LTS Newsletter: February 2025

Library Technology Services, Harvard Library

Welcome to Library Technology Service’s occasional newsletter for anyone interested in Harvard Library IT.

New DASH Go-Live This Month

Colin Lukens and Grace Dunbar are excited to share the latest information about the DASH transition as we approach the go-live at the end of this month. To support the transition of repository data to our new service provider, 4Science, DASH will be in read-only mode from the 12th through the 27th of February. Users will still be able to search DASH and download items, but no changes can be made to the repository during this time. Our new DASH site, with its upgraded user experience, will be announced and available on February 27th.

Development to improve DASH even further will continue throughout 2025, with some user suggestions being implemented in DASH by our local administrators or our service provider, while other feedback will be forwarded to the DSpace developer community for potential inclusion in the core system code. We extend our gratitude to the cross-library Harvard User Testing Group for their valuable input and dedication during this migration project.

The Open Scholarship and Research Data Services (OSRDS) team is developing a new outreach strategy and action plan to promote the updated DASH platform and its services. These efforts will be led by OSRDS’s new Outreach Librarian, Emily Kilcer, with support from the new Digital Repository Coordinator, Claire Blechman. Stay tuned for more information from them regarding DASH updates and OSRDS initiatives.

Data and Infrastructure Portfolio Team Update

The LTS Data & Infrastructure portfolio team has been making strides across several smaller initiatives while concurrently advancing our key projects. Our goal is to deliver sustained service excellence across our entire portfolio of services. Here are some of the highlights our team has been working on as we continue to support Harvard Library’s initiatives to enhance digital resource accessibility and preservation.

DRS Whistle Tooling Development

DRS Whistle is a new tool that will check for replication consistency to ensure that all deposits to the DRS are replicated as expected. This project has reached an important milestone with its deployment to the development environment. Our team is currently conducting testing to ensure the robustness and reliability of Whistle. We are on track to complete this project by early Spring 2025.

Kodak Photo CD Conversion

LTS is working in partnership with Imaging Services and Digital Preservation Services to update DRS objects with the obsolete Kodak Photo CD format. Our work will also include updating the NRS URNs to point to the new preservation JP2 files. This initiative is vital for preserving and enhancing access to invaluable photographic content for scholarly use. We anticipate this project will be completed in Spring 2025.

JP2 Image Remediation

Our team is also focused on remediating issues that affect the delivery of around 22,000 JP2 image files. This remediation is crucial to restoring access to these images. We are targeting an early 2025 completion for this effort.

Harvard Art Museum File Deletions

LTS is collaborating closely with the Harvard Art Museums (HAM) to process the deletion of around 1 million delivery files, which are no longer in use. This will streamline digital storage and enhance resource findability in HAM’s asset management system. These files will be flagged for deletion this Spring and will be permanently deleted from the DRS during the migration to DRS3.

These initiatives are integral to our mission of preserving and improving access to essential digital resources. We look forward to sharing more updates as these projects move forward.

Change Management Presentation

At a recent Project Delivery Forum (PDF), Khamiya Oyelaja explored the critical role of Change Management in facilitating seamless organizational transitions. In addition to discussing structured frameworks and methodologies, Khamiya shared practical strategies for managing the people side of change. The January 2025 PDF recording provides a thorough introduction.

HUIT Residency Program

LTS is excited to announce that Janet Taylor was selected for the inaugural HUIT Residency Pilot Program. The Residency Program offers short-term assignments for HUIT staff, providing participants with hands-on experience in new functional areas while supporting HUIT’s strategic priorities. The HUIT Voice Working Groups, in partnership with the HUIT Senior Leadership Team, introduced the residency model to create structured growth opportunities, foster cross-team collaboration, and further HUIT’s strategic objectives. On February 18th, Janet will be joining HUIT's Communication division as a Design and Digital Content Specialist and she will remain in residency for approximately six months.

We are thrilled that Janet will be able to take advantage of this wonderful new opportunity from HUIT, and we will be even more excited to welcome her back at the close of the residency.

Staff News

Welcome Illya

Illya Moskvin joins the DRS Futures project as a Software Engineer. He joins after a recent remote position with American Family Insurance as well as several activities developing for Art Museums in the mid-west. In addition to his software engineering background, Illya also has a degree in Art History. Welcome, Illya!

Welcome Rebecca

Please join us in welcoming Rebecca Asch to the LTS Discovery portfolio team as a Software Engineer. Rebecca has extensive experience coding at higher-education institutions in the Boston area, including roles at Tufts, MIT, Harvard Web Publishing (2013–18) and, most recently, the Broad Institute. She lives in the Cambridge area with her adorable but highly-strung senior cat, Madeleine. Welcome, Rebecca!

Library Technology Services: Staff Documentation Center