A centre of expertise in digital information management UKOLN is supported by: Tap into Bath: using collection descriptions

A centre of expertise in digital information management

www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk

UKOLN is supported by:

Tap into Bath: using collection descriptions in a local context

Ann Chapman and Bridget Robinson

Collection Description Focus



Overview

• Collection Description Focus

• What is a collection?

• What is collection-level description?

• Why use collection descriptions?

• The Tap into Bath project




• Part of UKOLN, based at Univ. Bath• Funded by

– JISC (- higher and further education)– MLA (formerly Re:source - public sector)– British Library

• Works to– Develop consensus within user community– Disseminate information and good practice– Support implementers



Focus activities

• Presentations and articles• Series of briefing papers and case studies• Website and newsletter• Workshops, briefing days• Online tutorial• Development of metadata schema• Point of contact, advice



What is a collection?

• A collection is an aggregation of items, e.g.– 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: catalogue records, item descriptions,

collection-level descriptions (!)…



What is a collection?

• Criteria for aggregation– By location– By type/form of item)– By nature of item content– By provenance or source/ownership of item

• Any number of items• Permanent or temporary• Discrete or distributed• Created with intent / purpose



What is collection-level description?

• Metadata is structured data about resources• Older forms of metadata

– Card catalogues, paper inventories, archival finding aids– Directories and yearbooks

• New forms of metadata– Library OPACs – MARC format– Archival descriptions – EAD and ISAD(G)– Museum documentation - Spectrum– Community information – MARC format– Collection descriptions – CLD schema



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



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



Collection of physicalobjects

Collection ofmetadata records

Collection of books

Collection of digitalitems

Database of CLDsCLDs provide high-

level “map” of landscape for user, researcher, visitor….



• AIM25 – archives within the M25

• Archives Hub

• Cecilia - music

• Collections Navigator – NHM

• Cornucopia - museums

• Crossroads – pottery in West Midlands

Who’s using Collection Description?



Who’s using Collection Description?

• EnrichUK.net – NOF funded digitisation

• ITAM: MIMAS Collection Description

• Revealweb: visually impaired people

• The Science & Culture website

• SCONE – Scottish collections



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



Museum of East Asian Art (1)

Title: Museum of East Asian Art

Description: A fine collection of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Southeast Asian artefacts. Particularly notable are the ‘Ordos’ bronzes, bamboo carvings and Chinese jade.

Strength: East Asian art.

Audience: general public, specialist researchers

Phys.char.: artefacts

Size: 500+ items




Access control: general public during admission hours

Access conditions: Open all year except Christmas and New Year. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12 noon – 5pm. Admission charges. Pre-booking service for groups. Introductory video in 6 languages. Gallery guides and children’s worksheets. Library and study area. Object identification and enquiry service. Audio guides for visually impaired, induction loop, access to all floors.




Location: 12 Bennett Street, Bath BA1 2QL

Legal status: Privately owned collection

Custodial history: Collection owned/donated by B.E.

Owner: Brian McElney O.B.E.

Owner biography: B.E. is a retired solicitor who practised in Hong Kong for over 35 years




Subject: Decorative arts - Asia

Subject: Jade

Subject: Ordos (Mongolian people)

Subject: Bamboo carvings

Subject: Oriental antiquities

Subject: Ceramics

Subject: Brian McElney O.B.E.



Downside Abbey Archive (1)

Title: Downside Abbey Archive

Description: The archive of Downside Abbey, a community of Benedictine monks serving parishes in Somerset, Worcestershire and Suffolk, and its school for boys aged 9-18.

Strength: History of Downside Abbey and school

Audience:

Phys. char.: documents

Size: xx items




Access control: Requests for access considered

Access conditions: By arrangement.

Location: Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Bath BA3 4RH

Legal status: Privately owned collection

Custodial history.:

Owner: Downside Abbey community

Owner history: Community settled at Downside in 1814.




Subject: Benedictine monasteries

Subject: Monastic and religious life.

Subject: Downside, England, St. Gregory’s Abbey

Subject: Abbeys – England – Downside - History



Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (1)

Title: Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases

Description: Specialist national hospital founded in 1738 and opened in 1742. Original buildings designed by John Wood. The collection includes oil paintings and a selection of hospital records and other archive material.

Strength: Medical and clinical history – local, national interest

Audience: Researchers

Phys.char.: documents, artefacts

Size: 3 oil paintings, unspecified number of documents

Associated collection: Bath City Archive - RNHRD archive




Access control: Researchers

Access conditions: By appointment.

Location: Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RL

Legal status: NHS collection

Custodial history: Most of the archival material is now held in the Bath City Archive.

Owner: RNHRD NHS Trust

Owner history: Became an NHS Trust in 1993.




Subject: Rheumatic diseases

Subject: Hospital records

Subject: John Wood (architect)

Subject: William Hoare (artist)

Subject: Dr William Oliver

Subject: Dr. Jeremiah Peirce




Visit our website at:

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cd-focus/

CD Focus University of BathBridget Robinson Alison Baud

Ann Chapman Isobel Stark

Documents

A centre of expertise in digital information management UKOLN is supported by: Tap into Bath: using collection descriptions