Metcalf Digitization Project

The Metcalf Digitization Project began as a way to improve access and service to a very specialized and internationally recognized entomological collection, the Zeno P. Metcalf Papers, housed at the NCSU Libraries. Z. P. Metcalf, Head of the NC State University Zoology and Entomology departments from 1912-1950, studied the scientific and economic aspects of the insect Order Homoptera. Homoptera include cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, spittlebugs, aphids, and scale insects. Metcalf's contribution to entomology was extraordinary, and his comprehensive bibliography of the Order Homoptera (up to 1955) is the most significant of its kind. The Metcalf collection includes his personal papers, approximately 11,000 reprints, 2,000 books and his bibliographic records of all these items. These materials range in publication dates from 1746 through 1955, though the bulk of the collection dates from the nineteenth century. The collection includes virtually everything published on the Auchenorrhyncha through 1955 and contains every citation made by Dr. Metcalf in his 42 volume General Catalogue of the Homoptera of the World.

Under the grant, NSF DEB - #9978026, funded by the National Science Foundation's PEET Program (Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy), Metcalf's comprehensive bibliography of the Order Homoptera is taking on a virtual presence.

The NCSU Libraries is in the process of creating a web-accessible bibliographic database for searching the early literature (1758-1955) on the insect superfamilies Membracoida (leafhoppers and treehoppers), Cicadoidea (cicadas), Cercopoidea (froghoppers and spittlebugs), and Fulgoroidea (planthoppers).

Under the direction of library staff and entomology faculty, graduate students (supported by the grant and NCSU Libraries) will complete data entry into an ODBC compliant database, starting with the author index which will create a comprehensive registry for all the records, listing the Metcalf reference number and full citation for each publication (journal article, book or chapter). Now in year 2 of the 5-year grant, our work is producing notable results: The author index has grown to over 3000 records and 1377 journal titles have been entered into a database table to insure accuracy of the journal title within each appropriate record. This resource will provide unique access to the precomputer literature, incorporating previously unpublished geographical and topical indexes, including a valuable Special Crops index that will allow users to retrieve references relevant to particular crop plants. Links to images and full text will eventually be incorporated into many of the records. Because the project is still in development, there is no public access to the database at this point.

Investigating and understanding access to digital surrogates has also been an ancillary goal of this project. Related digitization work such as the Metcalf Teaser for a presentation at the PictureThis! Symposium gave us the opportunity to discover and evaluate how we may provide full-content access to this collection in the future. With rare and fragile monographs and reprints of copyright free articles, we could offer full-content access to bibliographic data like this record:

TITLE: A monograph of oriental Cicadidæ. By W.L. Distant ... Pub. by order of the trustees of the Indian Museum, Calcutta ... AUTHOR: Distant, William Lucas, 1845-1922. PUBLICATION: London, Printed by West, Newman & Co.; [etc., etc.] 1889-92. SUBJECT: Insects --Asia. ADDED ENTRY: Metcalf Collection (North Carolina State University). PAGES1889a, p. 2-5. Journal Article in PDF format

thus reducing the exposure and handling of these archival materials while providing global access and real-time services to our collaborating colleagues and patrons. Other new technologies such as Mr.SID and DjVu can revolutionize the macroscopic inspection of microscopic detail within documents and images such as color plates, illustrations and signatures of the artist or printer. An example of this option follows:

If you have any questions regarding the Metcalf Digitization Project, please contact the Special Collections Research Center at (919) 515-2273.