Columbia Project Team
- Amber Billey (Metadata Librarian)
- Roberto Ferrari (Curator of Art Properties)
- Kate Harcourt (Director, Original and Special Materials Cataloging)
- Erin Petrella (Metadata Assistant; 2015-2016)
- Robert Rendall (Principal Serials Cataloger)
- Margaret Smithglass (Registrar and Digital Content Librarian, Avery Library)
- Project Coordinator: Melanie Wacker (Metadata Coordinator)
Background
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Over the years, the museum and library communities have developed separate descriptive cataloging practices even though many museums hold library objects and many library collections contain museum objects. Libraries have frequently used their ILS system and the MARC 21/AACR2 cataloging tradition to describe these art objects along with the traditional library materials. Now the library community is moving beyond the MARC record into the realm of linked open data.
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Domain Project: Art Objects
This sub-project will focus on testing the BIBFRAME schema's suitability for the description of art objects, both two-dimensional (e.g. paintings, photographs) and three-dimensional (e.g. sculptures, ceramics). In addition, the Columbia group will evaluate other existing linked data ontologies (primarily from the art domain) not only to see how BIBFRAME compares to these specialized domain ontologies, but also as potential extensions to BIBFRAME where gaps have been identified. The test may result in the implementation of BIBFRAME as is, the implementation of BIBFRAME with extensions from other ontologies, or, potentially, the implementation of a different ontology (such as CIDOC CRM) if the test would show that BIBFRAME is not suitable at all for the art domain. The lessons learned would be shared with the community. Assuming that a suitable BIBFRAME art profile can be developed, the Columbia team is aiming to document the relationships, such as equivalent classes and properties, from BIBFRAME to CIDOC CRM. The project will utilize metadata descriptions created for Columbia University’s art objects, which are overseen by Art Properties at the Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library. The collection in total numbers about 10,000 objects, including public outdoor sculpture, paintings, photography, works on paper and decorative works. At present, data describing the art objects is captured in a spreadsheet according to locally developed guidelines following conventions developed by the art community and using both Library of Congress and Getty vocabularies.
The group’s deliverables will include: a BIBFRAME profile for art objects, both for data transformation and native data creation; transformation and conversion of a representable selection of art object descriptions cataloged according to the Art Properties collection's local schema to the profile; and an evaluation of the project and publication of the group’s findings.
Objectives
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- Evaluate the suitability of the BIBFRAME model and vocabulary for describing art objects, both two-dimensional (e.g. paintings, photographs) and three-dimensional (e.g. sculptures, ceramics).
- Identify and document any descriptive needs of art objects that are currently not covered by BIBFRAME.
- Evaluate other linked data ontologies and initiatives in the art domain.
- Develop a profile for the description of art objects.
- Convert a selection of art resources cataloged according to the Art Properties collection's local schema to the profile.
- Engage with related projects in the museum/art library domain, including the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
- Participate in data exchange with other partners.
- Develop workflow to connect public facing linked data to MARC circulation and other inventory data in spreadsheets or other sources.
- Evaluate the project and share recommendations.