diglib: Manuscripts Guide

[Robert Felsing <felsing@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU>]

e-Asia has republished the Martin Schmitt guide to manuscripts in Special
Collections.  This extremely useful 1971 work, published by the University
of Oregon Press, is evidentally OP with few print copies  currently
available.  The index is omitted from the e-book edition simply because the
work is now word-searchable.  The format is Microsoft Reader but could be
reproduced in other formats such as .pdf and Palm Pilot.  The entire work
requires only about 1/3 of the space on a floppy diskette.

We have made every attempt to eliminate errors in transcription through four
proofreadings, but if you find mistakes please let me know so that we can do
the corrections.  Upcoming projects include the novel *Kokoro* by Japan's
greatest novelist, Natsume Soskei and translated by the most famous
foreigner in Japanese history, Lafcadio Hearn.  This novel is used
universally in Japanese literature classes in a copyrighted modern
translation; unfortunately, the current copyright holder doesn't seem
interested in reprinting the work and copies for classrooms are very
difficult for instructors to obtain.  If you've never read Japanese fiction,
I highly recommend the experience.  In my opinon, Japanese fiction is the
best in the world.

More long-term we are reproducing the Chinese fiction classic, *Romance of
the Three Kingdoms.*  This is a massive literary work of over 1500 pages.
In between short and long-term we intend to reproduce books of rare
photographs of nineteenth century China.  Although far more demanding than
pure text books, e-books composed primarily of images are surprisingly
acceptable.  While image size is generally smaller (especially on
hand-helds) we are, on the other hand, often able to compensate for the poor
quality of the original photographs.

Through special arrangement, we are reproducing the *Selected Works of Mao
Zedong* and other Marxist classics.  The *Communist Manifesto*, for example,
is commonly used in polisci classes.

The focus of e-Asia is on items of practical value rather than sexy but
limited appeal materials.  The validity of this approach is demonstrated by
the astounding success of the University of Virginia e-library, which --
ironically ---  is one of the lesser funded digital libraries.

The Schmitt guide will be available for download by noon Friday.

Bob Felsing