Collection-level Description Research Articles

Creating order from the mess: web archive derivative datasets and notebooks

ABSTRACT For a quarter-century, memory institutions have been preserving web-based content. These web archives have been collected and stored in ARC and WARC (W/ARC) file formats and will form a basis for contemporary histories. Yet, these formats present significant challenges to researchers who wish to access and use web archival data. This is primarily due to the nature of collecting, storing, and providing access to these multifaceted digital objects. In other words, web archives are messy. Applying traditional archival methods of description to digital-born collections is complicated due to issues of provenance, original order, and scale. However, we believe that archival description offers a practical starting point for thinking about access. This paper argues a robust finding aid must extend beyond basic collection-level description to allow for more meaningful interactions with web archives. As such, we propose a reimagining of a traditional finding-aid model into a three-level mode of description to include computational methods, the generation of derivative datasets, and interactive code-rich notebooks. These three factors combine to ultimately contribute to the expanded access and use of web archives.

Rethinking Collection Management Data Models

Rethinking Collection Management Data Models

More product, more process: metadata in digital image collections

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implications of current theories that advocate for minimal levels of description in digital collections. Specifically, this paper looks at the archival theory of “More Product, Less Process” and its encouragement of collection-level description. The purpose of the study was to analyze how levels of description impact resource retrieval. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzed 35 images from a New York Public Library (NYPL) digital collection present on the NYPL website and on Flickr. The methodology was designed to reflect users’ information seeking behavior for image collections. There were two research questions guiding this study: what are the descriptive terms used to describe items in digital collections? and what is the success rate of retrieving resources using assigned descriptive terms? Findings The results of this study revealed that the images from the NYPL collection were more difficult to find on the institution’s website as compared with Flickr. These findings suggest that lesser levels of description in digital collections hinder resource retrieval. Research limitations/implications These findings suggest that lesser description levels hurt the findability of resources. In the wake of theories such as “More Product, Less Process”, information professionals must find ways to assign metadata to individual materials in digital image collections. Originality/value Recent research concerning description levels of digital collections is several years old and focuses mostly on the usefulness of collection-level metadata as a supplement to or substitute for item-level metadata. Few, if any, studies exist that explore the implications of description levels on resource retrievability and findability. This study is also unique in that it discusses these implications in the context of less-is-more theories of archival processing.

All Text Considered: A Perspective on Mass Digitizing and Archival Processing

Amid stagnant or diminishing resources, archival repositories are increasingly expected to digitize entire collections for the Internet. Yet many cannot eliminate their backlogs of unprocessed collections, let alone digitize and post them online. This article explores the idea of coupling robust collection-level descriptions to mass digitization and optical character recognition to provide full-text search of unprocessed and backlogged modern collections, bypassing archival processing and the creation of finding aids.

Together under one roof: Combining collection and item level description through multiple metadata schemas

The Smithsonian's Field Book Project presents a “fusion” of metadata standards to meet the access needs of a diverse user base and to set the framework for establishing best practices for managing field book collections. The key access challenges around field books stem from a lack of best practices when it comes to collection management and description. Field books are unique materials that sometimes fall under the auspices of departmental libraries or laboratories (item level description), sometimes archives (collection level description) and just as often can be found intermingled and uncataloged in museum collections and curators' offices (little to no description). These varying forms of custodianship result in collection management and descriptive practices that are not consistent across or even within institutions. The Field Book Project draws on existing standards and community input to develop a structured online resource for contributing and locating field book content. This poster provides examples of user needs related to field books; illustrates the use of different metadata schemas within the system and how they have been linked together to bridge collection and item level descriptions; and invites discussion on the potential impacts in terms of establishing best practices, improving access, and leveraging the technological capabilities of XML to expand content and features in the future.

자원공유를 위한 온톨로지기반 컬렉션 단위 기술 모형개발 연구

자원공유를 위한 온톨로지기반 컬렉션 단위 기술 모형개발 연구

The CIC Metadata Portal

ABSTRACTThe CIC consortium includes 12 major Midwestern Universities. Their libraries have decided to share the cost of a joint project (2003-2006) aimed at better understanding the mechanisms by which emerging technologies and standards can facilitate metadata sharing and the creation of value-added services for their users. The CIC metadata portal project has performed advanced work in the area of Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting, collection-level descriptions, metadata transformation and enrichment, and practices and usability of metadata standards. It has provided an opportunity for increased collaboration between CIC academic libraries and a way to highlight the wealth of digital resources held by the participating libraries. This article describes the project and enumerates project accomplishments. The project has helped to better the way in which partner institutions share information about digital content and provide access to digital resources. Four content providers of the project highlight different aspects of the project and the practical benefits they found in the collaboration.

Opportunistic collaboration

PurposeTo review a small specialist repository's strategic and opportunistic approach to utilising collaborative regional and national digital initiatives to increase access. The Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) Archives activity is evaluated to determine whether a project‐based approach recognises and meets the needs of historians, or in manufacturing a digital semblance, does it in fact mislead historians.Design/methodology/approachThe context in UK higher education and the archives domain of an emphasis on the digitisation of resources evident in national policies is outlined. Recent studies into the requirements and expectations of academics and historians as users of archives and digital resources are considered. BIAD Archives' creation of a repository web site and participation in national collection level description schemes are examined. The experience of two collaborative digitisation projects, a national subject‐based virtual collection and a regional collaborative information literacy initiative, are described and reflected upon.FindingsAn opportunistic project‐based approach does not easily accumulate as a cohesive strategy for increasing access. Collaboration is problematic. It is beneficial in raising profiles and can act as a legitimising agent. It entails compromise, applying an external filter to collections and potentially creating a digital semblance. The proliferation of projects raises concerns of sustainability, invisibility within the deep web and that merely signposting may not satisfy user needs. To address this problem archives as a domain require a more sophisticated understanding of all our different users.Originality/valueCritical reflections on collaborative practice beneficial to archivists and resource managers embarking on digitisation initiatives and to those developing collaborative projects.

디지털도서관에서 분산자원 검색을 위한 장서 정보에 관한 연구

장서 수준에서 자원을 기술하는 것은 분산된 자원에 효과적으로 접근하는 정보 서비스의 중요한 구성요소로 인식되고 있다. 이 연구는 분산 자원을 효율적으로 탐색하고 관리하기 위한 CLD의 개념과 특징, 효과, 관련 표준을 살펴봄으로 장서정보 연구에 대한 기초를 제공하기 위한 것이다. 또한 외국에서 수행된 CLD 관련 프로젝트를 검토함으로서 주제 접근을 강화하기 위한 우리나라 디지털도서관의 새로운 방향을 제시하기 위한 것이다. The description of resources at collection-level is being recognised as an important component of information services that seek to provide integrated access to distributed resources. This research investigated the concept, necessities, and standards of collection level description which manages heterogeneous and distributed resources effectively. Also this research reviewed collection level description projects in other countries to show a new direction of subject access in digital libraries.

Collection-level description: Joining up the domains

This article focuses on a new tool for information retrieval-collection-level description. It allows users to search for resources across archive, library and museum domains, enabling them to identify appropriate collections for visits or item-level searching. Collection-level description originated with the Heaney entity-relationship model of collections; the metadata schemas based on the model can be used to structure searchable relational databases in which descriptions are held and a Dublin Core Application Profile is being developed. Examples are given of existing collection description databases. The final section of the article considers the relevance of collection-level description to the archives community.

Collection-Level Description: Friend or Foe?

A number of recent trends have created a growing interest in the description of library resources at collection level, and some recent programmes have provided significant funding in this area. Collection-level description is seen as a tool to improve disclosure of resources, to support collaborative management of resources, and to enable a more integrated approach to digital services. The efforts of Research Support Libraries Programme have stimulated interest in the approach and resulted in the development of a number of regional- and subject-based services based on collection-level description. It has also advanced the theoretical debate and encouraged a convergence on a common approach to collection-level description (or at least highlighted the need for such convergence to take place). Approaches to Web-based resource discovery are focusing on services which provide integrated access to distributed resources, and here, too, the description of aggregates of resources is becoming significant, and this is a consideration in the JISC's efforts to enhance access to resources for the UK Higher and Further Education communities. Collection-level description is not a substitute for item-level description but an effective complement to it.

Getting it together on-line: HEIRNET and Internet-based resource discovery tools for the Historic Environment

This article looks at the possibilities, opportunities and the difficulties of bringing together content about the historic environment on the Internet. Based on the experiences of HEIRNET (the Historic Environment Information Resources Network - a network of organisations from across the heritage sector) it looks at initiatives that are exploring the evolution of an integrated information environment in which archaeologists might interact with resources drawn from different organisations. HEIRNET was formed in 1998 in recognition that increasing numbers of individuals and organisations are creating valuable information resources about different aspects of the historic environment and that both conservation managers and researchers faced difficulties in accessing these resources. HEIRNET has responded with a number of initiatives. The creation of an Internet-based register of historic environment information resources is intended to help users to discover potentially interesting resources and, by providing up-to-date contact details, to help people to make use of those resources. HEIRNET members have also been working together to explore the development of a web-portal for the historic environment - HEIRPORT. This portal exploits computer communications technology to enable users to carry out simultaneous searches of four geographically separate databases: the Archaeology Data Service, the National Monuments Record for Scotland, the Scottish Cultural Resources Access Network and the Portable Antiquities programme. This article looks at what is involved in developing these resources - the metadata, the communications protocols used and the importance of co-operation between individuals and communities. This article will particularly interest: * People who are interested in accessing heritage datasets for research * Heritage organisations, Museums and Libraries considering making data sets available through web-portals * People who are interested in inter-operability Key points: * Collection level description and historic environment data sets * Using the Z39.50 communications protocol * Open Archives Initiative metadata harvesting * Inter-operable systems and people * On-line examples of web-resources

“Digitize This!”

This article reviews some of the current literature on digital collections and examines two digital projects of the Digital Scriptorium at Duke University: the Duke Papyrus Archive and the Guido Mazzoni Collection. The author argues that digital collections impact the standards for archival description by forcing the use of item-level description and item-level digitization, although collection-level description is proving to be the preferred choice for digital collections. The article calls for increased research to be conducted to identify the users of digital collections and to understand their research methodology and needs. The author posits that with the advent and proliferation of digital collections, archivists are not making themselves obsolete but rather are redefining themselves as the interpreters of collections in the digital environment.

The invisible revealed: The RSLP revelation project

The Revelation project is one of fifty‐three Research Support Libraries Programme (RSLP) projects which were funded to address the problems of access to research material in academic libraries, and one of three led by the University of Birmingham. The Revelation project has had two main objectives: to increase the visibility of over 140,000 older research items in theology and church history collections within nine partner libraries, by creating online catalogue records for them; and to create a webguide containing collection level descriptions to aid researchers in identifying the locations of important collections within these subjects. Both objectives have now been met, with the completion of the project in October 2002.

Collection Level Description - The RIDING and Agora Experience

This article will examine the background and results of the eLib working group on Collection Level Descriptions (CLDs) and look at the implementation of CLDs in two of the eLib Phase 3 Library projects -- RIDING and Agora.

PRESERVING THE EPHEMERAL: NEW ACCESS TO ARTISTS' FILES, VERTICAL FILES AND SCRAPBOOKS

Previous articleNext article No AccessPRESERVING THE EPHEMERAL: NEW ACCESS TO ARTISTS' FILES, VERTICAL FILES AND SCRAPBOOKSMilan HughstonMilan Hughston Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Art Documentation Volume 9, Number 4Winter 1990 Published for the Art Libraries Society of North America Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/adx.9.4.27948270 Views: 11Total views on this site Citations: 1Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright © 1990 ARLIS/NAPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Kai Alexis Smith Digitizing Ephemera Reloaded: A Digitization Plan for an Art Museum Library, Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America 35, no.22 (Oct 2016): 329–338.https://doi.org/10.1086/688732