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Steps Toward a Globally Distributed Mathematics Library: The University of Michigan Experience

This document outlines the University of Michigan's initiative to create a globally distributed digital library of historical mathematics texts, particularly focusing on non-Euclidean geometry. It describes the process of selecting and digitizing valuable 19th-century monographs and links to existing bibliographies and digital projects. Essential efforts include the preservation of crumbling books, enhancing accessibility for researchers, and building connections to support scholarly productivity. This initiative leverages strong local collections and collaborates with various digital library projects.

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Steps Toward a Globally Distributed Mathematics Library: The University of Michigan Experience

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  1. Steps Toward a Globally Distributed Mathematics Library The University of Michigan Experience Sara Rutter March 18, 2002

  2. Overview • Selecting and digitizing the books • Linking the collection to an interoperable distributed digital library of mathematical monographs

  3. Background Digital Landscape (late 1998) • Cornell Historic Math Book Collection • Jahrbuch Project • Linking from Mathscinet to journal articles • Making of America Project at the University of Michigan

  4. Local Conditions • Strong collection of 19th century mathematics monographs at UM • Mathematicians, philosophy researchers, needed to use historical mathematics books • Mass deacidification project, pizza box project

  5. Proposal • Scan/digitize and OCR, crumbling books • Focus on non-Euclidean geometry; grow out from that center • Capture important time in mathematics

  6. Bibliographies Used • D.M. Y. Sommerville’s Bibliography of Non-Euclidean Geometry, 2nd ed. • George Halsted’s Bibliography of Hyper-Space and Non-Euclidean Geometry, American Journal of Mathematics 1(1878)

  7. Grand Scheme • Digitize as many of the core works in the bibliographies as possible • Create/show intellectual links; make connections • Link to the Jahrbuch • Link to the Catalogue of scientific papers (when digitized)

  8. Access and Preservation • Provide access to content often difficult to access because of physical condition, location • Preserve content in a way that will enhance scholarly productivity

  9. Selection Process • File extracted from online catalog of mathematics monographs with publishing dates between 1800-1925 • Selected works with connection to development of non-Euclidean geometry • Shared list with faculty within UM and with other interested scholars

  10. Digitizing • Find the books • Communicate with remote storage facility • Cataloging • Inspect each book • NSF-MATH reformatting staff

  11. Criteria • Held by the University of Michigan Library • Published between 1800 to 1923 • Brittle • Not digitized by Cornell or Goettingen • Works of mathematicians who contributed to development of non-Euclidean geometry

  12. University of Michigan Historical Mathematics Collectionhttp://www.hti.umich.edu/u/umhistmath/

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