UKOLN is supported by:

1. Tapping into Collections Ann Chapman Collection Description Focus UKOLN is supported by:

2. Overview • Collection description • Collection Description Focus • What is collection description? • The RSLP metadata schema • Collection description databases • Tap into Bath • Aims and objectives • Partners • Collections • Issues

3. Collection Description Focus • Part of UKOLN Policy & Advice team • Supports implementers and those considering implementation • Documentation • Using the metadata schema • What content goes in each field? • Indexing

4. Collection ofmetadata records Collection of physicalobjects Collection of books Collection of digitalitems Database of CLDs CLDs provide high-level “map” of landscape for user, researcher, visitor….

5. What is a collection? • A group of resources with a common factor • On the same topic • In the same format • Belong(ed) to a person or organisation • For a specific group of people

6. Which can be: • Fossils, shells, mineral samples, plant specimens, coins, medals, sculpture, carvings, paintings, drawings, bottles, kitchen utensils, manuscripts, printed and digital books, journals and documents, photographs, press clippings, maps, plans, clothing and dress accessories, silverware, ceramics, glassware, china dogs, quilts, clocks, furniture, tools, etc.

7. Size doesn’t matter • Bath University Library – 440,000 volumes • Harborow Collection – 5 left-hand gloves • Victoria Art Gallery – 150 china dogs • Bath Chronicle – 100 linear feet of stored photographs • No.1 Royal Crescent – a house • Public Record Office – 69 royal charters, commissions and mandates • Royal United Hospital – 1,000 e-journals

8. Why collection description? • Enable collection provider to • disclose information about collections to users • Enable user to • discover/locate collections • select collections to explore/search on basis of summary description • compare collections as broadly similar objects (even where items are heterogeneous) • understand conditions of access and use • interpret collections

9. What is collection-level description? • CLD schema = sets of data elements about: • The collection • Agents connected with the collection • Location of the collection • Associated resources • Relationships of the above entities • Implementations • Usually hold descriptions in a relational database • Have a specific focus • May extend or limit the metadata elements used

10. RSLP CD Schema - 1 General collection attributes • Title Pitman Collection • Identifier • Description Brief prose description • Strength Shorthand –international significance • Phys.Characteristics (Formats) Books, manuscripts, journals, photographs • Language English • Type Library

11. RSLP CD Schema - 2 General collection attributes (continued) • Access control Restricted access • Accrual status Occasional donation & purchase • Legal status Owned by University of Bath • Custodial history Donated by Pitman & Sons • Note A significant proportion of the collection is in shorthand.

12. RSLP CD Schema - 3 • Subject attributes • Topic Shorthand, spelling, alphabets, phonetics • Object Death mask of Sir Isaac Pitman • Time, Place, Name • Date attributes • Accumulation 1970s - 2004 • Contents 1901 – 1985 • Associated agents • Creator Sir Isaac Pitman, Sir James Pitman • Owner University of Bath

13. Collection Description databases • Tap into Bath & Southern Cross • Revealweb • Cornucopia & MICHAEL • EnrichUK • Backstage • Cecilia • PADDI – Planning Architecture Design Database Ireland • MASC25 • SCONE • RASCAL

14. Tap into Bath • Cross-domain, cross-sectoral collaboration • Staff development • Opportunities to network • Practical experience of: • Creating the database • Collecting (& entering) data • Differences in domain approaches • Open source software for re-use (Southern Cross)

15. Aims and objectives • Introduce concept of collection description to information professionals in Bath • Produce a comprehensive resource for Bath • Pilot project for local collection description databases using open source software • Support re-use through documentation

16. Tap into Bath Partners • Libraries: 2 university, 1 college, 1 school, 1 hospital trust, 1 utility company, 1 newspaper • Archives: Bath Abbey, public Record Office, 1 university, 1 charities archive • Museums: 13 – various, including a house • Art gallery: 1 public gallery

17. Tap into Bath Collections • Varying sizes • Wide range of resource formats • Some have item level catalogues • Some of which are online • Publicly funded & commercial

18. Issues – data collection • Partners new to this and had little time • Team created a draft entry for each collection • Partners corrected and added content, proposed indexing terms • Team edited entries for consistency • Team entered data

19. Issues – data content • Text length in <Description> • Advised 1 short paragraph • Range of data in <Access Conditions> • Opening hours • Admission charges or free entry (omitted actual charges) • Accessibility • Other features – guided tours, packs for schools • Creator / Owner / Administrator • Partners sometimes unclear on distinction

20. Issues – element labels • Making field labels user friendly, e.g. • Object = Star item • Physical characteristics = Materials held • Accumulation date range = When collected • Contents date range = Age of materials • Sub-collection = Contains • Super-collection = Part of • Accrual status = Collecting policy • Access control = Who can use it? • Access conditions = Access information

21. Issues – technical & maintenance • Finding a server • Charges? Willing to host long-term? Server configured in a standard way? • Launch December 2004 – now need to review and update • Now: team contacts partners and then does update • Future: potential to develop password protected interface for partners

22. Issues - granularity • Schema supports hierarchical records • Establishing which collections needed separate records • Public library – 29 collections • Roman Baths Museum – 5 collections • Items can be in 1+ collections • Maps – local history, map, reference

23. Issues - indexing • Which terminology to use? • None ideal – LCSH best fit • Possible move to UKAT • Partners suggested terms • Team identified LCSH form of term • Time periods - problematic

24. Collection Description Focus Visit our website at: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cd-focus/ Ann Chapman A.D.Chapman@ukoln.ac.uk