UKOLN is supported by:

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Tap into Bath Thinking globally before acting
locally Ann Chapman Collection Description Focus
UKOLN is supported by
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Overview

• Collection Description
• Tap into Bath
• Database structure and interfaces
• Data collection
• Where are we now?

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Collection Description

• Metadata schema for consistent descriptions
  across domains
• Relational database to hold data
• Data entry interface
• Public search interface

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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

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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

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CLDs provide high-level map of landscape for
user, researcher, visitor.
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Tap into Bath

• Joint project
• Collection Description Focus (expertise and
  advise)
• University of Bath Library (hosting database,)
• Collections held in the Bath area (information)
• Aims
• Introduce concept of collection description to
  information professionals in the Bath area
• Produce a comprehensive resource for the Bath
  area
• Pilot project for local collection description
  databases
• Record the project in a case study paper

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Tap into Bath

• Archives, Libraries, Museums and Art galleries
• Where - in the City of Bath
• In both private and public ownership
• One stop shop for students, schools, tourists,
  researchers, professionals

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Whats in the collections?

• There are collections of
• natural objects fossils, mineral samples
• created objects artefacts, documents, records..
• digital resources documents, images, multimedia
  objects, data, software
• digital surrogates of physical objects
  documents, images
• metadata TiB collection-level descriptions (!)

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The focus of TiB collections

• By location all in Bath
• By type/form of item
• By topic
• By provenance or source/ownership of item
• Size doesnt matter
• University library 440,000 volumes
• Harborow collection 5 single gloves

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Principles

• Use open source software
• Use standards where possible, e.g.
• RSLP Collection Description Schema
• Library of Congress Subject Headings
• Design for accessibility

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Database and interface design

• MySQL database
• Unix server
• Public search interface producing XHTML or HTML
  pages
• Open source programming (CGI, PHP, Perl)
• Isobel Stark and Ian Bolton

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Database challenges

• Finding a host server
• Locating a suitable server
• Will they charge for hosting?
• Is there any guarantee on length of hosting?
• Have they configured the server in a standard way?

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Data collection

• Version 1 from public websites (Katie Rickard)
• Sent to collections for comment revised and
  queries followed up (Katie Rickard Alison Baud)
• Final editing (incl. LCSH terms) (Ann Chapman)
• Data entry (Katie Rickard, Alison Baud, Isobel
  Stark)

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Data challenges - 1

• When is a sub-collection record needed?
• Concepts finding LCSH terms
• Times centuries and periods

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Data challenges - 2

• Access conditions large amounts of data
• Split into standard sub-headings
• opening hours
• admission charges or not
• accessibility
• other features guided tours, packs for schools
• Omitted
• actual admission charges

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Data challenges - 3

• 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

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In Bath you can find

• Death mask of Isaac Pitman
• Conestoga wagon
• Casali ceiling paintings
• 1914 Horstmann Coupe car
• Duplicate coronation gloves
• Tompion clock
• Field notebooks on Meadow Brown butterfly

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Where are we now?

• Finalising the interface software
• Data collection
• Some collection records not yet finalised
• Some possible additional collections identified
• Data entry a few collections not yet on
• Public launch autumn 2004
• Write up as CD Focus Case Study

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Collection Description Focus

• Visit our website at
• http//www.ukoln.ac.uk/cd-focus/
• CD Focus University of Bath
• Ann Chapman Alison Baud
• Isobel Stark