained in metadata possible, it is necessary to adopt the common terminology or different terminologies where the relationships between terms
34
belonging to different schemes are known (MINERVA, 2007). Projects should use recognized multilingual terminological sources to provide values for metadata elements wher e possible (MINERVA, 2007, p.57). The collections developed by a digitization project form part of a larger corpus of material. To support the discovery of resources within that corpus, for each collection, projects must consider exposing metadata about their resources so that it can be used by other applications and services (MINERVA, 2007, p.57). The collection-level metadata and item-level metadata should be exposed in order to enable them to be discovered through web search. In order to facilitate exchange and interoperability between services, the item-level description should be provided in form of unqualified simple DC metadata records (MINERVA, 2007). Digital collection is consisted of digital objects selected and organized in order to facilitate the discovery, access and use. Digital objects together with metadata and user interface create the users experience of digital collection (NISO, 2007, p.9). There are nine collection principles applicable to good digital collection: it is created in line with explicit collection development policy; collection should be well described so that user can discover its characteristics like scope, format, restrictions on access, ownership, information determining collections authenticity, integrity, interpreta tion; it is curated meaning that its resources are actively managed during the life-cycle; it is widely available avoiding not needed impediments to use, besides it should be accessible for persons with disabilities as well as usable effectively in conjunction with adaptive technologies; it respects intellectual property rights; it has developed mechanisms to supply usage data and other data which allow standardized measures of usefulness to be recorded; it is interoperable; it integrates into the users workflow; it is long-term sustainable (NISO, 2007, p.9). XML based formats are widely in use for data storage and for exchange of data between programs, applications and systems. W3Cs Semantic Web activity developed specified formal knowledge representation languages like Resource Description Framework (RDF); Simple Knowledge Organization Systems (SKOS); Web Onthology Language (OWL) etc. Each of the languages is appropriate for various types of information exchange, the choice will depend on complexity needed for the representation. RDF is general framework for web-resources description and it is in triple form: subject-predicate-object. Subject denotes resource, predicate specifies the aspect and the object specifies the relationship subject-predicate. RDF is appropriate for providing simple semantics and metadata records in formally, machine understandable way. The obstacle is that RDF has no internal way of making a distinction between different resource types (MINERVA, 2007). OWL is more expressive language. It enables web agents in trying to build a
35
flexible information sharing and reuse infrastructure. However the expressivity and interpretational power of OWL is not always necessary. In some digital library applications it is sufficient to represent simple taxonomies, thesauri and classifications semantically. In such cases, simplicity can be more important than expressivity, even if the inferential power is reduced (MINERVA, 2007, p.60). SKOS is recommendable for representation of thesaurus taxonomies. It is the standard built on the top of RDF language. It can be used in order to facilitate the metadata semantic retrieval and thesaurus alignment. SPARQL is RDF query language. It supports triple-pattern queries. OAI-PMH and Metadata Harvesting Open Archives Initiative for Metadata Harvesting enables the metadata to be available for service providers. It develops and promotes standardized interoperability with the aim to facilitate efficient content dissemination. The digitization projects may set up OAI compliant metadata repositories (MINERVA, 2007). Z39.50 is a network protocol which allows searches across heterogeneous databases and data retrieval. The most often this protocol is used for bibliographic records retrieval (MINERVA, 2007). RSS is mechanism for the content syndication. RSS family of specifications provides descriptive metadata sharing engine mostly in form of the item-list containing brief textual description as well as the link to original source for expansion. RSS 2.0 may be used for audio and video materials syndication to variety of devices. The terms podcasting and vodcasting are used for this kind of syndication (MINERVA, 2007).
Accessibility is the ability to make digital content available for people with disabilities. Collection interfaces should be made so that they maximize usability for persons with visual impairments, loss of hearing, loss of mobility and cognitive impairments (NISO, 2007). Digitization projects have to be accessible via variety of browsers, hardware systems, automated programs and end-users. Projects websites must be usable by browsers which support HTML/XHTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and Document Object Model (DOM). Projects using proprietary file formats and plug-in technologies must ensure the content to be usable on browsers without the plug-ins. The web-site appearance should be controlled by style sheets use according to W3C architecture and accessibility recommendations. The projects have to implement the WAI Web Accessibility Initiative recommendations in order to ensure accessibility for the persons with disabilities (MINERVA, 2007). The machines for digitization project delivery must be operated in as secure way as possible (MINERVA, 2007). Availability means that the collection of digitized materials has to be accessible and usable upon demand by authorized person. Collections should be accessible through Web using well known technologies among the target user community. Availability does not mean that access to all materials must be free of charge or completely unrestricted, but it does require an attempt to make digitized materials as widely available as possible although within any required constraints (NISO, 2007). Usability means ease of use. According to Jakob Nielsen (2010) usability is quality attribute assessing how easy user interfaces are to use. Besides, the word usability also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during process of web designing. Usability is defined by five quality components: learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors and satisfaction. Nielsen's idea for the measuring of usability of the particular web site is to test the users and, as Ferreira and Pithan (2005, p.7) sum Nielsen's strategy: ... the number of test users can influence the identification of the problems of usability of a website. One user makes it possible to identify about 25% of usability problems, while fifteen users allow us to identify 100% of the problems by testing the site on the sample of five users, it is possible to identify a great many of existing usability problems: 85%. Nielsen distinguishes three components of user testing and recommends getting hold of the group of representative users such as customers of an e-commerce site or employees for an intranet; to ask users to perform representative tasks with the design; to observe users behavior, where do they succeed in performing their tasks and where do they have difficulties (Nielsen, 2010). In the chapter Usability Criteria for Progressive Disclosure, Nielsen argues about right way of presenting information in web sites. Split between primary and secondary features must be well done and the
37
course of users' progress from the primary to the secondary disclosure levels must be obvious. In process of determination which features belong to the initial disclosure level, Nielsen recommends the task analysis and field study and the frequency of use statistics when improving the existing system (Nielsen, 2010). Timing for the adoption of new features should be considered taking into account how many potential users will be able to use the technology and how many of them will find it as a barrier. Bandwidth requirements are also the issue because some of file formats or interfaces may not be usable via low bandwidth connection (NISO, 2007, p.16). The establishment of regulatory environment for the Digital Single Market on pan-European basis is the key point emphasized in the speech of European Commissioner for Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes for the Mobile World Congress 2010. The Digital Agenda is one of a set activities initiated by European Commission in order to recover the European economy from the financial crisis. (Europe 2020: Commission proposes new economic strategy in Europe, 2010). The high-speed Internet as well as the improvement in the information and digital literacy of the citizens is accentuated as some of the primary goals in order to achieve the implementation of the new economic strategy in Europe (Kroes, 2010). Minimum browser version and bandwidth requirements should be documented as part of the collection description. For general access to digital collections, the web-pages and search forms providing access to the collection as well as metadata and digital object displays should be tested against variety of browsers and versions of browsers. The testing should include Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems for current and previous three years at least. Besides, the testing should include different screen resolutions. The special attention should be devoted to particularly problematic items like color, variations, display of non-English characters and rendition of XML (NISO, 2007). In Top Research Laboratories in Human-Computer Interaction two the most important points in the field of HCI are underlined: understanding how people use information technology and which are the best methods in designing for human beings. Usability and web design are subsets of larger discipline: HCI. In the ability to make good decisions for aggregation of human behavior with the information technology will be the key for the success in future for web presentations of cultural content (Nielsen, 2002).
38
The intellectual property rights include: rights of the owner/s of the source materials; rights of owners of digital resources; rights or permissions granted to service provider; right and permissions granted to the users. Majority of the published material is in copyright. The copyright generally lasts 70 years after the death of the author. Written permission should be obtained from the author before the item enters the process of digitization. Orphan works are works whose owners of the copyrights are unknown and untraceable. For these works the strategy is to adopt standardized due diligence processes including protocols for research on the right-holders, seeking the permission, recording the each stage of the process so that diligence can be demonstrated. In-house production is works done by the institution staff as part of the everyday duties which remain the property to the institution itself. Institution commissioning works have secured production rights but it may not be extended to digitization unless it is specified in the agreement. Gifts, bequests, loans may have attached conditions which prevent them from the digitization. In order to manage risks of infringement of the intellectual rights, the digitization project staff must identify and record the rights upon the materials for the digitization (MINERVA 2007). Digitization projects should maintain data about the rights. The data should be acquired in internally consistent form so that they can be shared in the standard format including the identification of the item itself; the name of the person or the organization which owns rights; precise right/s that are being owned together with any specific exclusions; period of time for granting rights; the user group/s who will be permitted to use resource; obligations that resource users have to incur. Creative Commons organization has developed licenses enabling the right owners to allow the reuse of materials under conditions chosen by the right owner, mostly in education and non-profit context. The digitization projects which have the rights for digitization of specific resources may assign the Creative Commons license to them (MINERVA, 2007). Digitization projects must plan the service and content sustainability as well as to develop business model for the service that is not depending on external funding. Content licensing may include the adoption of the licenses designed so that they generate revenue streams (MINERVA, 2007). Watermarking and fingerprinting are techniques for the digitized resources rights protection. Image watermarking is seen as finding the solution for protection of the intellectual property rights. Watermarking techniques should be unobtrusive and robust. Robust image watermarking techniques should exploit the characteristics of the human visual system. It is recommended to increase robustness of an embedded mark maintaining the constant perceptual distance and to minimize conceptual distance while maintaining robustness (Zhu, Wang, 2004). Watermarking is embodiment of the permanent mark into the file used to prove image origination and image copyright. It is done
39
by integrating the watermark with the image data so that it is virtually impossible to remove it. They can be visible, invisible or in combining both. They are introduced with the minimal distortion of the original image. Invisible watermarks must be able to withstand image cropping, rotating, compressing and transforming. The images are being watermarked before the distribution. The fingerprinting is being done dynamically at the time of the delivery meaning as the materials being downloaded from the web site. As part of the watermark, the username, date, time, IP address and other information can be encoded. This makes downloading unique and traceable. Similar tools can be used for the video and audio materials (MINERVA, 2007).
2.2.8 Conclusion
In this part of the Literature Review an overview of all important issues necessary to be considered before and during planning and implementation of digitization projects it has been given. As it was indicated in the introduction of this chapter, this literature review is not exhaustive, however, it introduces the perspective of EU best practices and recommendations concerning cultural heritage digitization projects from the technical perspective.
2.3 Review of Papers Published about the Cultural Heritage Digitization Projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina
40
Presented articles are the only ones available on-line on the digitization activity in B&H. Papers published in the Review of the National Centre for Digitization, are structured in very different ways, even if one or more authors are the same for a few papers. Reason is that during the projects different constraints and challenges appeared. There are some other references to web addresses that do not exist today. In addition there is one article explaining the digitization project in the National Library of Republic of Serbska, but it was senseless to include it in the study, because I could not develop contacts with this library.
that OCR usage is the most reliable way for word document retrieval and adds that PDF transformer version 2.0 supports both scripts commonly used in B&H: Latin and Cyrillic. The result of described procedure is a Word document matching with the original between 60% and 70% (Golubovi, 2009, p.74). The next step was necessary review of all the documents and correction of mistakes done by system. Successful retrieval of the original presented the end of the first phase of digitization process. The next paragraph is entitled as Presentation and accessibility of National Museums Glasnik. It explains metadata description for every archived text and it is done according to following parameters: text heading; title; subtitle; number of publication; pagination; key words (if it is an interview). Each text is full-text searchable using key-words. Both versions: PDF and Word one are available which enables users to read and to see the original layout as it looked like over a century ago. Besides, the world-wide accessibility is additional strongpoint of the INFOBIRO database. Digital preservation strategy is presented and it says that INFOBIROs digital copies are being preserved in three ways, both, offline and on-line ones. First, every digital copy is being copied to DVDs and archives in many libraries and archives in B&H. On DVDs all articles are indexed with bookmark tool and an index of authors and illustrations is available as well. Secondly, all digitized content is stored on external hard disks with big capacity, from 300 GB to 1TB. External hard disks are used to preserve master copies of digitized materials. The third method for preservation is servers used to make digital copies of materials available on-line. INFOBIRO stores data on two servers: one used for on-line user access, and the second one to enable the data backup. In the Conclusion part it is stated that INFOBIRO is the only digital archive in B&H. Besides, it is clarified that the digitization activity in the Mediacentar Sarajevo is possible due to financial support of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports. Name of the digitization project is Digital Preservation and Archiving of Cultural and Historical Heritage in B&H: BH Press since 1866. In addition, the data about users visits for the INFOBIRO web-site is given: there are approximately 30,000 visits per month from about 70 countries (Golubovi, 2009, p.75). At the end it is said that it is proven in experience that INFOBIROs practices that have been presented by this paper are confirmed as good ones.
Selma Rizvi and Vanja Jovii present the visualization techniques and their possibilities in the article Photorealistic Reconstruction and Multimedia Presentation of the Medi eval Fortress in Travnik (2008). First the authors emphasize the importance for preservation of cultural sites that are exposed to natural and social deteriorative influences and describe the importance and beauty of medieval fortress in Travnik. Listing different techniques used (combination of 3D reconstruction technique with various visualization methods like photorealistic high-resolution renderings, videocomposition of animated sequences from 3D environment with video sequences that present everyday life in the fortress from the past making up interactive virtual environment with userfriendly interactive interface), it says that the aim of this project was to afford comprehensive user experience and to raise awareness of cultural and historical impor tance of this object (Jovii, Rizvi, 2008). The authors explain that the focus was in simplification of 3D modeling process using the photogrammetric data acquisition and processing concepts. Besides, as one of the main challenges in 3D modeling, its static nature was emphasized and it is said that this kind of limitation was overcame by adding interactivity and usage of variety of presentation models in the virtual environment (Jovii, Rizvi, 2008). Intention was the photorealistic reconstruction of th e fortress of the Old Town Travnik in the period of Ottoman Empire, along with presenting other periods by using different media techniques. In order to give as comprehensive as possible insight to environment presented, the multidisciplinary approach was necessary and this was solved by cooperation between professionals from variety of fields: Archaeology, Architecture, Computer Science and Multimedia Design. The Project partners were the Public Museum in Travnik, Alter Art Travnik, the National Theatre in Tuzla and Foundation for Creative Development Sarajevo. The project was sponsored by Pro Helvetia-Swiss Culture Program Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was financially supported by the Municipality of Travnik, Tourist Community of the Central Bosnia Canton, Ministry of Environmental Organization, Reconstruction and Recovery of the Middle Bosnia Canton (Jovii, Rizvi, 2008). Some facts about project popularization and copyrights were given such as that the project promotion is planned to take place in the Old Town Travnik multimedia room, that Public Museum in Travnik will have all rights to present project materials in order to promote Travnik and its historical and cultural background. In addition all interested cultural organizations in B&H shall be sent the free copy of digitized materials. Final product of the project is an interactive multimedia CD-ROM with textual content in Bosnian and English language enriched with audio and video content, photographic materials offering detailed information about this cultural site and its history. These parts are presented in variety of
43
technologies: HTML, Flash, CSS, JavaScript and XHTML. For the online presentation it was necessary to make content optimization, especially for the audio and video elements. In the data collection phase it is mentioned that close cooperation with the Public museum in Travnik was developed including the access to rich scientific library of this institution, photo archive, museum collections. As the basis for reconstruction it was used the Reconstruction Plan made by the Institute for photo archive, museum collections. As the basis for reconstruction it was used the Reconstruction Plan made by the Institute for Protection of Cultural Heritage in B&H from 1975. In addition to 3D virtual environment the live footage was used as well in order to create more realistic image of specific occasions during the Ottoman period, which was realized in cooperation with performing arts and music professionals. The software used for virtual modeling was 3d Studio Max and the virtual reconstruction of the object together with its environment was based upon existing architectural plans. Modeling was done in a few phases. The first one was the object modeling. The next was the terrain modeling and many applications for terrain modeling were tested with the best results obtained using 3 Digital Elevation Model (3DEM) application. The tool DreamScape Terra was used in order to modify the imported data and terrain adjustment. The third phase was lightening and sky adjustment and it was done using DreanScape Sun light. The tool was adjusted to the option Global Illumination and soft shadows and indirect lightening were created using DreamScape Sky. The terrain textures were created using DreamScape which enabled photorealistic impression but the graphic manipulation with a lot of photographs and the adjustments to the objects was to be done. Texture baking, which indicates the process of pre-calculation of specific information and storing it in texture, was done using UVW mapping. The baked textures were applied to objects based on saved UVW data. In the camera animation process as the challenges were mentioned making the continuous flow of scenes located in different locations of the fortress and enabling the users to view the object with many perspectives. Video composition of rendered animated sequences was done using video editing software Premiere Pro 2.0 and After Effects. Scenes were put together with the animated sequences audio background was done as well as the musical themes. The content was titled for both versions: Bosnian and English one. The final sequence was exported in the high quality .avi format and Flash Video format (.flv) used for the on line presentation. In the Virtual Environment part of the paper the two approaches were compared: pre-rendered fly-troughs and the 3D space as well as their combination. Their advantages as well as the disadvantages were explained as well as the
44
justification for usage of both approaches in this project. The off-line version of the project is available on the Internet8. The workflow of the project is documented. It says that the main focal point of the project was the creation of meaningful content and its combination into fluent presentation form. Finally, the research in the area of highly interactive but realistic virtual reality environment including the improvement in optimization of virtual environments output in order to make it usable for broader public without technical difficulties.
http://www.virtual-garbun.org/ Please, see about tekija (tekke) via following link: <http://archnet.org/library/dictionary/entry.jsp?entry_id=DIA0869> 10 Please, see about tesawuf via following link: <http://www.tasawwuf.org/basics/what_tasawwuf.htm>
45
Today, in Bosnia and Herzegovina there are no more tekijas of this order. As a rule, a tekija has a humble closed up shape. Its architecture reflects retrieval from the outer world and opening up towards the inner space (Rizvi, Sadak, Zuko, 2009, p.66). The project was diploma project of student Anis Zuko. Team was extremely satisfied with the created 3D model and they decided to go on in cooperation with the Museum of Sarajevo and 5DCaDD company from Sarajevo. In order to provide financial support for the project, the pilot project was implemented in form of small 3D printout of the model. Virtual reconstruction model is consisted of three parts: exterior and two interior rooms and that was realized in a few steps. First, it was necessary to collect the materials, to model the objects, create and map the textures, illuminate the scenes, create the environment, position the cameras and export the scenes to 3D technology. Data collection was very difficult process due to the fact that the object does not exist and all available materials were a few old postcards, one drawing of the faade and one top view sketch. There was no information about the object interior so the interior of the Sinans tekija in Sarajevo was simulated because all tekijas have similar and simple interior (Rizvi, Sadak, Zuko, 2009). For the object modeling 3ds max software was used as well as the classic techniques such as polygonal modeling. It was needed to make consideration on the level of detailing because too much of details make the models slow and files too big. Big challenge was the modeling of the environment. In the background of tekija there was the hill and the frontal side was faced with the Miljacka river. Virtual environment was created in combination of the terrain model and the panoramic photograph of the present sites environment mapped on a cylinder. Materials and textures were made according to traditional Bosnian house style: walls painted into white with a lot of wooden elements. Modeling was carried out using 3ds max UVW mapping modifier following the geometry of objects (Rizvi, Sadak, Zuko, 2009). Illumination was done using the Om ni lights. In order to enable the viewer to view different parts of scenes using the menu of viewpoints, 3ds max cameras that will be exported as viewpoints in VRML were created which made the scene interactive. Users are able to move inside of the virtual reality using VRML browser, the freeware player installed as a plug-in to the Internet browser. Interactivity is done in such a way that user by clicking on the door has the entrance to the interior model; that is implemented by VRML Anchor node which is a hyperlink that opens the files offered in one of the fields (Rizvi, Sadak, Zuko, 2009). Anchor nodes also provide the information about parts of the environment. After clicking on the object new window opens offering the story telling on object.
46
Web presentation is done in Bosnian and English language. It offers a lot of data explaining importance of the object. Besides, there are two image galleries containing old and rare photos and postcards with the tekija in it. Based upon the external model of the object, a small 3D printout using ZCorporation 310+ printer, was created. It was done from the VRML model version (Rizvi, Sadak, Zuko, 2009). The printout was the inspiration to make the prototype of souvenir. The first phase of the project provoked very positive reaction of the public in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that provided the professional staff with additional information on the internal appearance of the Isa Begs Tekija in Sarajevo. The second phase of this project will be based upon the objects symbolism with introduced virtual guides telling the stories on history of objects presented. From the modeling point of view the second phase will include six steps: modeling of remaining interior; virtual reconstruction of whole complex; the cave; Orlovaa cliff; visualization of the natural botanical garden; creation of the physical model of the complex using 3D printing technologies (Rizvi, Sadak, Zuko, 2009). The final aim of this phase is the creation of department in the Museum of Sarajevo dedicated to the object of Isa Begs Tekija containing the interactive 3D model of the complex displayed on touch screen enabling the users to make the virtual tours. Besides, 3D printout of the larger scale as an objects physical model will be available as we ll. At the place of the original sites location it would be a panel that invites people to the Museum in order to see presentation of the oldest institution in Sarajevo. Very positive feedback on this project confirmed the value and importance of reviving collective memory using virtual reconstruction and presentation. These techniques enable the recreation of whole areas of the cities that do not exist today. In the future this team of professionals plan the virtual of several parts of Sarajevo such as Bakr-babina mosque and library at the Atmejdan park; the Skenderija complex; ajirdik mosque etc. Besides, the activity on creation of the virtual museums and introducing of the virtual story telling in the virtual environments will also be developed.
In the introduction the importance of the cultural heritage preservation is emphasized. It is explained that digitization activity that has being done at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering has been done in cooperation between this faculty located in Sarajevo and the University of Warwick (United Kingdom). The steaks are defined as monumental monolithic gravestones with different size and shape. The steak from Donje Zgoe from the second half of the 14th century was taken as an example. It is assumed that Bosnian king Stjepan II Kotromanji who died in 1353 was buried under this steak. Currently it is located in the botanical garden of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The method used for digitization was 3D scanning and rendering with high fidelity graphics and laser scanners for capturing accurate information on objects surfaces. The steak was scanned by night with Minolta 910 laser scanner because the daylight was too intensive, but the textures captured with the scanner were not satisfactory and the textures were done later using the Maya software (Buza, Rizvi, Sadak, 2008). Individual scans were put together in polygonal mash using Stitcher software laser scanner performing automatic data registration, captured scan data editing, merging scan into single mesh and exporting it to variety of 3D data formats. The final product was exported as Maya OBJ file. The computer model was exported from Stitcher to Maya as a polygonal mash made up of vertices, each vertex forming a point in three-dimensional space and described with three orthogonal coordinates. The points are joined into faces using between three and five points per face. In order to reduce the original size of the file Maya software could not be used, so it had to be uploaded back to the Stitcher software and then exported back to Maya. The quality was slightly inferior but still acceptable (Buza, Rizvi, Sadak, 2008). There were many damages on the steak and the biggest damage was at the one of the corners. The damage was virtually repaired by selecting and duplicating of vertices and by moving them to the right position. Originally, the steaks orientation was from West to East and that was because Bosnian Heretic Christians believed that deceased person in that way was enabled to watch the sunrise. Many of the steaks are moved from their original location and the same is with this one that is now in the wrong position. Computer graphics give the possibility to put it back to the right position and to study how the Sun would affect the object in its original location. Using the Maya software it was created the environment with periods of the day created. Maya Environment Sky texture application was used for creation of the sun simulation. It is possible to observe the object in different day periods changing the azimuth point and the elevation parameters. This simulation has shown the great potential and advantages of using such computer graphics techniques in the visualization of heritage sites and objects. (Buza, Chalmers, Rizvi, Sadak, 2008, p.86).
48
The Sarajevo City Hall Vijenica, the graceful Moorish revival building positioned in the city center positioned in the city center was built during the Austro-Hungarian period of rule. The National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina was situated in this building. It was destroyed in the Serb artillery bombardment on August 25/26, 1992 (Buza, Chalmers, Rizvi, Sadak, 2008, p.87). Majority of the documentary heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina disappeared in fire. Now the building is under the process of reconstruction. Virtual model of the object Vijenica was created using 3ds max software. Before modeling the site was visited, photographed in details and measured. Virtual object was created using basic geometry and compound objects, the cubes and Boolean operation. The textures used for the object mapping were created using the photographs. Photographs were edited in PhotoShop. The significant model optimization was performed in order to adjust the size for the internet presentation. Through the virtual perception experiment it is proven that the significant optimization of the VRML model can be reached by using 3ds max Optimize modifier and exporting the model in x3D using the Vizx3D software (Buza, Rizvi, Sadak, 2008). Using the story telling application it was explored the influence of viewers perception of information presented. There were created the combination of the stories told by real and animated characters in a virtual environment and rendered scene with different rendering qualities. The user study was done in order to verify the assumptions. Result indicated that users have better perception when the story is told by real than by animated character. Goal of the project Virtual Sarajevo Baarija was to present the old part of the city of Sarajevo called Baarija to be virtually accessible for visitors worldwide. Types of multimedia content provided were panoramic photographs, video walkthrough files, stories about particular object and events. Navigation is introduced using VRML browser. Video files were captured from the real environment using the digital camera. Every city location has the particular story and it is being differently understood when the story about the place is presented. In the project the part Stories is consisted of short movies with capability to dramatize historical environment of objects and events. Audio description enhances the video presentation. Content will be updated by adding the Old Orthodox Church, Cathedral of the Jesus Hart, the Old Jewish Synagogue, the walkthrough all Baarija streets and more stories about the objects. The web presentation of the project is done by implementing of database in XML. The database stores data on sizes, extensions, descriptions and paths of multimedia and panoramic files. The difference and advantages, as well as the disadvantages, of using larger databases for such kind of projects have been explained. Besides, as the plan it is expressed the hope that it will be the possibility to expand the project to all important BH cities such as Mostar, Travnik, Jajce, Viegrad,
49
Biha, Banja Luka, Teanj, Trebinje etc and that would provide users with significant data collection about Bosnia and Herzegovina and its unique cultural heritage.
2.4 Conclusion
In the first part of the literature review the European and global best practices and recommendations when it comes to cultural heritage digitization projects were presented containing all important issues relevant for digitization projects: project planning, storage of digital master files, preservation strategies, metadata standards and intellectual property rights. In the second part the overview of the articles published on cultural heritage digitization projects done in B&H is presented. Next chapter is Methodology.
50
research has been done because this kind of interpretistic approach counts on researchers background and his/her point of view as much as it counts on objective consequences of research object. As wrote by Ron Weber (2004, p.3) in the article Editors comments: The Rhetoric of Positivism Versus Interpretivism: Positivists supposedly believe that reality is separate from the individual who observes it. They apparently consider subject (the researcher) and object (the phenomena in the world that are their focus) to be two separate, independent things. In short, positivistic ontology is alleged to be dualistic in nature. On the other hand, interpretivistics believe that reality and the individual who observes it cannot be separated.
people of interest and exclude those who do not suit the purpose. (Purposive sampling, 2002 -2010) The non-probability sampling means sampling without to use random selection model (Nonprobability sampling, 2002-2010). Persons in B&H who have been involved in the cultural heritage digitization projects were identified by researching web-sites of memory institutions in B&H, by searching Internet using key words cultural heritage digitization, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In order to identify relevant people who should be interviewed I tried to examine all projects and all initiatives for digitization of documentary heritage, visit all the pages of major libraries in B&H in order to see whether there was available a digital library or some other mark that would say that the digitization has been done. Although there is no institutionalized digitization of cultural heritage at the state level, projects are carried out in decentralized and sporadic way, bypassing the important institutions of memory. This means that there is no consensus on the state level about the issue of cultural heritage, but there are initiatives at the local level to protect the cultural heritage using digitalization. Generally speaking, this group can be divided to persons who do digitization in 3D technique and belong to the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Sarajevo and those ones who work at memory institutions. Since my goal is to explore among other things, opportunities for digitization and long-term digital preservation of cultural heritage at the state level, such institutions in any case could not be left out, especially with the horizon widely to the fact that these institutions historically have a very long and successful tradition of collecting, protecting and giving to users of documentary cultural heritage. Persons in B&H who work in memory institutions that are not involved in digitization projects were identified against two criterions. The first one was the importance of the institution and the second one availability and willingness to participate in research. Their understanding of the cultural heritage in B&H is indeed relevant, and their opinions can provide guidance for the protection of cultural heritage in the future. Persons in B&H and abroad whose understanding of Bosnian cultural heritage issues is in some way is very relevant have been identified by searching internet on subject and reading the literature. They were contacted a few times via internet. The number of persons belonging to this group was five, but one of them has given up because of personal reasons.
53
The interviews were chosen for data collection method, because compared to questionnaires, they give much more space for individual points of view, opinions, and suggestions of the respondents. Besides, it is needed to have in mind the fact that interviews were not performed in face to face, but via internet. It is necessary to have in mind the fact mentioned in the 3.1.1 section of this paper which says that the interviews were intended to be performed two times, but because of justified reasons it was not possible to carry it out. In opposition to the standard, open-ended interview type where the same open-ended questions are asked to all interviewees (M cNamara, n.d.), the choice of interview type for this research was complementary interviews meaning that every interview is different, adjusted to the respondent, but all of them together give broad picture and enlighten the problem from many points of view. This approach was chosen because of the nature of the research, because of the sampling population and sampling criterion. Having in mind that the expert sampling method has been applied and that all respondents were asked to allow their responds to be directly cited in the paper, this kind of approach is natural. With one unified set of questions that would be asked from all respondents much information would be omitted simply because every person comes from different environment, works in different organization, has different background and experience, does different job etc. Despite these facts, they were grouped as it was explained in the previous subchapter and the questions asked in some cases were very similar even the same for the respondents belonging to the same group. The interviews were not performed in face to face, but in written form via internet. In the interviews, the participants had the opportunity to express their point of view, and they were also asked to corroborate their opinions with arguments. This means that the goal was to research facts and actual problems as well as to leave interviewed persons the opportunity to predict future trends, possible solutions, to give suggestions etc. Pilot-project lasted from 3rd till 17th of March 2010 and the interviewing phase lasted from 20th of March until 27th of March 2010. The exception was the interview with the director of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina who responded on April 13th 2010.
Every single respondent was considered within the meaning of his/her ability to contribute in elucidating of all circumstances concerning actual trends in cultural heritage digitization projects in B&H as well as suggestions and recommendations for future successful practice in this area of cultural heritage preservation activities. The parameters to measure this ability were the facts I could collect, starting with the kind and level of education and professional skills to personal details like age, current place of living, working experience etc. All these facts were considered at selecting the questions to be asked. In the interviews, the participants had the opportunity to express their point of view, but they were also asked to corroborate their opinions with arguments. This means that the goal was to research facts and actual problems but also to leave interviewed persons the opportunity to predict future trends, possible solutions, to give suggestions etc. It is obvious that in composing of interviews the elements such as feelings as well as the facts about every single person interviewed were involved. As it was said before, majority of interviews are unique and the questions not same to any other interview, but in order to give more precise image of composing principles and similarity of interviews, all questions were sorted according to subjects list. Then, the questions sorted were counted and in case that completely the same question was asked to two or more persons, these questions were extracted out of the previous number, compared to it and presented in the charts 3.1-3.6.
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
55
7 6 5 4
3
2 1 0 Nr. Of Qs per Subject Nr. Of Same Qs per Subject
5
4 3 2 1 0 Nr. Of Qs per Subject Nr. Of Same Qs per Subject
56
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
57
Although interviews are different, it does not mean that the answers from the interviewees cannot be compared. Such methodological approach was needed because I wanted to get as much as possible from every interviewed person and I could manage to do it only taking into account specific position and role of every single person. As the post-effect of such a decision, the division according to subjects is logical. All answers of all interviewees can be divided into main groups. Fifteen persons responded to the interviews out of twenty five who were tried to be contacted in order to take part in this research. Twelve persons out of fifteen from Federation of B&H who were contacted, fully responded to the interview. No person from Republic of Serbska responded and it was impossible to establish contact with them. Two neighbor countries that have major impact on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia, were included and their national libraries were contacted in order to interview persons responsible for digitization in these institutions. From both libraries I got the response, from the National Library of Serbia I got the response that they are ready to respond to all my questions. From the National and University Library of Croatia I got the response that they were willing to contribute, but finally, after I sent the interview, I was informed that they were not able to be interviewed. Two persons whom I took as a sample in order to get European perspective, fully responded to all my questions. Having in mind the fact that even in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina a few cantons have dual administration and that many of towns in Herzegovina are de facto divided between Croats and Bosnians (the same is with Mostar, the biggest town in Herzegovina and administrative and cultural centre of Herzegovina), then both sides, Bosnian and Croatian were to be taken into account for interviewing. I tried to make a contact with the University Library in Mostar that is under Croatian responsibility, but I was refused. Besides, Federal Minister of Culture in those days was in transition as well as his representatives, so I got the answer that they were not able to respond to my interview questions. From the Cantonal Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Sarajevo I got the response that they have not enough time to respond to my interview questions but they sent me the text of internal analysis from which they let me to use data in my research. Having in mind the aims, research problem and research questions of this study, it was needed to make a geographical and ethnical distribution of interviewees, as well as age range and distribution according to job and position as well as years of working experience in the current position of the respondents. Finally, qualitative content analysis will be done according to subject distribution against the scheme presented by charts. The responses belonging to the same subject will be presented together, compared and the conclusions will be derived. According to Basics of Qualitative Research book,
59
the procedure of data coding is the natural way for data analysis in the grounded theory. This data analysis is inductive meaning that it begins with microanalysis of concrete content. Three coding types exist in grounded theory11: open coding, axial and selective coding (Strauss, Corbin, as cited in Francis, 1999). This study uses the axial coding developing and linking concepts to conceptual families. The discussion part will compare data analysis results with the background information presented in the Literature Review part. The Grounded Theory methodological approach do not allow the hypotheses to be given in advance and it to be tested, so the Literature Review part has not the role of limiting the possible understandings of the data analysis results, but rather it is another part of the mosaic and it gives another approach to the subject. In the other words, the Literature Review presents what has been recommended by European best practices on the digitization projects as well as that was been published on the projects in B&H, and the Data Analysis and Discussion part presents results of the interviews and the comparison of situations. All this information is relevant but still different in nature and so worth of comparing in order to reach new and fresh conclusions.
11
60
well as the members of research community who already are or will be in situation to cooperate with those persons involved in this research. All this will test the trustworthiness of this research. Besides, in such a way the transparency is achieved which should enable researchers reading this methodology to better understand procedures used.
In the literature review MINERVA materials have been taken as the framework for the first part of the chapter, but all materials suggested as references of MINERVA materials were not searched and cited or paraphrased due to the time constraints. In data analysis part, although the discussion was also result of the literature reviewed as well as of the data collected, the literature review has not been literally compared to subjects treated in data analysis and discussion part. In some places of the study the principles introduced in the first part of the literature review are applied to the conclusions about BH digitization projects, but all parts of the literature review have not been confronted with data on BH digitization activity due to the time constraints.
3.10 Conclusion
This research follows the interpretivistic research paradigm. It is the qualitative research based on grounded theory approach. The data collection method is interviews, researching the literature and web-sites of the institutions, informal correspondences etc. The data analysis is done as it is required by grounded theory methodology principles. The next chapter is the Data Analysis and Discussion.
62
4.1 Introduction
This research paper uses, as it was justified before, such kind of methodological approach that let persons involved in the data collection phase to be cited. In the introductory part, the list of persons who have been contacted in order to respond the interview questions together with their position or function they do, is presented. The persons have been listed according to the alphabetical order. The chart will show the quality of responses got per person. The research questions will be answered based on data collected through the literature review and data collection. I mention again that in this kind of scientific approach the literature review is considered not as a background but rather as a source of information to be analyzed in line with the data collected during the research. The research questions will be treated as focal points around which the possible responses shall be discussed. The Discussion is incorporated in data presentation because otherwise the logical structure of the text would be disturbed. Discussion is started by commenting each subject after the mark (*). The commenting on each subject is justified by the methodology framework of the grounded theory that takes into account the researchers position and his/her perspective as necessarily personal but still very relevant being part of the interpretivistic research model (Weber, 2004). Persons and Institutions Who Have Been Contacted in Order to Respond the Interview Questions were: Butigan, Tamara: Person engaged in digitization in the National Library of Serbia Durakovi, Nermana: Director of the Public Library in Travnik (Federation of B&H, Middle Bosnia Canton) Feliciati, Pierluigi: the Assistant Professor at the University of Macerata in Italy, who is an expert in the field of digital preservation of cultural heritage and participates in UNESCO, MINERVA, European and other EU projects of digitization Golubovi, Dragan: Director of the Mediacentar Sarajevo, the institution that sustains the INFOBIRO Digital Archive (Sarajevo, the Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H, Canton Sarajevo) Grahovac, Gavrlio: Ex-Minister of Education and Culture of Federation of B&H (Sarajevo, the Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H, Canton Sarajevo) Grebovi, Nadina: person responsible for cooperation between The National and University Library of B&H and The Digital Media Centre Sarajevo
63
Jovii, Vanja: graduate electrical engineer (The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo), who has participated in several digitalization projects of cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina Klarin, Sofija: Person engaged on digitization in the National and University Library of Croatia Kodri, Lejla: Professor of the Department of Comparative Literature and Librarianship of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo (Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H, Canton Sarajevo) Kuna, Greta: Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Middle Bosnia Canton (Travnik, Federation of B&H) Lendo, Tahir: Travnik Municipality Mayor (Middle Bosnia Canton, Federation of B&H) Lipa, Amela: Person employed in the Cantonal Institute for Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Sarajevo (the Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H) Madacki, Saa: Director of the Human Rights Centre of the University of Sarajevo (Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H, Canton Sarajevo) Ovina, Ismet: The Director of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo, the Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H, Canton Sarajevo) Prguda, Rasim: Director of the National Library in Mostar (Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Federation of B&H) Puljek-Bubri, Narcisa: Director of the Bosniak Institute Library (Sarajevo, the capital of B&H, Federation of B&H) Riedlmayer, Andrs: the bibliographer and historian of the Balkans and the countries of the Middle East; he was a witness in the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia witnessing on purposive destruction of the national cultural heritage of B&H. Rizvi, Selma: Professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Saraje vo and the Director of the Digital Media Center in Sarajevo (Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H, Canton Sarajevo) Rovanin, Mevlida: Program Director of the Research and Documentation Centre (Sarajevo, the capital of B&H, Federation of B&H) Sarajli, Alma: Person engaged on digitization of the Sarajevo Library collections (Sarajevo, the Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H, Canton Sarajevo)
64
krgo, Enes: person employed by the Travnik Public Museum, he was helping the realisation of digitization projects on cultural heritage in Travnik (Middle Bosnia Canton, federation of B&H) pilja, Faruk: Person engaged on digitization of the Gazi Huref -beg's Library collections (Sarajevo, the Capital of B&H, Federation of B&H, Canton Sarajevo) uni, Enisa: Director of the National and University Library 'Dervi Sui' in Tuzla (Federation of B&H, Canton Tuzla)
Institutions unsuccessfully contacted were: The Mostar University Library (Mostar, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Federation of B&H) The National Library of Republic of Serbska (Banja Luka, Republic of Serbska)
As it can be seen, the data collection phase was not very successful. However, from the data collected I tried to make as much as I could; the results will be presented in the following parts of this chapter.
Which are the quality characteristics of cultural heritage digitization projects in B&H that have been conducted up to the present time? What is the importance of these projects for the preservation of cultural heritage in B&H? Which conditions are to be fulfilled in order to make digitization practice in B&H to grow up to national cultural heritage digitization projects?
This list of subjects was compiled according to axial coding principle that is one out of three coding principles characteristic for the grounded theory methodological approach.
Digitization projects planning, selection of materials to be digitized and types of professionals involved Reducing costs of digitization Are the information science professionals involved in the project planning? Necessity to consult recommendations and best practices in cultural heritage digitization projects, before and during the project planning phase Initiatives for starting digitization projects Process of registration and starting of digitization projects Long-term preservation of digital content Project evaluation Project documentation On-line accessibility versus storage on portable media Future plans of specific institutions concerning digitization and future of digitization projects in B&H Recommendation for successful digitization projects in B&H and assessment on the projects that are done or being done in B&H Difficulties in the digitization process Drawbacks of the projects done by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Digitization as guarantee for cultural heritage from potential future purposive destructions Case of Safvet-beg Baagis work Role of Gazi Husrev-begs Library in B&H cultural heritage preservation List of war damages on the national cultural heritage Political influences on digitization in B&H compared to Serbia
66
B&H as a part of EU concerning cultural heritage digitization B&H as an unitary space concerning cultural heritage digitization Hierarchy of cultural institutions in B&H Cooperation between B&H memory institutions Cooperation between the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and B&H memory Institutions International cooperation concerning cultural heritage digitization projects of B&H memory institutions Cooperation between Federal and Republic of Serbska memory institutions BAM Association (Asocijacija bibliotekara, arhivista i muzeologa Bosne I Hercegovine) Two international conferences on digitization took place in Sarajevo this 2010 year: The Fifth SEEDI International Conference Digitization of Cultural and Scientific Heritage, May 19-20, 2010 and the Second International Symposium Digitization of Cultural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina
COBISS BiH, well developed cooperation in the field of librarianship in the digital environment Being a part of European and global cultural heritage does B&H cultural heritage deserve to be protected by EU and global cultural heritage preservation initiative having in mind that history and practice shows that Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have legal apparatus to protect it?
Actual law regulations concerning cultural heritage and supervision of their implementation Law regulations concerning cultural heritage digitization and cooperation between administrative levels in this area Administrative cooperation between Federation of B&H and Republic of Serbska concerning cultural heritage preservation Education of librarians, life-long learning and employment policy
Subjects can be grouped around research questions as it is shown in the charts 4.2 and 4.3.
67
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
35
30
25
20
15
10
1st Subject 3rd Subject 5th Subject 7th Subject 9th Subject 11th Subject
13th Subject
15th Subject 17th Subject 19th Subject 21st Subject 23rd Subject 25th Subject 27th Subject 29th Subject 31st Subject 33rd Subject 1st RQ
68
As it can be seen from the charts 4.2 and 4.3 the second research question gathers the least subjects. As it will be seen later from the data analysis and discussion the most comprehensive answers were collected for the subjects belonging to the second research question.
1st Research Question: Which are the quality characteristics of cultural heritage digitization projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina that have been conducted up to the present time?
1st Subject: Digitization projects planning, selection of materials to be digitized and types of professionals involved Basic Questions in the Interviews: How do you do the project planning and how do you chose what to digitize; in consultation to which professionals and institutions? Has the Library selected the materials to be digitized, if yes, according to what criteria it has been done?
In the Sarajevo Library the Register containing hundred titles of old and rare books intended to be digitized was made during 2009. At the very beginning of this project this kind of selection has been appraised as useful. For the Register creation, the supporter was the Foundation for Librarianship, but at the moment the library-staff engaged on digitization of cultural heritage disposes only of legal income and human resources. In the Sarajevo Library the selection is oriented to the monument materials (published until 1945) belonging to the Native land collection of the Sarajevo Library. The importance of such materials is recognized in micro and macro level all according to the Rules and Regulations of the Library.
69
In the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina the priority for digitization are materials held in special collections. In cooperation with the Gazi Husrevbeg's Library, 800 manuscripts have been digitized. For further digitization the maps from the Austro-Hungarian period have been prepared. Some of the old and valuable books and old periodicals have been digitized with the main aim of preservation. The priority, when it comes to digitization, are the most important, the oldest and the most valuable materials held in special collections. In the National Library in Mostar the selection of materials to be digitized has not been done. The same situation is with the Public Library in Travnik. In the Gazi Husrev-bey's Library materials to be digitized are being chosen by the Librarys professional team. In order to choose what to digitize, the Digital Media Centre uses the criterion of scientific and research relevance of objects, but the decisions are being made in consultation with professionals in the field of the cultural heritage. In the INFOBIRO Knowledge database Mediacentar Sarajevo, for the purpose of clarity and the projects implementation monitoring, materials to be digitized are chronologically divided into five parts: Ottoman period; Austro-Hungarian period; Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians / Kingdom Yugoslavia; The period of socialism; Independent B&H. The earliest materials are of priority. During 2010, with the cooperation with other institutions, the Ottoman period is planned to be completely digitized. Selection on what is to be digitized is based upon appraisal of value, risk and anticipated usage. Value is defined as informative value, artistic value and proved value. According to the risk criterion the materials are divided into materials of high risk - physically unstable materials and materials of average risk that are exposed to the mechanical damage due to usage. Estimated usage is defined as criterion that defines the level of potential users interest. Vanja Jovii, who has been an author of two projects led by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, says that for her two projects she contacted the Public Museum in Travnik 12. The professionals of this institution were contacted in many phases of project realization and one of them was the professional consultant and the projects co-author. Informally, the architects were consulted, especially in the phase of the digital architecture blueprint creations.
* As it can be seen from the first subject, in the libraries of the capital (Sarajevo) the digitization efforts are going on. On the other hand, in other towns, even in so important such as Mostar, the digitization has not been planned yet. The reason may be the money deficiency if to take into account
12
This project was introduced in the second part of the Literature Review
70
the fact that Canton Sarajevo has the highest standard in B&H. Besides, Sarajevo as the capital is influenced by external movements in librarianship, from the region of SEE, EU as well as the global initiatives. Despite the fact that the National and University Library does not have the solved status and does not have financial support from the state level, digitization activities are planned. The NUL has traditionally had the role of the most important and parental institution of librarianship in B&H, and it is normal that the project planning is in good level, although the possibilities for realization of projects have not been achieved yet. The best developed project planning has been done in the INFOBIRO Digital Archive, Mediacentar Sarajevo. Taking into account the fact that the projects of INFOBIRO have been financed by the Federal Government and that in the team for project planning and realization the information professionals are engaged, the awareness on the importance and clear understanding of the user needs is logical. More about the digitization activities in this institution can be read in the Literature review chapter of this study. As it will be discussed later, anent the other subjects, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the trend of abstracting the main cultural heritage preservation activities, especially concerning digitization, from the memory institutions of the national importance and accrediting them to the just founded new institutions is very obvious. The excellent example is the case of INFOBIRO Digital Archive apropos the Mediacentar Sarajevo. This institution has been accredited to digitize the content of the national importance such as the first Bosnian printed gazettes etc. Mediacentar Sarajevo, because of copyrights issues, must sign a contract with the National Museum of B&H for digitization of selected materials. At the same time, the National Museum of B&H is completely apart of any digitization activity and is struggling to accomplish even its traditional role due to the fact that there is no financial support for this institution from any level of the administration in B&H. The materials of the national importance should be held and preserved in the institutions of the national importance because they are approved as good in cultural heritage preservation. Besides, the memory institutions of the national importance although at the moment in difficult situation are guarantee for longevity of the cultural heritage materials because they cannot disappear. On the other hand, and as it was explained before, in order to start cooperation between memory institutions the hierarchy must exist and by realizing of such important projects in important institutions the credibility of these institutions would increase as well. This is of common interest for preserving the national culture and identity.
Have you adopted some of recommended practices for cost reduction during the digitization projects and do you evaluate the projects against the criterion of cost-effectiveness? Besides, do you have the economic science professionals in your project planning team?
In the Digital Media Centre the projects are being done with the minimal costs and in the team there is professional economist, the technical coordinator of projects. In the INFOBIRO Knowledge database Media Centre Sarajevo, by distributing DVDs with the digital content and by offering that content on INFOBIRO for free, the principle of costs decreasing is introduced. In the Gazi Husrevbegs Library the cost-effectiveness strategies have not been adopted and the projects have not being evaluated against that criterion. * In the Mediacentar Sarajevo, concerning the INFOBIROs digitized content, the principle of content sharing as a guarantee for cost-effective digital preservation has been applied. This kind of approach is specific for the information professionals. That principle was applied in order to save as much as possible of burned collections of the National and University Library of B&H and the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo recalling the copied or worldwide distributed samples of the unique materials. The response of Selma Rizvi, the director of the Digital media Centre shows the fact that this institution has not been developed the strategy for digital preservation of the content because this issue is the most expensive over long period of time.
3rd Subject: Are the information science professionals involved in the project planning? Basic Interview Question: Do you have the information professionals in your team for project planning? In the project planning team of the Digital Media Centre, the information professionals have not been engaged.
* The fact that the efforts of the Digital Media Centre are not organized multidisciplinary and that in the cultural heritage digitization projects the information professionals are not engaged testifies that this institution up to now has not developed a serious long-term plan for the digitization of the cultural heritage in B&H and that all this is still in the experimental phase. This fact has many potential bad consequences and the most important among them is the possibility that digital content
72
can simply disappear over time. As it will be seen later, Mr. Riedlmayer gives some examples of digitization projects national importance are places with long tradition of the cultural heritage preservation and the staff employed in these institutions is aware of necessity to preserve cultural heritage over long period of time.
4th Subject: Necessity to consult recommendations and best practices in cultural heritage digitization projects, before and during the project planning phase
Basic Interview Question: Have you had an obligation when making a specific plan for digitization of cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina to consult with the recommended practices which are available via the Internet on sites of important digitization projects in Europe, such as the UNESCO project Memory of the World, MINERVA etc.? Vanja Jovii responded that she has not had such an obligation and the rea son is that the primary goal of the projects was not the digitization itself, but rather the researching of ways for presentation of the cultural heritage using the information technology, but for the projects potentially led by leading memory institutions such kind of practice should be an obligation. * It is very well noted by Vanja Jovii the importance and necessity to consult recommended practices concerning digitization projects as well as affiliation of digitization activities to the memory institutions in order to ensure and protect the longevity and the quality of the projects.
Basic Question in the Interviews: Digitization projects which you have directed and in which you have participated, on the initiative of which institution or person / persons were they running?
73
The digitization activities in the Gazi Husrev-beg's Library have been initiated, planned and led by the Library management team, the director of the Library and non-governmental organizations for cultural heritage preservation (FURQAN from London). The digitization 97 projects made by the Digital Media Centre were initiated, planned and led b y Prof. Dr. Selma Rizvi. * It is obvious that in the Gazi Husrev-begs Library the approach to digitization project planning is done in consultation with the whole team of professionals skilled in the cultural heritage preservation.
6th Subject: Process of registration and starting of digitization projects Basic Question in the Interviews: What is the procedure for registration and initiation of the projects, and who is the sponsor?
Vanja Jovii who was engaged in the project planning, development and realization in digitization using 3D technique says that according to her discovery there is no established procedure for registration and starting of cultural heritage digitization projects in B&H. Besides, she emphasizes that there is no official institution with a role to protect cultural heritage that is employed with digitization of cultural objects especially not at the level of 3D presentation. On the question how a project for digitization of documentary cultural heritage in B&H today can be registered, how can it obtain the status of the project of national importance for the whole country, and how can it be supported from the highest, i.e. state level, the Minister in the Middle Bosnia Canton Ms. Kuna responded that she does not have such kind of information. Mr. Tahir Lendo, the Travnik Municipality major, gave some concrete examples saying that the digitization project is planned to be realized through the project of Register of Immovable Cultural Heritage built by the municipality major. The project is being implemented as a part of implementation strategy of Travnik Municipality development. The Public Museum in Travnik did the digitization of the Memory Museum Ivo Andri and it is planned to start the collections digitization of the Public Museum in Travnik. The National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina organizes seminars on digitization and the Public Museum in Travnik registers as the participant.
74
* Out of these responses, it is obvious that in B&H, the procedures for starting the digitization projects do not exist and are not developed at the moment. Having in mind the power distribution in the state as it was introduced in the introductory part of this study, this fact is not surprising.
Basic Interview Questions: Have you developed a long-term preservation policy? Do you have a plan for long-term preservation of digitized materials, and if you have, explain the way in which long-term preservation planning will ensure availability: by duplication, migration or emulation?
The Gazi Husrev-bey's Library has developed the long-term preservation policy. INFOBIRO Mediacentar Sarajevo has developed the long-term preservation policy. In the Sarajevo Library the long-term preservation policy hasnt been developed yet. According to Prof. Dr. Selma Rizvi in the Digital Media Centre there is no long -term preservation policy for the digitized cultural heritage objects, but the efforts in establishing it are ongoing. This issue has been the focal point during the second conference about the digitization in Sarajevo (May, 2010).
* The non-uniformity and diversity in between the projects led by the institutions is obvious. All the institutions do the digitization physically in a very small place but without any kind of cooperation.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: How do you track the progress and success of projects which you are the leader of, or in any way, by which standards do you evaluate digital library projects? Do you have a team for this work and, if you have, whether this team is made up of different professional profiles?
75
Participating in some projects of digitalization of cultural heritage in B&H, which were requirements for these projects to be eligible and by whom were the projects evaluated?
According to Selma Rizvi, in the Digital Media Centre the project results are being published in the scientific journals and conferences that pass peer-review control. Besides, the user-studies of applications are being done as well as ordinary users as well as with the persons employed in museums and other institutions of cultural heritage preservation. In the INFOBIRO Knowledge database Mediacentar Sarajevo the evaluation is of internal nature, taking place after every completed year. External evaluation is planned to be done in 2010. It is planned to involve partners in order to achieve better quality results. In the Gazi Husrev-bey Library in Sarajevo, the evaluation of digitization projects is being done in comparison with the UNESCO standards. According to Alma Sarajli, in the Sarajevo Library the project evaluation has not been done. According to Vanja Jovii, the projects she was engaged on were not primarily digitization projects, but their focus was exploring the possibilities of digital presentation of cultural heritage from the technical perspective. These projects were part of the individual research work and they have not being assessed according to any official criterions on cultural heritage digitization neither she is not aware that they exist. * Here it has to be noted the discrepancy between the statement of Selma Rizvi and that of Vanja Jovii. Both of them were engaged on the same projects. Besides, the fact that in th e digitization projects the memory institutions workers are treated as users, not as collaborators tells a lot about the fact that there is a lot space for improving cooperation and to increase it to appropriate level. The responses of Alma Sarajli have shown that up to now in the Sarajevo Library the digitization activity is not methodical enough.
76
Have you recorded each stage of projects and those that are under way in order to avoid duplication of digitization and to be able to make your own set of recommended practices when it comes to this activity?
Have you been doing the documentation of each stage in the development and implementation of the projects, and are these materials available to a wider scientific public in B&H?
In the Sarajevo Library the project documentation is being done consistently although the digitization projects in this institution are still at the beginning. The documentation for the two projects Vanja Jovii was engaged on, was done according to the phase succession and its availability for wider publicity is not restricted. But until today there has not been any interested side for these materials.
* Project documentation is very important issue in the communities where the digitization activity is regulated and monitored, in the communities with well developed cooperation patterns. In B&H it is still not the case.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: Are all the projects you've done available via internet or otherwise? Why did you decide for this solution, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of the online availability for digital libraries? Do you intend to present the digitized content available on-line or do you intend to keep it on some portable digital media? Please explain the reasons why do you prefer one or the other option? According to Vanja Jovii, who has been engaged in two projects: Photor ealistic 3D Reconstruction and Multimedia Presentation of the Citadel Travnik and Using of the Digital Storytelling in Presentation of the Cultural Heritage Based Upon Example of Vizier Konak in Travnik (working title), the project that has been finishe d, is available on-line on the address www.virtual-garbun.org as well as in off-line form, on CD. Such kind of solution was a product of
77
previous projects experiences done in B&H and worldwide. Availability of digitized materials via Internet and other networks increases its distribution to variety of user groups. The disadvantage is permanent necessity for optimization of content in order to stay on-line available, but the advantages are worth of this kind of compromise. Besides, physical digital media are also very useful way for dissemination of projects results because they can be used as a part of tourist souvenirs in specific culturally and historically valuable locations. In the Gazi Husrev-begs Library according to the financial possibilities, the digitized materials are being planned to be made available on-line. Some of the digitized materials are available on-line on the official web-site of the Sarajevo Library, but it is still a small number.
* The conclusion is that the best option is to have on-line and off-line materials available. But the fact is, that portable digital media also need maintenance in order to stay accessible over time.
11th Subject: Future plans of specific institutions concerning digitization and future of digitization projects in B&H.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: What are the plans for the future, do you plan to develop new cooperation with the aim of launching digitization projects, do you plan the development of the existing cooperation and, in general, how do you see the future of the Library when it comes to digitization? What are the plans for the future? Do you think that digital preservation of cultural heritage in B&H has the future? How do you see the future of digital preservation of cultural heritage in B&H, and whether you think it can turn into a cost effective and safe preservation method of our past and present?
Gazi Husrev-beg's Library plans are to make all digitized content available on-line and full-text searchable in the future according to technical and economical capabilities. In the INFOBIRO Knowledge database Media Centre Sarajevo for the future it is planned to go on with digital preservation of printed cultural heritage. It is planned to activate the Bosnian cultural heritage that is outside of the country. INFOBIRO has been working on intensive lobbying in order
78
private sector and big BH-companies to be involved and to sustain the process of digitization and preservation of cultural and historical heritage of the country. According to Selma Rizvi, the digital preservation of cultural heritage in B&H has future. With up to now realized projects, the Digital Media Centre has obtained good references. The applications for IPA13 and EU FP714 projects were sent and if the suggestion becomes approved the corresponding infrastructure for systematic digitization and digital preservation of cultural heritage in B&H will be created (S. Rizvi, personal communication, Mart 29, 2010). According to Vanja Jovii, the cultural heritage digitization in B&H has the future, but the process itself has to be constituted in a multidisciplinary way involving different institutions whose primary goal is to preserve cultural heritage. Such a step would be necessary for all interested sides. As the first result of the activities of such multidisciplinary team she sees the formation of the body for establishment of validation and standards. It is possible because now there is enough experience in different scientific fields. Andrs Riedlmayer answered that he has not a definite answer about cost-effectiveness of digitization and that he cannot predict what will happen, since so much seems to depend on unpredictable factors, such as the political and economic environment in B&H, at least in the near term. Over the long term, he is optimistic that within the framework of European institutions and standards and with a combination of European and international support and local initiatives, digitization will provide not only a way of preserving Bosnia and Herzegovinas cultural heritage, but also a way of making it widely accessible. * The conclusion is that Vanja Jovii and Andrs Riedlmayer have in mind wider environment, not the specific institution which makes their perspective more objective. The fact is that external factors, especially in B&H, must be taken into account when it comes to cultural heritage digitization projects.
12th Subject: Recommendations for successful digitization projects in B&H and assessment of the projects that were done or are being done in B&H
Please, see about IPA via following link: <http://www.ipa.co.uk//> Please, see about EU FP7 via following link: <http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html>
79
From the professional point of view of the specialist on digital culture, please give your comments on the following completed Bosnian cultural heritage digitization projects that are available through the links below.
Please give your recommendations for successful digitization of documentary cultural heritage in B&H. Please, assess whether projects in which you have participated have been successful?
Isa-bey's tekija Mr. Feliciati said that he knew about the project, hearing the presentation of it by Selma Rizvic in Belgrade 2009, during the SEEDI meeting. He found the project very fascinating both form the technical point of view (3d modeling, collection and digitization of different kind of documents starting from the photographs and finishing with oral presentations) and from the cultural point of view because it is crucial for a community not to lose memory of its origins and traditions, that are often represented in places, buildings, and squares where people have met, worked, prayed, and shared their lives. Bosnian Traditional Objects This web project on traditional objects is very well realized and interesting because of the importance of the study of traditions. Sometimes the use of high-level technologies is useful inside a museum or a library, but on the Web and the content has to be as much simple and accessible as possible, to be efficiently viewed and used by remote users as well as indexed by the search engines or to be shared by national/international aggregators like Europeana (P. Feliciati, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Virtual 3D reconstruction of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Mostar This project is very nice and well built such as the previous two. I repeat my personal opinion of the necessity of distinguishing the basic web contents from the advanced ones (like 3d reconstructions): from the second kind there must be obtained always the first one (P. Feliciati, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Multimedia 3D presentation and the 3D printout of the Saborna Church in Sarajevo Interesting and very well done (P. Feliciati, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Stecaks: Digital Catalogue
80
This projects, that similarly to previous ones starts from advanced digital documentation, has as a plus value of the digital catalogue of stecaks and a good presentation on the cultural importance and characteristics of such heritage (P. Feliciati, personal communication, March 26 , 2010). Virtual reconstruction of the Viziers Konak in Travnik This project at the moment seems to be on progress. Its characteristics would seem similar to the first one (P. Feliciati, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Virtual National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina The virtual museums are always fascinating and attractive. The National Museum of Bosnia version seems really a good project. But people from far countries would be more interested in more pictures, documents, information on openings and access information than in virtual 3d modeling. People who already visited the museum may play with such resources remembering their visit, but people who are interested in planning a trip or a visit need more other kind of web contents (P. Felic iati, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Prof. Dr. Lejla Kodri commented the digitization projects that are done in B&H and said that these projects belong to already remote and attractive area of heritage visualization and in BH context they are examples of good practice. Efforts of this kind despite the necessary limits abet awareness of competent institutions and wider community about the necessity of investing in such kind of projects. By their attractiveness they obtrude to social and user community interests and users needs typical for more developed communities in terms of information. The usage of digital technology concerning the cultural heritage objects that do not exist today, is very important. Promotion of cultural heritage in such a way and possibility to increase the informativeness of artifacts, taking into account the restrictions in physical handling is remarkable, but these projects are also worth because of possibility for research development and even entertainment immanent to multimedia visualization of cultural heritage. Bilinguality of the projects is the guarantee for promotion of BH culture in wider global community. Besides, in wider cultural heritage community in B&H there are some, for wider user community maybe less attractive but still very important projects that need more efforts to be invested in. First of all these are the special collections of BH cultural heritage institutions. The process of digitization these collections has to be started soon in order to make the digitization in BH cultural heritage institutions the continuous activity reserved not only for sporadic representative projects but for everyday cultural heritage activity that will enable users to access the heritage through the user-friendly interface in digital environment (L. Kodri, personal communication, March 26, 2010).
81
According to Pierluigi Feliciati, the preservation of B&H heritage from destructions and loss must start form the full knowledge of the heritage, so cataloguing and describing are the first bricks of the digital building that is to be created. Then, the digital reproduction of single documents must be launched taking in consideration the importance of original links among documents (especially for archival ones). A description model like that of MICHAEL (http://www.michael-culture.eu) creates the conditions for a long-term strategy of digitization: the research of what does exist in a country in terms of digital collections (with the essential information on who, what, where, when, why) creates a management tool for the wise governance of a strategy.
* In appraising ongoing and completed projects of digitization B&H cultural heritage, Pierluigi Feliciatis general point is that from the technical perspective projects are very well done, but the results are still not enough user-friendly, with not enough information for potential users; the projects are concentrated on usage of the most advanced techniques, but not on the meaning and logical aims of such projects which are worldwide accessibility and transmitting of information in the best way possible. Compared to Lejla Kodris general appraisal that takes into account specific context and possibilities to overcome the constraints, the comments of Pierluigi Feliciati are still more useful because it is possible to derive general conclusion out of these short and specific comments. In the recommendations for successful digitization practice in B&H the way for bridging the reality of B&H with best practices and recommendations in the area of digitization of cultural heritage is given. Out of the comment of Pierluigi Feliciati it is clear that in Bosnia and Herzegovina we must find a way to follow global recommendations for digital practice despite the fact that the circumstances in B&H are very specific. Even if there is no administrative apparatus that would be able to support and monitor digitization activities on the level of the state, the culture workers in B&H should be aware that culture is their responsibility and finally it is up to them to preserve it for future generations. High level of awareness would increase cooperation and return to the main state cultural institutions the importance they deserve. To have a strong network of memory institutions is a guarantee for longevity of digitization projects and it is the guarantee for survival of the culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
82
Basic Question in the Interviews: What are the difficulties encountered in the process of digitization?
Vanja Jovii was asked to tell about the obstacles she was faced with during all project phases and she said that they were mostly connected to procurement of documents about object of interest for digitization. It is very big problem to get digitized documentation (architectural plans etc.). This problem was very significant during the Using of the Digital Storytelling in Presentation of the Cultural Heritage Based Upon Example of Vizier Konak in Travnik project because there is no documentation about the object in the Commission for National Monuments Preservation. Needed documentation was got from the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sport in non-digitized form. Besides, there is a lack of understanding for individual initiatives for such kind of projects and, at the same time, none of institutions whose responsibility should be virtual heritage creation and preservation does not have any standards for this field neither any project started. In the Sarajevo Public Library the obstacle is deficiency of human resources. According to Dragan Golubovi, the main problem is the fact that digitization is not institutionalized there is no any strategy officially prescribed for the digitization of cultural and historical heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
* If it exist strong cooperation of memory institutions and technical staff, it would be possible come out together, in the name of organization and to ask for materials needed for digitization projects. The regulations concerning digitization would be possible to carry out would increase the quality and quantity of digitization projects in B&H.
14th Subject: Drawbacks of the projects done by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering15
Basic Questions in the Interviews: How do you comment on the fact that the projects done so far by the ETF in Sarajevo generally do not meet the criteria of eased browsing, which means that one of the most important aspects of digital library the metadata simply was overlooked?
15
The same team of Electrical Engineering professionals established Digital Media Center.
83
In the Human Rights Centre, University of Sarajevo web-site, in the section of the Mission and Vision of the Research and Development Department, it is said that the vision is to develop the leading lab in the region for the promotion and usage of informationcommunication technologies, computer supported human rights research, theoretical research, applicable research and experimental development with the aim of reaching timely and financially justified efficient problem solving themes that will be of interest to the Centre and other human rights organizations. Have you realized this goal and to what extent?
According to Vanja Jovii the focus of her projects was neither to facilitate browsing of the digitized objects nor they belong to any digital library. As the matter of fact, the library of digitized objects of the cultural-historical heritage does not exist, especially not in the form created in the mentioned projects: 3D techniques, virtual reality etc. In order to create such kind of library it would be necessary to involve more institutions and elaborate standards on the level of the state. According to Saa Madacki, the progress of the Research and Development Department has been stopped due to the money deficiency, as well as the plans for lab institution. * The orientation to technical aspect cannot be the excuse, because the team for project planning and realization had to establish cooperation with the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to get the allowance to scan the objects. If the Human Resource Centre would be able to establish laboratory for digitization, the in-house staff would be engaged in the projects of digitization because the team employed in this institution is multidisciplinary. Besides, the Centre has developed cooperation with more than fifty organizations from different fields of science and services. In the projects the Centre uses cooperation maximally and the culture of cooperation is the key skill concerning successful digitization projects especially in environments such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, the environments without established routines for the projects in the field of culture.
2nd Research Question: What is the importance of these projects for the preservation of cultural heritage in B&H?
84
15th Subject: Digitization as a guarantee for cultural heritage from potential future purposive destructions
Basic Questions in the Interviews: From the technical point of view, is it possible to protect our cultural heritage from destruction using digitization? I am talking specifically about the burning of libraries, archives, destruction of mosques etc. during the war 1992-1995? Whether the digitization of cultural heritage guarantees its long term preservation and what is to be done, from the technical point of view in order to achieve this aim? Please give the detailed answer. Which steps B&H cultural workers can take to protect cultural heritage from possible intentional destruction in the future? Do you think that digitization of cultural heritage is the safest way to ensure protection of the heritage against the re-targeted and systematic burning, destruction, like the destruction that occurred during the last war (1992-1995)? According to Faruk pilja, the digitization, microfilming and preserving of additional archival copies of digital materials is a solution for possible future purposive destructions of Bosnian cultural heritage. Dragan Golubovi thinks that digitization of cultural heritage as well as its widest use is an indisputable path in order to prevent it from the systematic alighting and destroying redo. Greta Kuna thinks that the cultural heritage digitization is a way of preventing it from future purposive destructions. She sees the digitization as a kind of archiving and presenting of data about cultural heritage and says that it is one of the priority goals in B&H society. Tahir Lendo says that the digitization is a very important way for creation of databases which preserve records on the cultural heritage, its preservation issues and digital presentation. Selma Rizvi says that from the technical perspective, digitizat ion is the response against destroying, enabling its virtual reconstruction. Besides, the digitization opens the possibility for the multimedia presentation of the cultural heritage and spreading of knowledge about tradition and culture of the people. It abets development of cultural tourism. When asked to tell what can be done in order to prevent future purposive destructions of the B&H cultural heritage, Andrs Riedlmayer says that the digitization is certainly a part of the answer, but one has to keep in mind that digitized heritage has its own vulnerabilities. It requires an ongoing commitment of expertise and resources, including hardware (servers) and software that has to be
85
maintained, updated and re-mastered on a regular basis. Data must be stored and backed up at multiple sites and secured from malicious attacks (physical and virtual) as well as mechanical or electrical failures. It can be difficult to achieve in practice. (A. Riedlmayer, personal communication, March 29, 2010) Besides, Mr. Riedlmayer recommends to see the Slobodna Bosna interview that was paraphrased in the introductory part of this study, the Definitions subchapter (Riedlmayer, 2008, pp. 58-61); and also the slides from his paper presented at the 15th ICA [www.arhivsa.ba/ica2004/andras.htm] for examples of how state-of-the-art emergency preparedness plans can break down and fail to protect heritage in moments of crisis.
* On one side there are very optimistic opinions about the possibilities for the cultural heritage to survive using digitization and on the other side there is the opinion of Andrs Riedlmayer that says that digital preservation of national cultural heritage cannot be initiated, established and carried out without strong support, especially if we have in mind the fact that the national heritage of B&H already has been a target to purposive destruction despite the fact that it was maintained by well educated and skilled staff. That happened because of not-normal circumstances for which no education or training can be fitting.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: Safvet Bey Basagic, Bosnian historian, writer, journalist, biographer, in order to protect the extremely valuable and important collection of his works, put it in the Slovak National Library. Slovak National Library digitized the collection, and applied to UNESCO for the protection of it. Is this procedure the solution of our problems with regard to the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina now has a complete works of Safvet-beg Baagi available, while the collections in possession of the National and University Library of B&H disappeared in fire? Safvet-beg Baagi, Bosnian historian, writer, journalist, biographer, in order to protect the extremely valuable and important collection of his works, put it in the Slovak National Library. Unfortunately, further historical development on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed the foresightedness of his steps. After the destruction of the
86
collections of the National Library in Sarajevo in the fire during war has Basagics collection become a solitary and precious preserved corpus of monuments of Bosnian Muslim culture and Islamic culture in general in European context. UNESCO has included the Basagics collection in the Memory of the World Register in 1997. In order to adequately protect the original documents and thus to preserve them for the next generations and, at the same time, to enable the public to use them, the Library has decided to digitize the collection and to publish it in an electronic form. In your opinion, what measures have to be taken to avoid the destruction of Bosnian cultural heritage in the future and to overcome the losses caused by the war? Could active digitization of documentary cultural heritage help to preserve the heritage? Andrs Riedlmayer has said that every nations cultural heritage is also a part of the heritage of all human kind. Its preservation is a priority that should not be limited by borders. However, the vulnerability and limitation of digitization as a preservation tool should be kept in mind, as well as the shortcomings of UNESCO. Its designations can be valuable for public relations purposes, but they cannot actually protect heritage thus, UNESCO could not do anything to prevent the 19911992 bombardment of the old town of Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO to some extent can serve as a clearing house for information, but it has not been very effective in delivering funding or practical technical assistance for heritage preservation, either in wartime or in most postwar situations, whether in the Balkans in the 1990s or in Iraq after the 2003 US invasion. There are many ways to address the problem, but there is no single solution. According to Pierluigi Feliciati, the project of digitization of Safvet-beg Baagi collection is the perfect first step the right strategy in order to enhance Bosnian cultural heritage using digitization technologies. A digital library is wider and worldwide more opened in comparison to the of course important physical Library. It's crucial to well-manage even at national level the process: what was done, by whom and how. After that, the management and maintenance strategies of the new immaterial digitalized heritage can be better organized. * The main difference between these two responses is that Mr. Riedlmayer does not see concrete solutions and Mr. Feliciati does see. The reason is probably in the fact that Mr. Riedlmayer knows very well the situation in B&H (or Iraq after the 2003 US invasion) and he does not have any concrete recommendations. The question is what it means for the culture and for the people to survive. How many persons have to survive so that it is possible to say that the nation has survived? How large amount of artifacts has to survive so that it could be said that the culture has survived?
87
The case of Safvet-beg Baagi is an exception not a rule, and such kind of practice cannot become a rule: a person has its particularity only connected with the specific space, or specific part of the country. Bosnian person is Bosnian only in case if Bosnia exists and so it is with the culture. Large amount of Bosnian artifacts that are being preserved worldwide are testifying about Bosnia, but they have the real sense only if the environment where they were created, exists. Otherwise, it is a dead and senseless part of the past without any witnesses to give the meaning to it. Maybe the only possible solution is sharing as much as possible copies of digitized materials hoping that at least some of them will survive.
17th Subject: Role of Gazi Husrev-begs Library in B&H cultural heritage preservation
Basic Question in the Interviews: How do you see the role of Gazi Husrev-begs Library in preserving cultural and historical identity of people of Bosnia and Herzegovina? Faruk pilja identifies this library as important segment in conservation and evaluation of the cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a proof, he offers the fact that Gazi Husrev-begs Library has managed to backup all its funds and materials during the turbulent Bosnian history. The funds were replaced to nine various places in the city of Sarajevo during the war 1992-1995. The main goal and objective of this library is collecting and conserving materials that represent cultural and historical identity of Bosnia and Herzegovina people. * The case of survival of the Gazi Husrev-begs Library collections, Mr. Riedlmayer in his i nterview given to Slobodna Bosna, emphasizes as victory of the staff employed in this institution. Edified with what happened to the Oriental Institute in Sarajevo and many other institutions, the library staff was aware that the collections of this library would be very important to be destructed. Now Bosnia and Herzegovina still has very valuable and old collections testifying on very long and glorious history of B&H (Slobodna Bosna, 2008).
88
Basic Question in the Interview: Mr. Riedlmayer, you have participated in making the list of damaged and destroyed cultural heritage in Bosnia after the last war, 1992-1995. In your opinion, will it be possible to compile a joint list, based on international standards, for the documentary cultural heritage that should be digitized? Do you think that it is possible in the area throughout B&H? What steps do you think should be taken on this path even though it is obvious that there is no political will, and that this is the vital work for the survival of culture and identity of the state and nation? RESPONSE16: Please keep in mind that the various post -war surveys I have carried out for the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which document wartime damage and destruction of cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are limited in scope. They were compiled for the purposes of specific war crimes trials and the coverage of the reports corresponds to the specific terms of the indictment in each of these cases limited to certain sets of municipalities (districts) and specific time periods (e.g. only the damage done in the first year of the war, in some cases). Furthermore these reports may cover certain categories of damage to heritage, but not others. Those indicated in these particular cases were charged with the destruction of religious heritage (houses of worship, religious archives and religious libraries) of the non-Serb communities in B&H (mainly Muslim and Roman Catholic). I was not called as a witness in any of the several cases before the ICTY in which Croat or Bosniak defendants were tried on charges of destruction of cultural property during the war. For example, one of my expert reports for the Tribunal, prepared for the case The Prosecutor v. Vojislav eelj, documents the damage to cultural heritage in Mostar during April-June 1992, when Mostar was under siege by the Serb-led Yugoslav Peoples Army (JNA) and Serb nationalist militias. But that expert report does not cover the extensive damage to Mostars heritage during the period 1993-1994, when the historic city was under siege by the Bosnian Croat forces (HVO). That was treated in other cases before the Tribunal in which I was not involved. My expert reports for the ICTY have much useful documentation but they cannot take the place of a systematic, countrywide survey - they reflect the specific requirements of each of the several cases in which I testified. Also, for some municipalities covered in my expert reports for the tribunal the documentation is fairly extensive; but for some of the other municipalities, it is merely representative rather than comprehensive.
16
This response I decided to insert as a whole because of its importance for understanding of position of cultural heritage in B&H.
89
As you know, there are many problems that make any comprehensive documentation of cultural heritage in B&H difficult. The chief among these is the political fragmentation of the country since the end of the 1992-95 war. Before the war, there was a single republic-wide Institute that had the task of monitoring and documenting cultural heritage in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The state institute that had been in charge of heritage protection in B&H before the war lost its former countrywide mandate and budgetary support, as a result of the decentralized political arrangements imposed by the Dayton Peace Accords. The importance of cultural heritage was recognized in Daytons Annex 8, which called for the establishment of a Commission to Preserve National Monuments17. A Commission was set up after the war, but during the first six years of its existence it remained mired in disputes about political and procedural issues and had neither budget nor the staff nor the legislative authority to conduct any first-hand assessments. In early 2002, the Commission on National Monuments was completely restructured and since then the Commission () has made considerable progress in designating and documenting a number of monuments and sites deemed worthy of protection. However the Annex 8 Commissions funding and mandate remain circumscribed and it is still a long way from a chieving a countrywide documentation of Bosnia and Herzegovinas heritage. Daytons legacy of decentralization and the devolution of governmental authority, funding and initiative to the local level, means that it is the local authorities, at the level of cantons and municipalities, that are now in charge of the actual inventory, assessment and protection of cultural heritage. Some of the local authorities, such as the Canton of Sarajevo, have the resources and expert staff needed to carry out such tasks. In many other local administrations, there is often insufficient funding or political will and the expertise is either deficient or lacking. There is at present no ministry in Bosnias state -level government that is concerned with cultural affairs. The subject of culture and heritage has become highly politicized and is now subdivided into ethnic categories, some of which are routinely privileged while others are neglected, depending on local political circumstances. Under these circumstances, joint projects are unlikely to succeed unless there is impetus, training and funding from external sources (European or other international agencies or non-governmental organizations [NGOs]) that is deliberately structured so as to reward cooperation across administrative and ethnic boundaries, and funded at a level calculated to attract the serious attention and participation of local authorities and institutions in B&H. Until systematic projects can be organized and coordinated, small-scale initiatives, carried out on an ad-hoc basis by local Bosnian
17
Please, see about Dayton Peace Agreement via following link: <http://www.state.gov/www/regions/eur/bosnia/bosagree.html>
90
or international NGOs or ad hoc organizations are trying to fill the gap. I am aware of a number of such digitization initiatives, including the ones that you mention in your project proposal. But there are also some other initiatives, such as the project to digitize the collections of manuscripts held by the library of the Gazi Husrev-Beg Library in Sarajevo [www.ghbibl.com.ba], and also some of the digitization projects that have been organized or hosted by the Fondacija Kemal Bakari [www.openbook.ba/arhiva.html]. Among the latter are the Bosnian Manuscript Ingathering Project and others; for details, see the Foundations website and an interview I gave to the weekly Slobodna Bosna no. 64 (12 June 2008), pp. 58-61. There are also some disappeared initiatives, like the small scale project, based at the University of Eastern Sarajevo (RS), that some years ago digitized and displayed on the Web examples of the incunabula (early printed books) from Bosnias first printing press, Orthodox liturgical books printed at the old Church of Saint George at Donja Sopotnica, near Gorade in the 1520s and 1530s. Unfortunately, the Web pages from that project have since then disappeared from the universitys Web site. Such small -scale initiatives are often forced to rely on short-term funding and institutional support, which may or may not continue. They serve a useful purpose, but by themselves they cannot meet the enormous countrywide need for the systematic documentation and preservation of Bosnia and Herzegovinas endangered heritage (A. Riedlmayer, personal communication, March 29, 2010).
* This response summarizes all problems facing preservation of the cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The perspective of Mr. Riedlmayer is very important because it gives a broader perspective to problems facing BH cultural heritage preservation.
Basic Interview Questions: How do you think that politics have affected the digitization of cultural heritage in the context of your country and your national library, and how do you think that politics have affected the activity in the field of digitization of documentary heritage when it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina? What are the similarities and differences between the two countries in terms of digitization?
91
Dont you think that it is at least unusual to expect the National and University Library that was burned by Serbian forces, to cooperate with the National Library of Serbia and the National Library of Republic of Serbska? In the other words, according to your opinion, what is the concrete solution to the political and cultural rift that was caused by war 1992 - 1995, and whose consequences B&H culture, just like every other sector of public life, very much still strongly feels?
According to Tamara Butigan, in Serbia, politics does not have particular influence on the cultural heritage digitization. It seems like there is a lack of understanding in the official politics for this issue and for institutional needs when it comes to digitization. She says that she is not up to date with the political circumstances in B&H so she is not able to say about influence of politics on digitization in this country, but she sees a lot of similar points in the digital practice in Serbia and B&H, judged on the examples she is familiar with. In both countries she thinks, the support from the state failed and that kind of support is essential for national digitization projects. In such circumstances the digitization is reduced to enthusiasm of individuals and abilities of managers to recognize the importance and necessity of digitization in process of keeping, preservation and dissemination of the cultural and scientific heritage. According to Lejla Kodri, the cooperation in the culture sphere is necessary. To the ethics and practice of memory institutions it is immanent to overcome all religious, racial, national, sexual, class and any other differences. Anyway for the cooperation it is necessary interested sides to exist and this is the point in which it is possible to see the full complexity not only political, but also cultural cooperation in B&H. As culture and culture workers have additional responsibility of abetting the ethical awareness about the common ownership, sharing and using of information resources, collaborative solutions will probably be found soon, by realizing that it is the only possible way of overcoming the crisis in this sector or forced by external influence.
* It is extremely interesting to compare these two perspectives. The first one starts from the presumption that there is no ballast from the near past saddling any kind of comparison between the two countries and their national libraries, their cultural activities etc. The other perspective, the perspective of Lejla Kodri starts with the presumption that the painful past exists but despite that fact, we have to look in advance. Honest approach to the problem from the side of the National Library of Serbia would cause admission of differences, admission of the past. From these two
92
responses it is possible to figure out main features of problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina when it comes to identity issues, and the culture is one of the most important among them. Having in mind that in Republic of Serbska the abjudication of the past is much stronger than in Serbia itself, it is easy to understand that any kind of consensus on past, present or future has been prevented in advance. And the same is with the cooperation in the field of culture. For the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina (and in this case, for the persons engaged in culture), the most that can be done is not to talk about the past, but for fruitful cooperation with Republic of Serbska the precondition is to deny that our cultural heritage was systematically destroyed.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: Do you think that Bosnia and Herzegovina is part of the cultural space of Europe when it comes to digital preservation of cultural documentary heritage? Do you think that the current involvement in the digital preservation projects of cultural heritage in B&H is satisfactory when compared with such activity of countries it the region? According to Vanja Jovii, Bosnia and Herzegovina has to establish standards and procedures for cultural heritage digitization projects. Current regulations that can be seen at the web-pages of the Cantonal Institute for Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Sarajevo do not comprise any procedures concerning the digitization itself. According to information that she has, the institutions that should be involved in the legal framework establishment are the Commission for Preservation of National Monuments, Institute for Preservation of National Monuments which is a part of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sport and the Cantonal Institute for Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Sarajevo. Concerning the digital preservation of the digitized
93
cultural content, that is at the moment one of the most active issues in this area in Europe and globally, in Bosnia and Herzegovina there are no activities at all. According to Lejla Kodri, Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning its origins, value and specific social context in which its cultural heritage arose certainly is a part of unique European space. BH18 memory institutions are spaces for the storage and dissemination of cultural heritage objects that belong not only to European but also to the world cultural heritage. Systematic involvement of BH cultural heritage community into European cultural heritage management trends started with the beginning of Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but practices of cultural heritage storage and preservation certainly were present in Bosnia and Herzegovina at least for a few centuries before that time. It is the truth that Bosnia and Herzegovina has the turbulent history in socio-political sense and, as a post-effect in cultural sense as well, and such kind of unstable past baffled several times the continuity in following and involvement of BH memory institutions in actual European and global models of cultural heritage managing. Unfortunately, one of the examples of discontinuity between existing, advanced and modern models in the field of practice European and world memory institutions at one side, and BH memory institutions on the other side, we are witnessing now, in post-war period, from 1995 until today. Despite evident efforts directed to involvement of BH memory institutions community into unique European space through for example common efforts on digital preservation of BH and European cultural heritage there is no satisfactory number nor necessary amplitude of digitization projects that should be a mean in order to present BH cultural heritage community as equal partner in digital preservation of European and global cultural heritage. For such kind of successful practice the precondition is establishment and development of the national strategy of cultural heritage digital presentation and preservation. In such kind of environment it would be possible to spread information about BH cultural heritage at the European and global level. BH digitization strategies, although today not very rare, still are individual and often reserved for only one institution or only one type of memory institutions, without systematic attempts to consolidate them into unitary BH cultural heritage repositories. Some of BH cultural heritage institutions formally are involved in some of European projects for cultural heritage digitization (compare for example efforts of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina) but taking into account the limits of real environment, financial and infrastructural, real results of such cooperation still do not exist. Hence, the efforts of hither memory institutions are still limited to only a few enthusiastic institutions, they are sporadic and still not a continuous activity
18
BH functions as an adjective.
94
which is the goal to be reached in order for Bosnian memory institutions to really become an equal part of European cultural space, and not any more only relating to the value of their collections but first of all relating to the ways of managing these collections today in the technologically advanced and information-communicative changed environment (L. Kodri, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Besides, she says that actual involvement of B&H in the projects of the cultural heritage digitization and preservation compared to the activities of the countries in the region of SouthEastern Europe is not satisfactory nor it can correspond to digitization practice of the countries in the region. First of all, BH memory institutions are lacking in formalized collaboration between each other, even in traditional environment. The importance of collaboration was additionally confirmed by the digital environment. As a post-effect in B&H appeared important project of formal cooperation between archives, libraries and museums, for example in BAM 19 association. Digitization project of the materials of national relevance in Croatia is the result of gathering a lot of smaller institutions around three key memory institutions in the country: the National and University Library in Zagreb, Museum-Documentary Society and the State Archive of Croatia. In an environment created in such a way, the basis for very successful projects of digital presentation and preservation of the cultural heritage was created. It is important to mention that Bosnia and Herzegovina is faced with considerable smaller financial support from responsible institutions with the goal of digital presentation and preservation of the cultural heritage. The ways for Bosnia and Herzegovina to equally participate with the countries in the region concerning cultural heritage digitization issues, are not simple and first of all they are distracted by the absence of the institutional financial support and the social environment that has to recognize memory institutions as very important and demanding for the bigger and bigger financial support. For BH memory institutions, the confident financial support is necessary in order to achieve the digitization projects not only to be sporadic, with rare financial support enabled practice, but continuous activity of memory institutions.
* Administrative divisions in B&H resulted in distraction of the legal regulative concerning culture at the level of the state. Vanja Jovii identified three memory institutions that could be responsible for drafting of regulations on cultural heritage digitization. Lejla Kodri identified all main obstacles for becoming B&H the part of Europe when it comes to cultural heritage digitization. The fact is that actual condition is repressive for the development of digitization as well as that the cultural heritage preservation is responsibility of memory institutions. The memory institutions must be well
19
Asocijacija bibliotekara, muzeologa i arhivista Bosne I Hercegovine / Association of Librarians, Museologists and Archivists of Bosnia and Herzegovina
95
organized and cooperative as well as decisive to become focal point of digitization activity in the state.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: In your article "Managing memory knowledge at the time of modern information technologies: with reference to the Bosnia-Herzegovinian cultural context" you mentioned the possibility of realization the digital repositories of cultural heritage BH. Do you think that it is possible for Bosnia and Herzegovina to become unitary space when it comes to digitization of national heritage? Do you think that Bosnia and Herzegovina can function as one cultural unitary space as any that kind of successful long-term digitization project of national cultural heritage needs both of them as preconditions for B&H to become a part of the EU unitary space? Which are the concrete steps to reach these goals? According to L. Kodri (personal communication, March 26, 2010), informal cooperation between memory institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina already exists. As an example of positive practice in terms of cooperation it is important to mention the Archives Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the common body for archive workers from the whole territory of the country. Besides, all conferences and assemblies of cultural heritage orientation that are held in B&H are open for practitioners in the field of cultural heritage from Bosnia and Herzegovina, countries in the region, Europe and worldwide. The building of common digital repositories requires more advanced and rigid formal cooperation, much closer and opened than this one, now existing. Any kind of cooperation needs interested sides, but Bosnia and Herzegovina it seems, in many cases, lacks that very precondition of any successful cooperation. In fact efforts of this kind are necessary. Cooperative digitization projects are the most successful kind of promotion and conservation of cultural heritage. The cultural heritage is not only locally but also globally conditioned concept. The truth is that cultural heritage management starts from local, territorial or functional gathering that is cooperative model and is spreading towards the rest neighboring communities. Successful models of cultural heritage management today cannot be developed individually, but rather collaboratively, as collaborative projects of as much as possible cultural heritage institutions involved. In time when the
96
need for transnational digitization projects is more and more obvious, isolation of BH memory institutions in frameworks excluding the other related institutions from the territory of the country is the luxury that none of the memory institutions can afford. Anyway, the cohesion of the cultural space is not the category that can be achieved in its final, ideal sense. Rather it is a long-term, demanding process. In politically and socially very complicated context of Bosnia and Herzegovina, such kind of process is even more difficult to organize and to realize, but certainly they can be initiated and supported by EU or similar body in the sense of common candidature with respect to involvement of BH memory institutions in projects of cultural heritage digitization. Greta Kuna has no information on these issues and Tahir Lendo gives positive examples on successful functioning of cooperation between all required instances at the local level of the Travnik Municipality.
* Talking with many professionals who are in one or another way connected with the digitization of cultural heritage in Europe and worldwide, including the interviews with two persons from outside of SEE region (Riedlmayer and Feliciati), the conclusion is that EU or similar bodies probably would not be interested in investing in cultural recovery in B&H. Lejla Kodri thinks that only with the support from outside B&H it would be possible to establish healthy hierarchic structure of cultural institutions that would enable cooperation. Tahir Lendo gives an example of positive practice in the area of cultural heritage digitization projects, but my opinion is that BH memory institutions staff must be aware of the responsibility to preserve the national identity through preserving the culture. The efforts with that goal must be well organized, decisive and rapid in actions.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: NUL B&H, whether and how does it control and coordinate the work of libraries in Bosnia and Herzegovina? What kind of contacts do you have with NUL B&H? Do you consider the process of decentralization of power in field of librarianship as dangerous?
97
How do you comment on the fact that the status of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina has not been resolved? What does it mean for the cultural life of the country? How it is possible that in such circumstances INFOBIRO has the means for national level digitization projects?
The library is funded from the municipality budget; do you feel that your institution is sufficiently valued by the municipal government? Do you get financial incentives for the development of the Library and whether you personally, as a functionary of this institution can take certain steps to improve your library concerning contacts with international institutions.
In the Library and Documentation Department of the Human Rights Centre, University of Sarajevo, the mission and vision are emphasized by the development of unique information resource in human rights education that will be based upon modern information and communication platforms. How do you manage in reaching this aim?
According to Ismet Ovina, the National and University Library of B&H is one the main cultural and educational institutions of the country. It has been attempting to establish and develop libraryinformation system in B&H based upon modern principles. Besides, being the university library its role is to coordinate the services offered by the libraries of the University of Sarajevo, and. In general, all libraries function as autonomous legal subjects at the responding administrative levels. Besides, he says that in Bosnia and Herzegovina every institution works on its own when it comes to digitization. The cases of cooperation are very rare. The National and University Library has developed cooperation with the Republic of Serbska National Library, but not in the area of digitization. The National Library in Mostar has a well developed cooperation with the NUL B&H and it receives the legal deposit copy of majority of materials collected by NUL B&H. The Public Library in Travnik has no contacts with the NUL B&H and according to Nermana Durakovi it is the posteffect of the fact that in B&H the hierarchy in field of librarianship does not exist. Rasim Prguda finds the decentralization of power in the field of librarianship in B&H dangerous. He thinks that it is not good for the future of this profession. Nermana Durakovi does not consider the decentralization of power in the field of librarianship in B&H as dangerous and she thinks that it is normal process having in mind the post-Dayton power distribution in B&H.
98
On request to comment the fact that NUL B&H does not have permanent financial resources while INFOBIRO Media Centre Sarajevo does, Mr. Dragan Golubovi, person responsible for digitization projects in INFOBIRO Knowledge Database Mediacentar Sarajevo says that is a very complex issue and that he does not know very well the situation in that institution so he cannot comment the fact that NUL B&H does not have permanent financial resources while INFOBIRO Media Centre Sarajevo does. The National Library in Mostar is financed by the owner, the City of Mostar. It is rare to get the financial support to develop the Library, but the director, Mr. Rasim Prguda is active in order to advance the Library. The Public Library in Travnik is financed from the budget of the Travnik Municipality. The new chief of the Municipality has helped a lot to improve the state of the most important library in the Middle Bosnia Canton. According to Saa Madacki, the Human Rights Centre is not being financially supported by responsible Ministry, so the aims stated are being achieved thanks to exceptional engagement of the staff.
* It is obvious that there is necessity for cooperation development. From these responses the conclusion is that the awareness of such necessity is not on good level. Much more efforts should be invested to widespread the knowledge on these issues. The main memory institutions should take the main role in preservation of national cultural heritage and that for certain is the responsibility of memory institutions, the more valuable they are, the more responsibility they have.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: What kind of cooperation does the Institution have with other memory institutions in B&H, in particular with the National and University Library of B&H, the National Museum and Archive of B&H? Are you up to date with projects of the Digital Media Center and do you cooperate with them in digitization of cultural heritage? Please tell what kind of cooperation do you have? Faruk pilja evaluates the collaboration between the Gazi Husrev-beg's Library and other memory institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but principally with the National and University Library of
99
B&H and the National Museum of B&H as fruitful, correct and mutually pragmatic. He emphasizes that the Gazi Husrev-beg's Library sometimes digitizes certain materials for these institutions. Dragan Golubovi says that INFOBIRO has quite good collaboration with other memory institutions in B&H. The direct collaboration in the field of digitization is developed with the Archive of B&H, the National Museum of B&H, Public and University Library Dervi Sui in Tuzla and with the Tuzla Cantonal Archive. After finishing the digitization process of complete journal issues INFOBIRO distributes DVDs to archives and libraries in B&H. The aim is to increase the availability of digitized materials and to increase the quality of their collections. The international cooperation has been developed with the National Library of Serbia in terms of exchange of digitized materials or digitization on demand. According to request of INFOBIRO, NLS digitized and returned printed materials to B&H the journal Neretva, year 1878 that was preserved on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Part of the digitized materials has been distributed to the most important libraries in the world. The director of the National and University Library of B&H was asked to tell if he was up to date with the INFOBIRO cultural heritage digitization activities and if there is any kind of cooperation between NUL B&H and Mediacentar Sarajevo. The response was that the National and University Library of B&H is up to date with the digitization projects of the Digital Media Centre, but the cooperation does not exist. When asked to comment the cooperation with the other libraries in B&H, the director of the Public Library in Mostar told that the institution has a good cooperation with the libraries in the Federation of B&H. The Library staff regularly takes part in the congresses of librarians organized in Biha, Teanj, Tuzla, Gradaac, Sarajevo etc. In the Public Library in Travnik the cooperation is developed with the libraries in the Middle Bosnia Canton, but the director Nermana Durakovi emphasizes the absence of money as the key obstacle for any kind of library development.
* The cooperation between memory institutions is not preconditioned with the vital interests, meaning that there is no memory institution in B&H that has any kind of obligation to cooperate with the others. The results can be achieved by knowledge and experience of the necessity for cooperation of all memory institutions staff at least in Federation of B&H and as well in Republic of Serbska if possible.
100
24th Subject: Cooperation between the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and B&H memory institutions
Basic Question in the Interview: Please explain, what kind of cooperation is there between the Electrical Engineering Faculty, as the technical contractor, with the memory institutions in, primarily, the National and University Library of B&H, the National Museum and Archive of B&H? Selma Rizvi assesses the collaboration between the Electrical Engineering Faculty, as the technical contractor, and the memory institutions in B&H, primarily the National and University Library of B&H, the National Museum of B&H and the Archive of B&H, as a very good collaboration.
* The main objection is that the cooperation is not developed in the project planning phases.
25th Subject: International cooperation concerning cultural heritage digitization projects of B&H memory institutions
Basic Questions in the Interviews: Is the National and University Library of B&H in contact with other national libraries in Europe and the world and what kind of cooperation do you have? Does NUL B&H have the cooperation with national libraries of the countries in the region of South Eastern Europe and if does, what kind of cooperation it is? Do the National and University Library of B&H have contacts with international organizations that can help to join the Europeana? Is the Library of Sarajevo a part of any international network of libraries and related institutions, and whether this cooperation has affected the digitization of cultural heritage in the library; if it has, in which way? Does the National Library of Serbia have any cooperation with the National and University Library of B&H in Sarajevo and if it exists, please, tell more about this issue? What kind of cooperation does the National Library of Serbia have with the Library in Banja Luka (i.e. the National Library of Republic of Serbska) and whether this cooperation is better
101
developed than the one you have with National and University Library of B&H, especially when it comes to digitization activity? How do you see the possibility for cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the digitization of cultural heritage projects, and do you think that such initiatives can live and have bright future in our region? The Human Rights Centre has developed cooperation with the Centers in the region of SEE being the leading institution when it comes to offering of high-quality resources in the area of human rights. Tell more about the cooperation with the HRCs20 in the region.
The National and University Library of B&H realize different kinds of international cooperation through its contacts. It is a member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). International cooperation was intensified by membership in the following library associations and institutions: Foundation Conference of European National Librarians (CENL), The European Library (TEL), Ligue des Bibliothques Europnnes de Recherche - (LIBER), Conference of Directors of National Libraries (CDNL). Beginning with the 1st of January 2008, the NUL B&H is a member of The European Library, the association of libraries in Europe with the common goal of improvements in digitization in European national libraries as well as in integration of digitized materials of national libraries of European countries. NUL B&H has developed the collaboration with the national libraries of the countries in South-Eastern Europe and it has signed agreements with the National Library of Serbia, National and University Library of Croatia, National and University Library St. Kliment Ohridski in Macedonia. The procedure for signing the contract with the National Library of Montenegro has been started. According to Izet Ovina, the cooperation of the National and University Library of B&H with the national libraries in the region, especially in the states of the former Yugoslavia is fruitful and successful, according to the principal of the NUL B&H. Tamara Butigan states that the National Library of Serbia signed the contract about the cooperation with the National and University Library of B&H in June 2004. The contract was supposed to last three years and it was automatically renewed in 2007 because there were no suggestions, amendments or the contract disruption. Under her responsibility it is only cooperation in the area of digitization and in this area there has not been any cooperation until today. Tamara Butigan was asked to comment the possibilities for the cooperation between the National Library of Serbia and the National Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the cultural heritage digitization projects and she
20
102
responded that such kind of projects have the future. Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have common past, similar languages, affine cultures and it is logical that common projects start. From the beginning of 2010 the National Library of Serbia (NLS) realized the exchange of digitized periodicals with the Media Centre Sarajevo and the results are transparent on the web pages of the Digital NLS. Asked to compare sort and quality of cooperation between the National Library of Serbia with the National and University Library of B&H and with the National Library of Republic of Serbska, Tamara Butigan did not give complete answer, but she told that with the National Library of Republic of Serbska the cooperation is based upon the contract about cooperation in the field of culture and special relationship between two states. The NUS sends to NLRS inevitable copies of legal deposit of Serbia. In the area of digitization, the cooperation is not very well developed. According to Saa Madacki, the Centre has developed the cooperation not only with other Human Rights Centrers but as well with the other institutions because that is an interdisciplinary institution. In terms of cooperation developed, HRC is very successful. Very well developed cooperation the Centre has with the Human Rights Centre in Beograd, HRC of the Law Faculty, University of Montenegro, Research-Educative Centre for Human Rights and Civil Democracy of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb and more than fifty other institutions of various professional profiles.
* The international cooperation is better developed than national, so the problem would be solved if the internal organization of memory institutions would be established in a proper way.
26th Subject: Cooperation between Federal and Republic of Serbska memory institutions
Basic Questions in the Interviews: Is there any kind of cooperation with the Republic of Serbska National Library, when it comes to digitization? Please annotate the fact that until today I havent received the response to the request addressed to the National Library of Republic of Serbska to participate in this study, and, from the University Library in Mostar, I got a very thin response that actually meant that they were not willing to cooperate. How do you comment it?
103
According to Ismet Ovina, memory institutions in B&H, when it comes to digitization, do not work in cooperation, but every institution apart. NUL B&H has different types of cooperation with the National Library of Republic of Serbska, but not in the area of digitization. Tamara Butigan when asked to comment the fact that I havent received an y response from the National Library of Republic of Serbska responded that she has no comment.
* The cooperation with Republic of Serbska can be established as the long term goal, and the short term goal should be development of cooperation between memory institutions in Federation of B&H.
27th Subject: BAM Association (Association of Librarians, Museologists and Archivists of Bosnia and Heryegovina)
Basic Question in the Interviews: Is the Library member of the BAM Association and are you up to date with the activities of the Association, as well as with the possibilities that the membership in the Association is open to the institution that you are the leader of? The Public Library in Mostar is the member of BAM Association of Librarians, Archivists and Museum Curators. The professionals from the Library regularly take part in the conferences organized by BAM. The Public Library in Travnik is not a member of BAM Association. The director of this library Nermana Durakovi says that she is up to date with this organization and its activities but she emphasizes that the financial situation on the Middle Bosnia Canton is very difficult for the development of librarianship. She says that she is aware that there are cantons that do more for librarianship and that such kind of support helps to go in advance and to widen the activities. In the Public Library in Travnik the main activity is connected to traditional librarianship and it is focused on how to renew library collection in order to be able to meet the user needs.
* BAM Association is very good initiative and it can be a body that will organize the activities in order to educate memory institutions staff on necessity for cooperation.
104
28th Subject: Two international conferences on digitization took place in Sarajevo the year 2010: The Fifth SEEDI International Conference Digitization of Cultural and Scientific Heritage, May 19 -20, 2010 and the Second International Symposium Digitization of Cultural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Basic Questions in the Interviews: Whether NUL B&H participated on international conferences that this year will take place in Sarajevo? In SEED Initiative, which is one of main initiatives for digitization of heritage in this part of Europe, there is not a single partner from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the institution or individual. Is there an initiative for entering NUL B&H into the SEEDI program as one of the partners? Let us focus on the SEEDI Initiative supported by UNESCO and Italian Government. Its mission has been to strengthen European co-operation in the field of culture in favour of Central and South East Europe in close co-operation with the national, regional and local authorities. As none of the former Yugoslav republics, now independent states, did not survive such a large, heavy, substantial, planned and organized destruction like Bosnia and Herzegovina did, and the destruction was led by the countries in the region, don't you think it might be a solution to support cultural development in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the EU in the greater extent than the other countries of the region, in order to achieve healthy growth and to some extent overcome the difficult past? If you agree with this idea, I would like to ask you for suggestions on how to achieve the support to help Bosnia? Since you are involved in the SEEDI Initiative, please, don't you think that it is at least surprising that among SEEDI partners there is no single institution nor a single individual from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Still, several partners of SEEDI are the Institutes belonging to the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts SANU and SANU was the conceptual creator of Greater Serbia21 policy. Could you comment it? What is your opinion, what Bosnia and Herzegovina should do to improve its position in regard to cultural cooperation with Europe in the field of digitization the cultural heritage? In addition, what kind of cooperation does
21
About Greater Serbia project, please learn more via following link: <http://www.trepca.net/english/2006/serbian_memorandum_1986/serbia_memorandum_1986.html>
105
SEEDI currently have with Bosnia and Herzegovina, due to the fact that this year's conference is scheduled in Sarajevo? According to Ismet Ovina, the National and University Library of B&H is involved in activities concerning conferences that are connected with the library and information sector. The main reason that the NUL B&H is not a partner in the SEEDI is the unsolved status of this institution and as a post-effect difficult financial situation. The NUL B&H does not have any kind of support from the public institutions in B&H. According to P. Feliciati (personal communication, March 26, 2010), the SEEDI n etwork is not supported by Italian Government, but it just happened that some Italian experts in the field of cultural digitalization - like me and Giuliana De Francesco, but also professors of the Udine University decided to support personally the building and maintenance of a regional digitization network for the South Eastern European Countries. At the moment, this network cannot be considered as an operative body for digitization projects, but just the occasion to share a vision for the Balkans in particular I order to create the right conditions to cooperate. Besides, Pierluigi Feliciati (personal communication, March 26, 2010) says that the SEEDI network, with the financial support of UNESCO was organized in cooperation with the Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, just because some colleagues from that country felt the necessity to spread their efforts to support a regional project on digitization of cultural heritage. Other essential partners, for example, were Milena Dobreva form the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Nikola Ikonomov, form the Institute of Bulgarian Language and Denis Pitzalis from the Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Centre of the Cyprus Institute Nicosia. The SEEDI partners - till now organized yearly a conference and a meeting, hosted by one of SEE countries, but never launched digitization projects. I took part to some meetings and I felt that the sincere spirit of the SEEDI community is that of re-building a partnership at regional level, to go further the dramatic fights of the past. This year the Conference and the Meeting will be in Sarajevo, with the support of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of Sarajevo and hopefully this can bring to the concrete support of a special project to help Bosnia to reconstruct its important cultural heritage.
* In Bosnia and Herzegovina there is still very strong influence of past. It was not so long ago that the national cultural heritage was destructed. The plan for the destruction was done by institutions with which BH memory institutions are now supposed to cooperate on digitization projects. The National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina was burned by Serbian forces according
106
to plan made by the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. At the present moment the National and University Library of B&H is supposed to ask for cooperation the same institution that planned this Librarys destruction in order to be involved in local initiatives cultural heritage preservation. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, as that can be seen from this study, the past can be overcame but only through the guarantee that future is better. Unfortunately it is not the case and these issues are still subject to argumentation in front of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
29th Subject: COBISS BiH, well developed cooperation in the field of librarianship in the digital environment
Basic Questions in the Interviews: Do you think it would be a good solution to connect INFOBIRO in COBISS system and otherwise, what you think about the possibility of using this unique platform for exchanging data between all memory institutions (libraries, museums, archives)? Is the library included in the system COBISS BiH?
According to Dragan Golubovi, it is not possible to interconnect INFOBIRO to COBISS simply because INFOBIRO is completely searchable archive, while COBISS is not. Besides, the systems are incompatible. He supposes that owner of the records in COBISS is not Bosnia and Herzegovina but Slovenia and this is another reason why it is impossible to incorporate INFOBIRO into COBISS. The possibility for using uniform platform all memory institutions is rather good way to enrich the content of database or archive, to decrease the costs of digitization and data processing. It is a good practice. Rasim Prguda says that the National Library in Mostar signed the contract with the National and University Library of B&H nr. 01-171/08 signed on 19th of November 2008 about the involvement of this library into the COBISS system. The Public Library in Travnik is not connected to the COBISS system.
* COBISS BiH is an example of successful cooperation of BH libraries in the digital environment. This has been possible due to the fact that Serbia uses the COBISS platform for bibliographic records
107
exchange, so Republic of Serbska uses it as well. But still the fact is that entering COBISS BiH webpages, all institutions connected to this network, from the whole state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, share their records that are accessible from the same virtual location.
30st Subject: Being part of European and global cultural heritage does B&H cultural heritage deserve to be protected by EU and global cultural heritage preservation initiatives having in mind that history and practice shows that Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have legal apparatus to protect it?
Basic Questions in the Interviews: The National and University Library of B&H, which was burned during the war has made after the war series of projects for re-collecting of destroyed collections with the help of libraries around the world which have gained microfilmed or otherwise recorded materials by the inter-library loan. As the result of these activities, the digital library of Bosnian manuscripts was developed on the OpenBook.ba address. In B&H there were launched some initiatives for the digitization of cultural heritage. Do you think that the National and University Library of B&H might have the right to seek assistance from UNESCO or EUROPEANA for digitization of valuable materials which are vital for the survival of our culture and people? Since GHL is a very valuable library and the most important library of similar content in the Balkans, one of the most important in Europe as well, what do you think about the possibility for UNESCO to invest the resources in the protection of Librarys cultural treasures by supporting digital preservation of documents?
Pierluigi Feliciati is convinced that the international community must face the duty of helping warwounded countries to reconstruct their heritage, better with the adoption of digital technologies. The cultural heritage of countries like B&H is an essential part of European and world cultural heritage. UNESCO is the right entity to coordinate and support this effort, but he is not sure that Europeana directly supports digitization projects, except for the Europeana Local sub-project. Anyway, the participation of National and University Library of B&H in international projects could make such goals easier.
108
According to Faruk pilja, the richness of the Gazi Husrev-begs Library and its collections organized in specific way satisfy the UNESCOs standards to be enlisted as tangible cultural heritage of the world. Hopefully, it will happen soon.
* The responsibility of digital preservation of cultural heritage is on BH memory institutions; the international support cannot be counted except on the short-term basis.
31st Subject: Actual law regulations concerning cultural heritage and supervision of their implementation
Basic Questions in the Interviews: What are the laws in effect on your level of authority when it comes to the protection of cultural heritage? How are these laws implemented in practice and what kind of control exists for the implementation in practice? How do you manage to get the funds needed for the digitization and whether there is adequate legal framework at the state level when it comes to this activity?
Greta Kuna says that in Middle Bosnia Canton there are six laws in force that regulate this field: The Law on Culture of the Middle Bosnia Canton (The Middle Bosnia Canton Gazette, Nr. 13/2006); The Law on Physical and Regional Planning and Land Exploitation of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Gazette, Nr. 2/06); Acts adopted by the Commission for the National Monuments Preservation (from the level of B&H); Act on Ratification of Basic Convention of the Council of Europe on Value of the Cultural Heritage for the Society (Faro, 2005); The European Convention on Archaeological Heritage Preservation (revised in 1992); The Law on Preservation and Handling of Cultural-Historical and Natural Heritage (The SR BiH Gazette, 20/1985) Tahir Lendo, the Municipal Mayor in Travnik emphasizes the following laws and regulations as relevant in the field of cultural heritage: The Law on Preservation and Handling of CulturalHistorical and Natural Heritage (The SR BiH Gazette, 20/1985); Individual acts on announcements of the national heritage monuments by Commission for the National Monuments Preservation from
109
1995 and latter and the Temporary List of the national cultural monuments of B&H protected as the cultural wealth established according to the Annex 8 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Gazette of B&H, 2002); The Registry of the Cultural Monuments and Natural Rarities in the Travnik Municipality according to the Registry of the Institute on the preservation of the Cultural heritage and the Natural Rarities of Bosnia and Herzegovina; The Law on Physical and Regional Planning and Land Exploitation of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Gazette, Nr. 2/06); The Decision on Communal Order of the Travnik Municipality; The Decision on Announcement of the CulturalHistorical Zone Travnik. According to Minister Greta Kuna, the laws, at the cantonal level are being passed by co-financing applications and projects/programs of individuals, associations and institutions that possess galleries and collections belonging to the cultural heritage (The Public Museum in Travnik, The Museum of AVNOJ in Jajce, The Franciscan Abbeys in Kreevo, Jajce, Fojnica and Gua Gora etc.). Tahir Lendo, the Municipal mayor in Travnik says that in area of juridical and physical preservation of cultural and natural wealth, the laws are implemented by actions of the municipal inspection services and the Public Museum in Travnik which is according to the Law on Museum Activities, the responsible institution concerning cultural monuments in the area of the Travnik Municipality. According to Minister Kuna and Tahir Lendo, these are the bodies that supervise the implementation of law regulations: the Cantonal Institute for Urbanism, Physical and Regional Planning and Cultural-Historical Heritage Preservation of the Middle Bosnia Canton supervises the laws implementation at the cantonal level for the artifacts that are not announced as the national heritage. The Institute for Cultural-Historical and Natural Heritage of B&H that supervises the national monuments is also involved into making of documentation about curatorial interventions on cultural wealth or other types of conservation, as well as the co-financing body in projects financed from the federal level. According to Tamara Butigan, the National Library of Serbia gets the financial support for the digitization from the annual budget approved by the Ministry of Culture for digitization projects. When it comes to legislation in Serbia concerning digitization, it is still not properly defined. The digitization has been recognized as one between other activities of memory institutions as well as the common interest concerning national culture in the parent Law on Culture which got in force on March 11th 2010. Some amendments are expected to be adopted in order to regulate this area of cultural activity more precise.
110
* In Bosnia and Herzegovina there is no Ministry of Culture at the state level which makes almost impossible realization of the digitization project for whole state. On the other hand, at the local level there are legal instruments to organize and monitor the projects but it is still mostly up to directors of public memory institutions to attract the researchers and investments in order to digitize collections. Just to compare, the Public Museum in Travnik has done a lot on digitization of local cultural heritage. On the other hand, in the Public Library in Travnik, even the selection of materials for digitization hasnt been done.
32nd Subject: Law regulations concerning cultural heritage digitization and cooperation between administrative levels in this area
Basic Question in the Interviews: Do you have cooperation with other levels of government in B&H, when it comes to preservation of cultural heritage policy, and whether such cooperation is helpful?
According to Greta Kuna, the cooperation with the Commission for the National Monuments Preservation covers Bosnia and Herzegovina and makes decisions on announcements of the national culture heritage monuments. In the Middle Bosnia Canton there are about 60 monuments that are announced as the national cultural heritage. In the field of Archaeology and Ethnology the cooperation with the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is developed for the purposes of professional regulating and monitoring. According to Tahir Lendo, the Travnik Municipality has the continuous cooperation with the Commission for the National Monuments Preservation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Institute for the Cultural-Historical and Natural Heritage Preservation, Federal Ministry of Culture and Sport, Federal Ministry of Physical and Regional Planning, National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cantonal Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Cantonal Institute for Urbanism, Physical and Regional Planning and Cultural-Historical and Natural Heritage Preservation.
* The fact that cooperation exists is encouraging for starting digitization projects.
111
33rd Subject: Administrative cooperation between Federation of B&H and Republic of Serbska concerning cultural heritage preservation
Basic Question in the Interviews: Do you have cooperation with Republic of Serbska in any way when it comes to the cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
According to Greta Kuna, the cooperation with Republic of Serbska is not satisfactory. In 2006 the documentary exhibition was organized in the National and University Library of Republic of Serbska in Banja Luka and the Public Museum in Travnik took part. The occasion was dedicated to the 200 th Anniversary of the French Consulate in Travnik named as The French Consulate in B&H 18062006 and The Travnik Chronicle by Ivo Andri. Besides, there were a few guest visits of the cultural-artistic societies. Mr. Tahir Lendo, the Municipal Mayor in Travnik offered the same response.
* Sporadic and not well developed, the cooperation with Republic of Serbska still exists. This is far away from close cooperation that should be between parts of the same state.
Basic Questions in the Interviews: Whether and how the Department of Comparative Literature and Librarianship, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo provides memory institutions in B&H with adequate staff when it comes to modern digital environment in which it is assumed that they will develop their professional activity? Specifically, do you think that graduate librarians with the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo BA degree can without any serious problems tackle for example, with potential project of digitizing of national cultural heritage and its networking in the Europeana project? Besides, do you think there is the space for improvement in this area of education? Please explain it. Whether the NUL B&H has qualified staff that would be capable to carry out digitization projects and whether the Department of Comparative Literature and Librarianship, University
112
of Sarajevo supports with their curriculum skills and knowledge required for digitization of cultural heritage? Have you developed an employee training program for staff as well as employment policies?
According to Lejla Kodri, the Librarianship study at the Department for Literature Comparison and Librarianship at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo, being at the moment the only study group of this kind in the state, passed through big changes starting with 2005/2006 academic year. That was the year in which majority of studies at the University were reviewed according to demands of new, Bologna educational environment. Affected by European and world educational curricula for the field of library and information science, the representative plan and program were created and implemented. The positive post-effects of this process are being confirmed by excellence of the first generation MA students who are finishing their program in 2009/2010 academic year. These positive changes happened as a result of educators and scholars awareness about necessity for the development of the librarianship study with regard to the labour market. Students of this more and more popular department in last five years adopt theoretical and practical skills in order to create the network of the competencies necessary for the library and information specialist nowadays. According to Ismet Ovina, NUL B&H has qualified staff and the Librarianship department supports the training in skills and knowledge necessary for cultural heritage digitization. When asked to tell about the employee training program for the staff and employment policies Rasim Prguda said that the employee training is developed as well as the employment policy. According to Saa Madacki, the Human Rights Centre gives professional contribution in development of the Life-long Learning program.
* The cooperation between the Librarianship Department and the National and University Library of B&H is well developed, and it is possible due to the fact that both are members of the University of Sarajevo, as well as the Human Rights Centre. Where possible, it is necessary to develop the cooperation to the maximal extent.
113
fact that catalogue must be easy for browsing otherwise it is not a catalogue. Besides, the English translation of the presented content is not done at appropriate level of professionalism. Despite all these weak sides of these projects that make me fear for the future development of the cultural heritage digitization activity in B&H, these projects can be described as extremely positive initiative when it comes to B&H cultural heritage recovering. The highly skilled IT professionals are being engaged for them and they become more and more aware of the fact that this kind of activity must be the result of cooperative efforts of professionals from many scientific fields, and not only in the implementation phase but in project planning as well. The result of this kind of awareness is the SEEDI conference and the second symposium on digitization organized in Sarajevo (May, 2010) with the aim to present and bring together all efforts and initiatives done by all interested institutions and individuals with corresponding professional skills. Talking about the Dragan Golubovis paper concerning the INFOBIRO digital archive, it is obvious that digitized content of the national importance should belong to the institution of the national importance such as the Archive of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such kind of solution would be of common importance and common interest in order to recruit the national cultural heritage of B&H that was object to purposive destruction during the war 1992-1995. Being aware that the present administrative rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina, like it is actually, has no means to regulate the national heritage preservation at the level of the state, and having in mind the fact that all that has been done until today mostly is done thanks to individual efforts of interested persons, the involving process of the main memory institutions of the national importance in B&H should be recognized as the priority for all culture workers and informing on the importance of such an involvement should be introduced to all persons engaged on the cultural heritage preservation in B&H.
4.7.1 The First Research Question: Which are the quality characteristics of cultural heritage digitization projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
As it has been mentioned before, the digitization projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be divided into two groups. The first projects are being done in the memory institutions, although not in the
115
most important memory institutions, and the second group of projects are the projects that are being done in the Digital Media Centre led by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. The first group of projects is characterized by quite good developed strategy and quite good results. The other group of digitization projects is characterized by high quality of technical implementation and quite low quality of usability of the interface. Besides, essential functions of any digital library, such as easy to browse, are on very low level in this group of projects. On the other hand, as it was expansively discussed in this study, the lack of cooperation between memory institutions and lack in standardization concerning digitization has strong negative impact on any kind of vital, long-term policy in digitization. The administration in post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina is very much fragmented and capability for control and action increases by decreasing of the level of administration: the lower is the level, the stronger control is established and as a post-effect it is easier to start and lead projects. The problem is that in the local communities there is lack of educated staff and lack of initiatives, although the power exists in the organizational sense. All this means, and that has been confirmed through this study, even permanently supported projects such as INFOBIRO Digital Archive, still stay isolated and belong not to normal and well established digitization practice, but more as an exception, finding its own way to overcome obstacles appearing over and over again. The same is with the Gazi Hurev-begs Library, with Sarajevo Library and especially the National and University Library that does not have any kind of permanent financial support but still manage to plan and to some extent even to realize cultural heritage digitization activity. In order to apply the criterions established in the first part of the literature review to the projects done in Bosnia and Herzegovina, at least for this the first RQ that is the most measurable, the figures 4.4 and 4.5 have been made.
Sarajevo Library National and University Library of B&H Gazi Husref-beg's Library INFOBIRO Digital Media Center
Figure 4.5 Eight Sections Life-Cycle Approach Appraised on the Scale from 0 to 5
4.7.2 The Second Research Question: What is the importance of these projects for the cultural heritage in B&H?
The importance of the digitization projects is first in the fact that they serve as a cultural heritage preservation technique. By digitizing, copying, preserving, and sharing of digital materials as wide as possible, the possibility to prevent future intentional destructions of cultural heritage of B&H increases. The second important fact is that national i dentitys characteristics that have disappeared by time again have the opportunity to be revived through digitization projects. Such examples are projects in 3D techniques led by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering staff. Another good thing is that awareness on necessity for cooperation increases by development of digitization practice which in final consequence hopefully can lead to re-establishing of memory institution hierarchy in a way discussed in the Literature Review and in this chapter. Besides, the necessity for development of digitization and excellence requirements for better quality of digitization projects lead to opening Bosnia and Herzegovina for cooperation with the SEE region and EU. The results are conferences on digitization that on May 2010 took place in Sarajevo,
117
Bosnian capital, which are the opportunity for initiation and development of cultural heritage digitization activity in B&H.
4.7.3 The Third Research Question: Which conditions are to be fulfilled in order to make digitization practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina to grow up to national cultural heritage digitization project?
The first condition is strengthening the awareness on necessity to return main cultural heritage preservation initiatives to the memory institutions of the national importance. That would result in the reestablishment of hierarchy and network of memory institutions and enable cooperation which is precondition for successful digitization projects in B&H. The second step is to develop regulations on digitization activity in cooperation with the technical staff. The third step is to plan and to implement digitization of cultural heritage project on the level of the state, led and monitored by experts in both fields.
4.8 Conclusion
In this chapter the data collected through the interviews and other collecting methods (such as analyzing of projects done and analyzing the articles published on the projects) have been analyzed, compared and synthesized in such a way that theory on possible solutions and future trends in digitization of cultural heritage in B&H appeared. Through the subjects analysis the main problems were focused so that it became obvious that in B&H there are a number steps to be made in order to reach considerable level of quality and reliability when it comes to cultural heritage digitization projects. In order to reach higher level of intelligibility, the data collected through all kinds of data collection techniques were tried to be summarized and offered by charts. The next chapter is Conclusions and Recommendations.
118
5.1 Introduction
Based on the interviews, literature review and observation this final chapter provides the conclusions and recommendations for the study on the cultural heritage digitization projects in B&H. The conclusions and recommendations can be sorted into two groups: those addressed to future researchers and those addressed to practitioners in the sphere of culture in B&H. The first set of conclusions and recommendations is much easier to give, but any kind of strategy for cultural heritage preservation in B&H does not guarantee the success; that has been proven by the history. Nevertheless, people who are engaged in the sphere of preservation of cultural heritage in B&H have even bigger responsibility than their colleagues living and working in countries of permanent peace. This is why I consider it very important to address to the professional community as well as the research community in B&H.
digitization of cultural heritage could be established under the Commissions responsibility and it should be financed from the state. Recommendation to Promote the Necessity of Re-establishment the Hierarchically Structured Network of Memory Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina The other recommendation for the research community is to educate people working in the sphere of culture on necessity to cooperate and necessity for re-establishing the hierarchical structure in memory institutions. This subject should be studied in such a way that functioning of previous memory institutions network that was destroyed during the war would be compared to actual insufficient state of cooperation. The archives network that is functioning in B&H today and based on a hierarchic structure could be taken as an example that it is possible to realize collaboration even in actual circumstances. Good organization and strong awareness of these issues probably can hasten the administration to support efforts from the highest administrative level. For the beginning the strong memory institutions network should be established in the Federation of B&H with the tendency to be augmented to Republic of Serbska as well. Getting encouragement from the major memory institutions by organizing seminars and workshops, the memory institutions of lower level would become inspired and educated on subject and they would also be in situation to be present in the seminars and workshops so that their mutual understanding and cooperation would be encouraged as well. Besides, the professional level of practitioners would increase in such a way because, lead by research community representatives, they would be able to make presentations on issues of actual interest, on problems to overcome and to exchange information in order to re-establish the memory institutions network.
5.3 The Conclusions and Recommendations for the Professional Community of People Working in Memory Institutions.
The main problem recognized in BH memory institutions, as being isolated and abandoned, is a kind of indifference for advancements. It is of course in some extent up to leaders of these institutions as explained on the example of the Public Museum in Travnik which has been very active and productive in cultural heritage preservation and the Public Library in Travnik which has stayed in a way isolated from any kind of positive influences to be creative and to find a way to improve the institutions services. Unfortunately there is no cooperation between them and recruitment of
120
awareness on responsibility. If a memory institution does not find a best possible way to preserve cultural heritage for future generations then justifiability for existence of an institution is disputable. Due to the fact that administration is granulated to the cantonal level, there is the big discrepancy between cantons in the level of excellence of services offered by memory institutions. Strengthening the cooperation the equalization would also be possible and there are a lot of things that can be done with not a lot of extra financial support. The National and University Library, even not financially supported, has developed the Life-Long Learning Centre for permanent education of librarians. By including other two mayor memory institutions, the National Museum of B&H and the National Archive of B&H, the work of the Centre would be improved as well as the cooperation between the most important memory institutions in B&H. The cooperation between these three types of memory institutions in B&H has been already established through the BAM Association, but it has to be permanently developed by new impulses and new projects.
5.3 Conclusion
It is obvious that the researchers and practitioners of the cultural heritage preservation community in B&H must act together to reach the aim of common interest to preserve cultural heritage. The research without the implementation of research results in practice is absurdity. The results of this study clearly show the consequences when practitioners are isolated from the research community. The research on the subject imperatively leads to abstraction on reality. The research exists to improve the practice by understanding actual problems and finding the way to overcome them. The understanding of problems in the field of library and information science, as well as in the other humanistic sciences comes out of contact with people engaged in the field. The responsibility of people working in the memory institutions is to follow guidelines and recommendations done by researchers as well as to use every opportunity to improve the memory institutions services. Having hope that this study will be at least a small contribution to improve the actual state of cultural heritage preservation in B&H and its successful and long-term cost-effective digitization, I believe that B&H must develop the opportunities to obtain better future in this field. It is the duty, the professional responsibility of BH culture workers as well as of the research community. We cannot afford the luxury for any additional item of the national cultural heritage to disappear after the destructions during last war. The disappearance of any item of the national cultural heritage
121
decreases the possibility for the national identity to survive. This is a big challenge as well as the big responsibility on memory institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
122
Reference List
AHDS Arts and Humanities Data Service. (1999). Digitization. A Project Planning Checklist. Author. Retrieved May June, 2010, from http://www.ahds.ac.uk/creating/information-
papers/checklist/index.htm
Anico, M. , Peralta, E. (2008). Heritage and identity : engagement and demission in the contemporary world. London, New York : Routledge. Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (n.d.). Retrieved March May, 2010, from http://www.arhivbih.gov.ba/
Associations for Library Collections & Technical Services. (2007). Definitions of Digital Preservation: Proceedings of the ALA Annual Conference. Washington D.C.: Author. Retrieved April May, 2010, from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alcts/resources/preserv/defdigpres0408.pdf Behlulovi, N. (2008). Conclusions of the First international Symposium Digitizaion of Cultural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved May, 2010, from http://dkbbih.etf.unsa.ba/download/conclusions.pdf Biblioteka Sarajeva. (2007). Retrieved January June, 2010, from http://www.bgs.ba/index.php
Borgati, S. (n.d.). Introduction to Grounded Theory. Retrieved May, 2010, from http://www.analytictech.com/mb870/introtoGT.htm Bosanski tradicionalni predmeti. (n.d.). Retrieved January May, 2010, from http://www.muzejsarajeva.ba/btp/
Bosnia and Herzegovina: PULMAN Country Report Information on Public Libraries. (n.d.). Retrieved March May, 2010, from http://www.pulmanweb.org/countries/country%20profiles/infoBoznia-Herzeg.htm Bonjaki institut: Fondacija Adila Zulfikarpaia. (n.d.). Retrieved January March, 2010, from
123
http://www.bosnjackiinstitut.ba/home/sadrzaj/56#/gallery/foto/102009/institut/bi.jpg Brutzman, D., Kolsch, M. (2007). Video Requirements for Web-based Virtual Environments Using Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics. Monterey, California USA: Naval Postgraduate School. Retrieved May June, 2010, from http://www.w3.org/2007/08/video/positions/Web3D.pdf
Candela, H., Castelli, D., Ferro, N., Ioannidis, Y., Koutrika, G., Meghini, C., et al. (2007). The DELOS Digital Library Reference Model: Foundations for Digital Libraries (Version 0.98). DELOS.
Carspecken, P. (1999). Four Scenes for Posing the Question of Meaning and Other Essays in Critical Philosophy and Critical Methodology. New York, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt/M, Wien: Ergsheinungsjahr.
Cloonan, V. M. , Harvey, R. (2007). Preserving cultural heritage. Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press.
Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems. (2002). Reference Model for an Open Archival Information System (OAIS). Author. Retrieved April May, 2010, from http://public.ccsds.org/publications/archive/650x0b1.pdf
Cooperazione Italiana allo Sviluppo, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2008). Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe A Bridge towards a shared future. Author. Retrieved January June, 2010, from http://www.see-heritage.org/index.php Digital Catalog of Steaks. (2009). Retrieved January May, 2010, from http://h.etf.unsa.ba/dig-katalog-stecaka/index_eng.htm
124
Dormolen, H., Gillesse, R., Reerink, H. (2007). Metamorphose Preservation Imaging Guidelines. Den Hague, Netherlands: National Library of Netherlands. Retrieved May June, 2010, from http://www.metamorfoze.nl/publicaties/richtlijnen/guidelinespijune07.pdf EnrichUK: Good Practice Guidebook. (2004). Retrieved April June, 2010, from http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/nof/support/gpg/
EUROPA: Press Releases Rapid. (2010). Europe 2020: Commission proposes new economic strategy in Europe. Brussels, Belgium: Author. Retrieved April May, 2010, from
http://europa.eu/press_room/index_en.htm
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo. (n.d.). Virtual National museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Author. Retrieved January June, 2010, from http://projects.etf.unsa.ba/~vmuzej/
Fereira, S., Pithan, D. (2005). Usability of Digital Libraries: A study based on the areas of information science and human-computer-interaction: Proceedings of the 71st IFLA General Conference and Council Libraries A Woyage of Discovery. Oslo, Norway: IFLA. Retrieved January, 2010, from http://archive.ifla.org/IV/ifla71/papers/165e-Ferreira_Pithan.pdf
Francis, D. (1999). Basics of Qualitative Research Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory (2nd edition). Sociological Research Online. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://www.socresonline.org.uk/4/2/strauss.html
Golafshani, N. (2003). Understanding reliability and validity in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 8(4), 597-606. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR8-4/golafshani.pdf
125
Golubovi, D. (2009). Digitization of B&H National Museums Glasnik (Herald), Its Presentation and Digital Representation. Review of the National Center for Digitization, 15, 73-76.
Hurst-Wahl, Jill. (2009). What is a Digital Library? I Need YOUR Definition. Digitization 101. Retrieved April, 2010, from http://hurstassociates.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-is-digital-library-i-need-your.html INFOBIRO Digitalni arhiv. (2008). Retrieved January June, 2010, from http://www.idoconline.info/digitalarchive/public/index.cfm Isa-Begova Tekija. (2008). Retrieved January June, 2010, from http://www.muzejsarajeva.ba/tekija/ IZUM. (2010). COBISS Platform Co-operative Online Bibliographic System and Services. Author. Retrieved March, 2010, from COBISS.Net Web site: http://www.cobiss.net/ Jakob Nielsen. (2010). Useit.com: Jakob Nielsens Website. Fremont, California USA: Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved January, 2010, from http://www.useit.com/ Jakob Nielsens Alertbox. (2002). Top Research Laboratories in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Author. Retrieved January, 2010, from http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20020331.html Kalamuji, K. (2009). 2nd International symposium Digitization of Cultural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina 17 19 May 2010, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Fifth SEEDI Conference: Digitization of cultural and scientific heritage 19 20 May 2010, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Elektrotehniki fakultet. Retrieved January May, 2010, from http://dkbbih.etf.unsa.ba/index.htm Kantonalni zavod za zatitu kulturno-historijskog i prirodnog naslijea Sarajevo. (2006). Retrieved January June, 2010, from http://www.spomenici-sa.ba/
126
Kroes, N. (2010). The Digital Agenda: challenges for Europe and the mobile industry: Mobile World Congress. Spain: Barcelona. Retrieved May, 2010, from http://www.eulib.com/neelie-kroes-digital-agenda-challenges-europe-8715
McDonald, L. (2006). Digital heritage: Applying digital imaging to cultural heritage. Oxford, Burlington (Mass.): Elsevier.
McNamara, C. (n.d.). General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews. Free Management Library. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://managementhelp.org/evaluatn/intrview.htm MINERVA. (2004). Good Practice Handbook. Author. Retrieved May June, 2010, from http://www.minervaeurope.org/structure/workinggroups/goodpract/document/goodpractices1_3.htm
MINERVA. (2008). Handbook on Cultural Web User Interaction (1st ed.). Autor. Retrieved April, 2010, from http://www.minervaeurope.org/publications/Handbookwebuserinteraction.pdf
MINERVA. (2008). Technical Guidelines for Digital Cultural Content Creation Programmes. Author. Retrieved February June, 2010, from http://www.minervaeurope.org/publications/MINERVA%20TG%202.0.pdf
Mueller, A. (2010). The Evolutionary Library. British Columbia: University of British Columbia. National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (n.d.). Retrieved January March, 2010, from http://www.nub.ba/
Neill, J. (2006). Analysis of Professional Literature Class 6: Qualitative Research I . Author. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://wilderdom.com/OEcourses/PROFLIT/Class6Qualitative1.htm
NISO: How the Information World Connects. (2007). A Framework for Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections. Author. Retrieved February June, 2010, from
127
http://framework.niso.org/
Office of the High Representative and EU Special Representative. (1995). The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo: Author. Retrieved March, 2010, from http://www.ohr.int/dpa/default.asp?content_id=380 Open Source Initiative. (2006). Open Standards Requirements for Software Rationale. Author. Retrieved April May, 2010, from http://opensource.gds.tuwien.ac.at/opensource.org/osr-rationale.html Project Fiche IPA Annual Action Programme 2007 for Bosnia and Herzegovina EU Support for Preparatory Activities for the Population and Housing Census in BiH, Phase I. (n.d.). Retrieved June, 2010, from http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/bosnia_and_herzegovina/ipa/2007/ipa_2007_34_statistics_en.pd f
Reitz, J. (1910). ODLIS: On-line Dictionary for Library and Information Science. Santa Barbara, California USA: Libraries Unlimited. Retrieved March, 2010, from http://lu.com/odlis/
Research Councils UK. (2008). Code of Conduct and Policy on the Governance of Good Research Conduct: Integrity, Clarity and Good Management. Author. Retrieved April May, 2010, from http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/reviews/grc/consultation.pdf
Rhine, J. (2009). What is Grounded Theory. Grounded Theory Institute. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://www.groundedtheory.com/what-is-gt.aspx Riedlmayer, A. (2008, June 6). Arhivi i biblioteke su spaljene jer progonitelji strahuju da e se rtve vratiti sa dokumentima i rei Ovo je moje!. Slobodna Bosna. p.p. 58-61. Riedlmayer, A. (1995). Libraries Are Not for Burning: International Librarianship and the Recovery of the Destroyed Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Proceedings of the 61 st IFLA General Conference. Retrieved January May, 2010, from IFLA Web site: http://archive.ifla.org/IV/ifla61/61-riea.htm
128
Rizvic, S. (2009). Virtual reconstruction of the Viziers Konak in Travnik . Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Digital Media Center, Sarajevo School of Science and Technology. Retrieved January May, 2010, from http://dmc.ssst.edu.ba/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&Itemid=113 Rizvi, S. , Sadak, A. , Zuko, A. (2009). Isa Bey's Tekija in Sarajevo: Revi ving the Reminiscence of the Past. Review of the National Center for Digitization, 15, 64-72. Rizvi, S. , Jovii, V. (2008). Photorealistic Reconstruction and Multimedia Presentation of the Medieval Fortress in Travnik. Review of the National Center for Digitization, 13, 65-73. Rizvi, S. , Sadak, A. , Buza, E. (2008). Virtual Reconstruction and Digitalization of Cultural Heritage Sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Review of the National Center for Digitization, 12, 82-90.
Rodes, M., Piejut, G., Plas, E. (2003). Memory of the information society. Paris, France: UNESCO. Retrieved May, 2010, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001355/135529e.pdf
Rosen, L. (n.d.). Defining Open Standards. Retrieved April, 2010, from http://www.rosenlaw.com/DefiningOpenStandards.pdf
Sarajevo School of Science and Technology. (2009). Digital Media Center. Author. Retrieved January June, 2010, from http://dmc.ssst.edu.ba/
Shepard, M. (2009). Digital Library Hardware Showcase. Library and Information Technology Association Blog. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://litablog.org/2009/07/digital-library-hardware-showcase/ Srpska pravoslavna crkva Mitropolija Dabrobosanska. (n.d.). Saborna Crkva u Sarajevu. Author. Retrieved January May, 2010, from http://www.sabornacrkva-sarajevo.org/multimedija.html
129
Tempus Project: Master Programme in Computer Graphics for the Media Industry. (2008). Retrieved January March, 2010, from http://cgmi.ssst.edu.ba/project.htm The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (n.d.). Retrieved January May, 2010, from http://www.zemaljskimuzej.ba/index-en.php
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe [OSCE]: Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. (n.d.). BH Overview: Bosnia and Herzegovina at Glance Geography, History and Politics. Author. Retrieved March, 2010, from http://www.oscebih.org/overview/
TIMELINE: What happened during the war in Bosnia? (2008, July 21). Reuters. Retrieved May, 2010, from http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL2164446420080721
Towards Knowledge Societies. An Interview with Abdul Waheed Khan. (2003). Retrieved May 10, 2010, from UNESCO Web site: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.phpURL_ID=11958&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
UKOLN. (2006). Good Practice Guide for Developers of Cultural Heritage web Services . Author. Retrieved April June, 2010, from http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/interop-focus/gpg/ProjectManagement/
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2003). Charter on the Preservation of the Digital Heritage. Adopted at the 32nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO. Retrieved April-May, 2010, from http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/files/13367/10700115911Charter_en.pdf/Charter_en.pdf
United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (n.d). Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Adopted by the General Conference at its seventeen session. Author. Retrieved April, 2010, from http://whc.unesco.org/archive/convention-en.pdf
130
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2010). E-Heritage Preservation. Retrieved January May, 2010, from http://www.unesco.org/new/index.php?id=18650&L=0 University of Bristol, Elektrotehniki fakultet, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (n.d.). VIRTUELNA 3D rekonstrukcija objekata KULTURNOG naslijedja u BiH. Author. Retrieved January June, 2010, from http://projects.etf.unsa.ba/~unesco/
US Department of State: Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. (2010). Background Note: Bosnia and Herzegovina. Author. Retrieved June, 2010, from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2868.htm#
Verheul, I. (2006). Networking for Digital Preservation: Current Practice in 15 National Libraries. Munchen, Germany: K.G. Saur. Virtual 3D Reconstruction of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Mostar. (2009). Retrieved January May, 2010, from http://www.crkva-sv-trojice.ba/ Washington State Library. (n.d.). Digital Best Practices. Author. Retrieved April May, 2010, from http://digitalwa.statelib.wa.gov/newsite/best.htm Weber, R. (2004). Editors comments: The Rhetoric of Positivism Versus Interpretivism. MIS Quarterly, 1, iii xii.
Zhu, X., Wang, Y. (2004). Better Use of Human Visual Model in Watermarking Based on Linear Prediction Synthesis Filter. Beijing, China: Institute of Automation Chinese Academy of Sciences.
131
APPENDICES: INTERVIEWS
Enisa Zunic, Director of the Public and University Library of Tuzla Nermana Durakovic, director of the Public Library Travnik Rasim Prguda, director of the Public Library of Mostar
Is the library included in the system COBISS BiH? Has the Library selected material that should be digitized in the future? If so, by what criteria it is done in consultation with professionals of which profiles? What kind of contacts do you have with NUL B&H? The library is funded by the municipality budget, do you feel that your institution is sufficiently valued by the municipal government? Do you get financial incentives for the development of the Library and whether you personally, as a functionary of this institution take certain steps to improve your library? Here, I think about contacts with international institutions. Do you consider as dangerous the process of decentralization of power in field of librarianship? How does the Library cooperate with other libraries, of same level in whole BiH, please provide examples? Is the Library part of the Association of IT professionals - librarians, archivists and museologists, and how well do you know about the activities of the Association as well as the possibilities offered by such association for the advancement and development of institutions which you are the leader of? Have you developed an employee training program for staff as well as employment policies?
Interview for the Director of NUL B&H, Mr. Ovina Has the NUB B&H selected material that should be digitized in the future? If so, by what criteria it is done? Do you have contacts with international organizations that can help to join the European Library flows when digitizing the cultural heritage of the documentary in question? Is there any cooperation with the Republic of Serbska National Library, when it comes to digitization?
132
Does NUL B&H have the cooperation with national libraries of the countries in the region of South Eastern Europe and if does have, what kind of cooperation it is? Are you up to date with projects of the Digital Media Center and do you cooperate with them in digitization of cultural heritage? Please tell what kind of cooperation do you have? Whether NUL B&H participates in international conferences that this year will take place in Sarajevo? In SEED Initiative, which is one of main initiatives for digitization of heritage in this part of Europe, there is not a single partner from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the institution or individual. Is there an initiative for entering NUL B&H into the SEEDI program as one of the partners? Whether the NUL B&H have qualified staff that would be capable of performing digitization projects and whether the Department of Comparative Literature and Librarianship, University of Sarajevo supports with their curriculum skills and knowledge required for work in the digitization of cultural heritage? Are you in contact with other national libraries in Europe and the world and what kind of cooperation do you have? NUL B&H, whether and how does it control and coordinate the work of libraries in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Interview the responsible persons for the digitization of documentary cultural heritage in the national libraries of Croatia and Serbia Does the National Library has any cooperation with the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo and if it exists, please, tell more about this issue? What kind of cooperation does the Library have with the Library in Banja Luka / Mostar and whether this cooperation is better developed than the one you have with NUL B&H, especially when it comes to digitization activity? Please annotate the fact that until today I havent receive d the response to the request addressed to the National Library of Republic of Serbska to participate in this study, and, from the University Library in Mostar, I got a very thin response that is actually meant that they were not willing to cooperate. How do you comment it?
133
How do you assess the current state of your national library when it comes to digital preservation of documentary cultural heritage and whether the library is included in some of regional or European projects for the digitization of cultural heritage? How do you manage to get the funds needed for the digitization and whether there is adequate legal framework at the state level when it comes to this activity? How do you see the possibility for cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the digitization of cultural heritage projects, and do you think that such initiatives can live and have bright future in our region? How do you think that politics have affected the digitization of cultural heritage in the context of your country and your national library, and how do you think that politics have affected the activity in the field of digitization of documentary heritage when it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina? What are the similarities and differences between the two countries in terms of digitization?
Interview for Mr. pilja Faruk, a man engaged in digitization in the Gazi Husref Begs Library in Sarajevo How do you see the role of Gazi Husref Begs Library in preserving cultural and historical identity of Bosnians? Since GHL is a very valuable library and the most important library of similar content in the Balkans, one of the most important in Europe as well, what do you think about the possibility for UNESCO to invest the resources in the protection of Librarys cultural treasures by support digital preservation of documents? How do you see the future of BH memory institutions and how to cope with the fact that at the end of 21st century in the midst of a democratic Europe the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina was alighted? Do you think it can happen again, and what do you do to protect funds of Husref Gazi Begs Library against the deliberate destruction? What has been done in Gazi Husref Beg's Library when it comes to digitization of cultural heritage? Which institution or person is initiator of the digitization projects in the Library and also whose responsibility is leading the projects?
134
What kind of cooperation does the GHL has with other memorial institutions in B&H, in particular with the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the National Museum and Archive of Bosnia and Herzegovina? How the project planning is being done, how do the persons responsible chose which materials are to be digitized, in consultation with which institutions? Do you have elaborated long-term plan for the protection of digitized materials? How do you track progress and success of projects that you lead, and do you do the evaluation of digital projects? Do you have a team for this work, if you have, whether the team made up of different professional profiles and of whom exactly, please? Have you adopted some of the elaborated tactics to reduce costs during digitization, and whether the evaluation of the projects according to the principle of economic viability is being done? Do you have in your team and expert in economics? What are the plans for the future, do you plan to develop new cooperation with the aim of launching digitalization projects, do you plan the development of the existing cooperation and, in general, how do you see the future of the Library when it comes to digitization? Do you intend to do the digitized content available on-line or you intend to keep it on some of the portable digital media? Please explain the reasons why do you prefer one or the other option?
Interview for Mr. Feliciati, the assistant professor at the University of Macerata in Italy, who is an expert in the field of digital preservation of cultural heritage and participates in UNESCO, MINERVA, European and other EU projects of digitization Respected Mr. Feliciati, I will try to open a dialogue with you about the problems of digitalization of documentary cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Knowing your commitment to quality assurance of digital culture in Europe, as well as your commitment and effort for the countries of South-Eastern Europe to become part of an unique European virtual cultural space, I think it should not be difficult for you to focus your attention on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the specific problems that this country must overcome in order to become part of the EU. For the beginning, I will ask you to comment on the following quotation, Before it was burned, the National and University Library held an estimated two million items, including special collections,
135
rare books and manuscripts, unique archives, maps, and ephemera, and the national collection of record of books, newspapers and journals published in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the main research collections of the University of Sarajevo... In a three-day inferno, August 25-27, 1992, the library was gutted, the greater part (an estimated 90 percent) of its collections reduced to ashes. About half an hour after nightfall an August 25 a barrage of incendiary shells fired by Serb nationalist forces from multiple positions on the heights overlooking the library burst through the roof and the large stained-glass skylight, setting the book stacks ablaze... Let us focus on the following initiative for preservation of the cultural heritage for South East Europe launched on 2002. The Director General of UNESCO, following the Memorandum of Agreement signed between UNESCO and the Italian Government on the 16th of November 2002 (of which "an enhanced interest will be given to carrying out activities in the field of culture, and a particular attention drawn to the safeguarding and restoration of the heritage damaged during recent conflicts in the Balkans), in agreement with the Italian authorities, has endorsed necessary measures to the creation, dated 27th. of December 2002, of a Section for Culture. Starting from 2003, in order to put into action such a mission assigned, to implement Flagship Program Venice: Art & Culture at the Service of Reconciliation. Follow-up to co-operation with the Private Committees for the Safeguarding of Venice, organization and promotion of Venice Conferences on Art and Culture, development and strengthening of co-operation with national, and local authorities (including the cooperation with La Biennale di Venezia) Its mission was to strengthen European co-operation in the field of culture in favour of Central and South East Europe in close co-operation with the national, regional and local authorities. As none of the former Yugoslav republics, now independent states, did not survive such a large, heavy, substantial, planned and organized destruction like Bosnia and Herzegovina did, and the destruction was led by the countries in the region, don't you think it might be a solution to support cultural development in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the EU regardless of the countries of the region, in order to achieve healthy growth and to some extent overcome the difficult past? If you think so, I ask you for suggestions on how to encourage the European Union to help Bosnia? Since you are involved in the SEED Initiative, please, don't you think that it is in the least surprising that among SEEDI partners, has no single institution from Bosnia and Herzegovina or a single individual while the most of them are from Serbia, although the Serbian extremists destroyed cultural assets in Bosnia and Herzegovina and what is your opinion, what exactly Bosnia and Herzegovina should be done to improve its position with regard to cultural cooperation with Europe in the field of the cultural heritage digitization?
136
How do you comment on the fact that several partners of SEEDI are the Institutes belonging to the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts SANU, and SANU was the institution that is conceptual creator of Greater Serbia policy and the extermination of Bosniaks? In addition, what kind of cooperation does SEEDI currently have with Bosnia and Herzegovina, due to the fact that this year's conference is scheduled in Sarajevo? Did you know that another name that carries Sarajevo is European Jerusalem, because of its multiculturalism and coexistence for centuries? How do you comment on the following quote which is part of Bibliocide, the article issued by Harvard Magazine: In ca mpaigns of so-called "ethnic cleansing," Serb and Croat nationalists have razed mosques and churches, torched communal archives and libraries, and bulldozed cemeteries and monuments to erase the material memory of a society in which Jews, Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians have lived side by side for centuries. After one 500-year-old mosque had been destroyed, a young Muslim man said, "It's not that my family was burned down, but it's my foundation that burned. I was destroyed." All this happened in sight of Europe in its very centre, on 40 minutes by air away from Rome. Europe did not stop it. Europe is now helping Serbia to be culturally associated with Europe, and it simultaneously launches initiatives for reconciliation between Bosnians trying to teach us about tolerance and coexistence. It is known that Serbia was the organizer and performer of the majority of crimes committed, according to official data, over 90%. Please comment it. In B&H there were launched some initiatives for the digitization of cultural heritage. Do you think that National and University Library of B&H, which was burned during the war and after the war the Library has made a series of projects for re-collecting of units burned in connection with libraries around the world who have gained microfilmed or otherwise recorded material in inter-library loan. So do you think that NUL B&H may have the right to seek assistance from UNESCO or EUROPEANA for digitization of valuable materials which are vital for the survival of our culture and people? I will now set up links that lead to the completed digitization projects of BH cultural heritage, so please comment on each. Isa-beg's tekija http://www.muzejsarajeva.ba/tekija/
137
Multimedia 3D presentation and the 3D printout of the Saborna Church in Sarajevo http://dmc.ssst.edu.ba/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=113
Stecaks: Digital Catalogue http://h.etf.unsa.ba/dig-katalog-stecaka/index_eng.htm Virtual reconstruction of the Viziers Konak in Travnik http://dmc.ssst.edu.ba/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98:virtualreconstruction%20of-the-grand-viziers-residence-in-travnik&catid=43:culturalheritage&Itemid=113
Virtual National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina http://projects.etf.unsa.ba/~vmuzej/ How do you comment this: The 284 manuscript volumes and 365 printed volumes portray the more than a thousand year long development of Islamic civilization from its commencement to the beginning of 20th century were stored to the University Library in Bratislava by the author Safvet Beg Basagic a collector, literary, journalist, poet, translator, professor, bibliographer, curator of a museum, politician a Bosnian intellectual, who preserved in this collection an image of Bosnian literature and Muslim literary heritage. His collection of Islamic manuscripts and prints comprises Arabic, Persian and Turkish works and rare Serbian and Croatian texts written in Arabic script. Basagics collection contains unique manuscripts and essential works of medieval Islamic scholarly literature and belles-lettres, spanning the interval from 12th to 19th century, and prints from two centuries, starting from 1729. The 284 manuscript volumes and 365 printed volumes portray the more than a thousand year long development of Islamic civilization from its commencement to the beginning of 20th century. The very history of the journey of Basagics collection of Islamic manuscripts and prints was dramatic and its termination almost unbelievable. Basagic tried to preserve the collection in a more secure place than was the Balkan region of his time. In the turmoil of the turbulent development of Balkan nations in 19th and 20th centuries, his valuable collection eventually found its haven of rest in the University Library in Bratislava. Unfortunately, further historical development on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed the foresightedness of his steps. After the destruction of the collections in the fire of National Library in Sarajevo during war events in the former Yugoslavia has Basagics collection beco me a solitary and precious preserved corpus of monuments of Bosnian Muslim culture and Islamic culture in general in European context. The University Library in Bratislava makes considerable provisions for the protection of Basagics collection documents that are adequate to its worth and value. The whole collection has been professionally assessed by Czech and Slovak scholars and is carefully stored and
138
used for scientific purposes. UNESCO has included the Basagics collection in the Memory of the World Register in 1997. In order to adequately protect the original documents and so to preserve them for the next generations and, at the same time, to enable the public to use them, the Library has decided to digitize the collection and publish it in an electronic form. This resulted in a CD-ROM with samples of illustrations, calligraphic art, and manuscript bindings, together with bibliographic records of individual titles in the original oriental language and in English with digitized images of the beginning and the end of the text. So, whether it is the only sure way for the collections of Bosnians, in order not to be destroyed, to store them to the libraries outside the state or you see a brighter future for our cultural heritage? Please, for the end, carry out some recommendations, some tips and guidelines for successful digitization of documentary cultural heritage in B&H.
Interview for Dr. Lejla Kodri Please, do you think that Bosnia and Herzegovina, when it comes to digital preservation of cultural heritage documentary, is part of a single European space? Whether and how the Department of Comparative Literature and Librarianship, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo provides memory institutions in B&H with adequate support staff when it comes to modern digital environment in which it is assumed that they will develop their professional activity? Specifically, do you think that graduate librarians with the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo BA degree can without any serious problems tackle for example, with potential project of digitizing of the national cultural heritage and its networking in the Europeana project? Besides, do you think there is the space for improvement in this area of education? Please explain it. In your article "Managing memory knowledge at the time of modern information technologies: with reference to the Bosnia-Herzegovinian cultural context" you mentioned the possibility of realization the digital repositories of cultural heritage BH. Do you think that it is possible for Bosnia and Herzegovina to become unitary space when it comes to digitization of national heritage? Do you think that the current involvement in projects B&H digital preservation of cultural heritage is satisfactory when compared with such activity of countries it the region?
139
According to your opinion, what is the concrete solution to the political and cultural rift that was caused by war 1992 - 1995, and whose consequences BH culture, just like every other sector of public life, very much still strongly feels? From the professional point of view of information science professional, comment on each of the Bosnian completed projects digitization of cultural heritage, through the links below and, what do you think what kind of perspectives are to be opened concerning two international conference on digital preservation of cultural heritage that is held in Sarajevo in May this year? Isa-bey's tekija < http://www.muzejsarajeva.ba/tekija/> Bosnian Traditional Objects < http://www.muzejsarajeva.ba/btp/> Virtual 3D reconstruction of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Mostar <http://www.crkvasvtrojice.ba/>
Multimedia 3D presentation and the 3D printout of the Saborna Church in Sarajevo <http://dmc.ssst.edu.ba/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=113> Stecaks: Digital Catalogue < http://h.etf.unsa.ba/dig-katalog-stecaka/index_eng.htm> Virtual reconstruction of the Viziers Konak in Travnik < http://dmc.ssst.edu.ba/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&Itemid=113> Virtual National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina http://projects.etf.unsa.ba/~vmuzej/ Thank you for the contribution!
Interview Dragan Golubovi, person responsible for digitization projects in INFOBIRO Knowledge database Mediacenter Sarajevo INFOBIRO Knowledge database Mediacenter Sarajevo has the library existing since 1996. It is interesting that a private institution takes precedence when it comes to digitization of documentary cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the wholehearted financial support of the state. The digital project plan is long-term and it is assumed that it will get the support in millions of Euros until year 2046. What is the reason that Media Center has a leading role in the digitalization of documentary cultural heritage?
140
Do you think it would be a good opportunity to connect INFOBIRO in COBISS system and otherwise what you think about the possibility of exchanging data and use the unique platform for the whole memorial institutions (libraries, museums, archives)? What kind of cooperation has the INFOBIRO with other memory institutions in B&H and, is there INFOBIROs cooperation with international institutions? If some form of cooperation exists, please tell more about it. How the project planning is worked out and who/which institution is responsible to choose which is going to be digitized? Is there an elaborated long-term plan for the protection of digitized materials? How the tracking progress is being carried out? Does the institution do the evaluation? Do you have a team for this work, if you have, whether is the team made up of different professional profiles and of whom exactly, please? Have you adopted some of the elaborated tactics to reduce costs during digitization, and whether INFOBIRO evaluates the projects according to the principle of economic viability? Do you have in your team experts in economics? What are the plans for the future? Do you think that the digital preservation of cultural heritage in B&H has a future? Do you think that the digitization of cultural heritage is the safest way to ensure protection of the heritage against the re-targeted and systematic burning, destruction, like the destruction that occurred during the last war (1992-1995)? How do you comment on the fact that the status of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina has not been resolved? What does it mean for the cultural life of the country and how it is possible that in such circumstances INFOBIRO has the means for such quality digitization projects?
Cantonal Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Sarajevo Please, what is the reason for the severe situation in which there are the National and University Library of B&H and the National Museum of B&H? Do you see a danger in the fact that NUL B&H has not started with digitization, while the National Library of Serbia digitalized the entire cultural heritage? What this means in the context of the fact
141
that the NUL B&H was alighted in the war and the fact that the National Library of Republic of Serbska has done a lot when it comes to digitization? Cantonal Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Sarajevo, as part of their regular activities, engage people of different professional profiles in the planning and carrying out projects related to protection of cultural heritage. Your experience is certainly valuable and useful. How do you comment on the fact that the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo did several documentary projects on the digitization of cultural heritage in B&H and that in the planning and construction of projects were included only one profile experts? Result is that we have completed projects that consumed a lot of money, but without long-term planning and conducting so that these digital libraries are not searchable, there are completed projects for which evaluation was not done before not after the performance, etc. The Commission to Preserve National Monuments exists as the institution of state importance, but it is not doing the coordination when it comes to such serious projects. What do you recommend and how do you see the solution for this problem, especially considering the successful practice of your institution? Digital library which is located on the web site of your institution by the quality can really be measured with digital libraries of the world's greatest institutions for the protection and presentation of documentary cultural heritage. Please now respond to a set of questions related to digitization that is being done in the Institute. Please, what kind of cooperation do you have with memory institutions in B&H, primarily talking about the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the National Museum and Archive of Bosnia and Herzegovina? Is there cooperation? How do the project planning is being done, how do you chose which documents are to be digitized? Digital preservation: do you have elaborated long-term plan for the protection of digitized materials? How do you track progress and success of projects that lead, or in any way by which to live the standards of its evaluation of digital projects it is being done? Do you have a team for this work, if you have, whether the team is made up of different professional profiles and of whom exactly? Have you adopted some of the elaborated tactics to reduce costs during digitization, and whether the evaluation of the projects according to the principle of economic viability is being done? Do you have in your team and expert in economics? What are the plans for the future when it comes to national heritage digitization?
142
Andrs Riedlmayer, bibliographer and historian of the Balkans and the countries of the Middle East Mr. Riedlemayer, you have participated in making the list of damaged and destroyed cultural heritage in Bosnia after the last war, 1992-1995. Will it be possible to compile a single list, based on international standards, for the documentary cultural heritage that should be digitized? Do you think that it is possible in the area throughout B&H and what steps do you think should be taken on this path even though it is known that there is no political will, and that this is the vital work for the survival of culture and identity of the state and nation? 15 years after the war, Bosnia and Herzegovina when it comes to the projects of digitization of cultural heritage has not done almost anything. What are the steps to overcome the bad conditions and to become the relevant partner in the digitization projects in Europe and world? Today, in Sarajevo, when it comes to digitization of cultural heritage, present trend is the one of exclusion of public important memory institutions such as the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, B&H Archive, and the establishment of new institutions of local importance with the goal of completing one or more projects. How do you comment it? What are your recommendations about how to overcome divisions inside the state when it comes to digitization of cultural heritage and do you think that there is something called Bosnia-Herzegovinian culture? Which steps BH cultural workers can take to protect cultural heritage from possible intentional destruction in the future? Safvet-beg Basagic, Bosnian historian, writer, journalist, biographer, in order to protect the extremely valuable and important collection of his works, put it in the Slovak National Library. Slovakia NL digitalized collection, and applied by UNESCO for the protection of the collection. Is this procedure the solution of our problems with regard to the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina now has a complete works of Safvet-beg Baagi available, while the collections in possession of NUL B&H disappeared in fire? Finally, how do you see the future of digital preservation of cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and whether you think it can turn into a cost effective and safe preservation of our past and present?
Alma Sarajli, librarian in the Sarajevo Public Library, she is working on digitization. Do you have developed strategy for digitizing of documentary materials? Sarajevo Public Library has digitized documentary cultural heritage, which can be seen from the librarys web-site. What kind of digitization program it is and who are sponsors? How the materials to be digitized are being chosen? Why the digitized materials are not on-line searchable through BGS website? Does the Library have the cooperation with other memorial institutions in Sarajevo and BosniaHerzegovina when it comes to digitizing of the documentary heritage? Is SL part of any international network of libraries and related institutions, and whether this cooperation affected the digitization of cultural heritage in the library; if it does, in which way? What types of specialists are engaged in project management construction and digitization? Do you perform the evaluation of projects and by which standards? Do you have recorded each stage of projects and those that are underway in order to avoid duplication of work and to be able to make your own set of recommended practices when it comes to this activity? Do you have a plan for long-term preservation of digitized materials, and if you have, explain the way in which long-term planning will ensure availability by duplication, migration or emulation? What are the difficulties encountered in the process of digitization?
Interview for the librarian of Bosniak Institute in Sarajevo What kind of cooperation does the Library of the Bosniac Institute have with the Gazi Husref Begs library, having in mind that the focus of both institutions is the Bosnian people, Bosniaks and that are both private-public institutions? In addition, to which institutions does the Library cooperate in Sarajevo and in B&H? Why Bosniac Institute library is not connected via COBISS BH system with other libraries in the country and beyond? The website of the Institute is a small multimedia on-line is available with a valuable library of titles. Do you have developed standards for long-term access and preservation of digitized materials?
144
Are there plans for long-term development of digital library in Bosniac Institute in Sarajevo? If there are, please say something about it. What do you mean by digitizing of BH cultural heritage and how to cope with the fact that the online environments in general are still seeing no permanent solution for digitized materials?
Interview for Federal Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Mr. Gavrilo Grahovac, Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of the Central Government in Canton of Middle Bosnia, Mrs. Greta Kuna, Municipal Mayor in Travnik, Mr. Tahir Lendo The questionnaire consists of seven questions in principle, although it is allowed to run a series of related sub-questions if necessary in answering. 1. What are the laws in effect on your level of authority when it comes to the protection of cultural heritage? 2. How does it flow the implementation in practice these laws, and what kind of control exists for the implementation in practice? 3. Do you have cooperation with other levels of government in B&H, when it comes to preservation of cultural heritage policy, and whether such cooperation is helpful? 4. Do you have cooperation with Republic of Serbska in any way when it comes to the cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina? 5. How some of the documentary project for digitization of the documentary cultural heritage in B&H today can be registered and obtain the status of the project of national importance for the whole country, and how can it be supported from the highest, i.e. the state level? 6. Taking into account the fact that the BH-cultural heritage was object to planned destruction during the 1992-1995 war, whether do you think that it is possible in the future to count on the safe preservation of this heritage and to consider the digitalization as one of the ways to reach the goal? 7. Do you think that B&H can work as the whole when it comes to culture because it is a prerequisite for any long-term digital preservation project, as well as the precondition for the
145
functioning of the BH cultural space as part of the EU. What are concrete steps according to you, in order to obtain such kind goals?
Interview for Selma Rizvi (Professor at the Electrical Engineering Faculty of the University of Sarajevo, she is leading most digitization projects made in 3D) Please tell something about the digitization projects in which you have directed and participated on the initiative of which institution or person / persons were running? Please, what kind of cooperation is between the Electrical Engineering Faculty, as a technical contractor, with the memory institutions in B&H, primarily, I am talking about the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the National Museum and Archive of Bosnia and Herzegovina? How do you do the project planning, choose which is to be digitized, in consultation with which institutions or people? Do you have elaborated long-term plan for the protection of digitized materials? How do you track the progress and success of projects which you are the leader of, or in any way by which standards do you do the evaluation of digital library projects? Do you have a team for this work, if you have, whether the team is made up of different professional profiles? Have you adopted some of the elaborated tactics to reduce costs during digitization, and whether you evaluate the projects according to the principle of economic viability? Do you have in your team experts in economics? In addition, do you have professionals in the library and information science in the team? What are the plans for the future? Do you think that the digital preservation of cultural heritage in B&H has the future? From the technical point of view, is it possible to protect our cultural heritage from destruction using digitization? I am talking specifically about the burning of libraries, archives, destruction of mosques etc. during the war 1992-1995? Whether the digitization of the cultural heritage guarantees its long term preservation and what is to be done, from the technical point of view I order to achieve this aim? Please for the detailed answer.
Interview for Sasa Madacki, the director of Human Rights Center of the University of Sarajevo What is your cooperation with other HRC institutions in the country, the region, in the world? In which way HRC is the part of the University of Sarajevo and whether there are standardized ways of communicating, is there some kind of intranet and on-line monitoring of work? In the web site section entitled Mission and Vision: Research and Development it is written that: The vision of the Department of Research and Development is to be the leading laboratory in the region for the promotion and application of information and communication technology, computersupported research in the field of human rights, theoretical research, applied research and experimental development in order to achieve time and financially justified, efficient resolution of problems of interest to the Center and other organizations in the field of human rights. Whether and how, according to your assessment, do you accomplish the vision stated? In addition, as part of the vision under the section entitled like Library and Documentation, the following is stated: "Our vision is to develop a single information resource in the field of human rights education, which will operate on modern information and communication platforms." But how and to what extent do you manage to achieve the vision set? Since on the web site of the HRC there is the digital library ran for the master's course as part of the program European Masters in Human Rights and Democracy, I ask you to briefly say whether you keep this library up to date, whether you plan to grow into larger and of higher quality digital library and dont you think that such kind of accomplishment would mean the realization of the Librarys vision? Whether you work digitizing some materials in the Human Rights Center, if you do, how do make these materials available? If such activity exists, how do you plan to provide long-term availability of these materials? What kind of cooperation does the HRC have with the NUL B&H? Project Virtual Gate to Human Rights Project; as a professional in the field of information science, what do you have to say about this project, and whether the project has been presented at the web site of HRC's?
147
Vanja Jovii interview, BA Electrical Engineer (ETF in Sarajevo), who has participated in several digitalization projects of cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina Participating in some projects of digitalization of cultural heritage in B&H, which were requirements for the projects to be eligible and by whom were the projects evaluated? In which digitization projects have you taken part? What is the procedure for registration and initiation of these projects, and who is the sponsor? Which were the difficulties you have faced? Have you been obliged to consult some experts from other professions during the planning and project development? If so, which profiles the experts have been? How do you comment on the fact that the projects done so far by the ETF in Sarajevo generally do not meet the criteria of scientific easy browsing, which means that one of the most important aspects of digital library simply was overlooked, and that is the metadata? Do you think that the digitization of cultural heritage in B&H has bright future? Are all the projects you've done available via internet or otherwise? Why did you decide for this solution, and what the advantages and disadvantages of the on-line availability for digital libraries? Are you doing the documentation of each stage in the development and implementation of the projects, and are these materials available to a wider scientific public in B&H? Do you think that Bosnia and Herzegovina is part of the cultural space of Europe when it comes to digital preservation of cultural documentary heritage? Did you have an obligation when making a specific plan for digitization of cultural heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina to consult with the recommended practices which are available via the Internet on sites of important digitization projects in Europe, such as the UNESCO project Memory of the World, MINERVA etc.? Assess whether projects in which you have participated have been successful? Do you currently participate in digitization activities?
148