1. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk UKOLN is supported by: Tap into Bath: Thinking globally before acting locally Ann Chapman Collection Description Focus

2. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk Overview Collection Description Tap into Bath Database structure and interfaces Data collection Where are we now?

3. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk Collection Description Metadata schema for consistent descriptions across domains Relational database to hold data Data entry interface Public search interface

4. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

5. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

6. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk Collection of physical objects Collection of metadata records Collection of books Collection of digital items Database of CLDs CLDs provide high- level “map” of landscape for user, researcher, visitor….

7. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

8. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

9. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk What’s 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 (!)…

10. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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 doesn’t matter –University library – 440,000 volumes –Harborow collection – 5 single gloves

11. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk Principles Use open source software Use standards where possible, e.g. –RSLP Collection Description Schema –Library of Congress Subject Headings Design for accessibility

12. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

13. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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?

14. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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)

15. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk Data challenges - 1 When is a sub-collection record needed? Concepts – finding LCSH terms Times – centuries and periods

16. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

17. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

18. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

19. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk 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

20. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk www.bath.ac.uk Collection Description Focus Visit our website at: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cd-focus/ CD FocusUniversity of Bath Ann Chapman Alison Baud Isobel Stark