1. Collection description & Collection Description Focus JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster Steering Group meeting, HEFCE Office, London, 24 September 2001 Bridget Robinson & Pete Johnston UKOLN, University of Bath Bath, BA2 7AY UKOLN is supported by: Email cd-focus@ukoln.ac.uk URL http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/

2. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 2 Collection description Collections and collection-level description The RSLP collection description schema Collection description & the DNER Collection Description Focus

3. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 3 Collections & collection-level description Collection –“an aggregation of physical and/or electronic items e.g. aggregates of –natural objects –created objects –digital resources –surrogates of other objects –metadata –….

4. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 4 Collections & collection-level description Collection-level description might –Disclose information about collections –Provide overview of otherwise uncatalogued items –Enable user to select collections to search on basis of summary description –Enable software agents to select collections to search on behalf of user But different approaches to “collection description”…

5. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 5 RSLP collection-level description schema Model of collection –developed by Michael Heaney (Oxford) Schema –developed by Andy Powell (UKOLN) –implements subset of model Intended to provide means of consistent collection description in RSLP –simple, generic Limited adoption by RSLP projects

6. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 6 Collection description in DNER Collections in DNER –stuff (text, images, data,...) –metadata about stuff (subject gateways, library catalogues, …) –digital, physical –distributed Network services make digital collections available at digital ‘locations’ Real services make physical collections available at physical ‘locations’ People access content through services

7. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 7 Collection description in DNER

8. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 8 Collection Description Focus Funded by –RSLP –JISC/DNER –British Library UKOLN in partnership with: –HE Archives Hub –Mda Improve consistency, compatibility of approaches Build consensus

9. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 9 Focus Central point of contact Repository of advice –standards, guidelines, best practice –approaches, tools, implementations Draw on partnerships –Hub, mda –CIMI (international museums) –Dublin Core

10. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 10 Gathering Information Survey questionnaire –capture real project experience Visits to Collection Description projects / services –RSLP projects –DNER –others Telephone interviews Jiscmail discussion list

11. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 11 Dissemination Focus website Briefing days Workshops Guidelines and best practice Papers Presentations

12. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 12 Consensus–building Create forum of stakeholders, practitioners Open forum Broad representation Learning from the MEG model Funding of CD Focus gives more ‘teeth’ than MEG?

13. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 13 Tools CD Focus not concentrating on software development Enhancements to existing data creation tools Transformation tools –e.g. EAD to RSLP CD Support publishing & sharing of schemas

14. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 14 Work programme and timescales July 2001 - initial work September - start research work October 22nd - Briefing Day Nov, Jan, March - Workshops March 2002 - progress review May/June 2002 - Final event

15. JISC/DNER Moving Image & Sound Cluster, 24 Sep 2001 15 Acknowledgements UKOLN is funded by Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the UK higher and further education funding councils, as well as by project funding from the JISC and the European Union. UKOLN also receives support from the University of Bath where it is based. http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/