What is LadyBird?

LadyBird is a Hydra-compliant* group of web-based and client applications designed to process digital collections including metadata management and digital media for both reformatted items and born-digital content across the Yale University Libraries. LadyBird delivers content to the new Blacklight** discovery interface for patron access on the front end and routes master files and metadata on the back end to secure preservation in the Hydra/Fedora repository. LadyBird supports simple and compound/complex object structures (codex formats, serials, and archival collections) to accommodate a wide range of traditional and emerging Library content.

Strategic planning for all aspects of LadyBird is charted under the auspices of the LadyBird Development Committee (LBDC) whose membership is drawn from a range of Library departments.

Program features include: metadata bulk ingest using spreadsheets; full imports from Orbis; Yale Finding Aid (EAD) imports; metadata error reporting; templates for multi-record metadata creation and editing; item-level metadata creation and editing; customizable metadata exports; controlled vocabularies for selected fields; controlled vocabulary editing tools; record versioning; project administrator and tracking controls; patron access options (restricted or open access); and a variety of project and content management features for use by collection owners and associated staff.

The metadata scheme is based on the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS), with the option to add new fields from other established metadata schemes, such as MARC or CDWA, upon request for special projects.

Library departments and projects using LadyBird include: Arcadia-funded projects; Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts; Divinity School Library; Lewis Walpole Library; Manuscripts and Archives; Arts Library Special Collections; Visual Resources Collection; Yale Indian Papers, and selected special projects from the Yale University Art Gallery. Yale partners outside of the Library are welcomed to discuss potential LadyBird projects with Digital Initiatives and LBDC.

Yale University Library is partnering with Columbia University Library to develop the next generation of LadyBird.

* For information about Hydra, see: http://projecthydra.org/ ** For information about Blacklight, see: http://projectblacklight.org/ Institutions developing a Hydra/Blacklight digital infrastructure include: Columbia, Duke, Indiana University, London School of Economics, Northwestern, Notre-Dame, Stanford, and the University of Virginia.

The name Lady Bird was adopted from the legendary jazz composition by Tadd Dameron.