CHARTER Project Plan

Abstract

At the end of CHARTER, the new repository will hold a critical mass of 4000+ digital image surrogates (and associate metadata) all with a popular culture subject theme. The 2000 new items selected for digitisation through CHARTER will have a focus on the long-nineteenth-century, 1800-1914, and will be drawn from across the University’s special collections (Bill Douglas Centre, plus Archives & Rare Books). One of the selection criteria will be that there are no IPR issues associated with these items. The 2000+ existing images transferred from EVE through CHARTER all relate to popular culture but a proportion have dates post-1914. All will be transferred to the new repository to aid their long-term preservation. As summarised in the Risk Log, there are IPR issues associated with a small proportion of these images, but these were cleared and/or have not been challenged during the 5 years the EVE facility has been available online. Evidence already exists as to the underlying quality, significance and demand for Exeter’s research collections: ‘The Bill Douglas Centre is recognised as one of the most important resources anywhere in the world […] As the numerous conferences on visual culture, Victorian studies and popular entertainment in the region attest, Devon has become the international locus for historical visualist research’ (Professor Dennis Denisoff, Ryerson University, 2007). On the strength of its collections, the Bill Douglas Centre will be submitting an application to the MLA’s Designation scheme in 2009. The testimonials in support of this application attest to the international significance of its holdings which, alongside other rare and unique special collections, CHARTER will make more widely available. The artefacts selected for digitisation from the Bill Douglas Centre and supporting special collections of archives and rare books will be chosen by an interdisciplinary team of leading academics (English, Geography, History) with a view to ensuring the critical mass of popular culture digital content captured through CHARTER has the broadest possible appeal. The original artefacts will be in a range of media (lantern slide, prints, books, stereocards, playbills, optical toys etc) which in themselves tell part of the story of the dissemination and experience of popular culture. There are three inter-related narrative themes to guide the six selection panels: Empire and Imperialism; Science, Spectacle and Magic; Work, Home and Leisure.