Archival authority files and the representation of literary networks: first steps and opportunities
Cataloguing Creativity, 15/11/2013: Bill Stockting, British Library
www.bl.uk
Introduction• Briefly review the data model,
standards and role of authority records in the Library’s Integrated Archives and Manuscripts System - IAMS
• Demonstrate Authority records, navigation and visualisation in:
– Library’s online catalogue - SoCAM
– Social Networks and Archival Context – SNAC - prototype
• Issues for cataloguing - more questions than answers!
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IAMS: Data Model
Archive Institutions
held by/
holder of Persons,
Families, Corporate
Bodies
has creator/creator of
Archives & Manuscripts
Places, Concepts, Things,
Events &,Titles
has subject/subject of
1
2
3 3
2
3
Projects &collections
contained by/container of
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http://searcharchives.bl.uk/
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SNAC: The Social Networks and Archival Context Project• US project funded by Mellon
looking at researchers need to find material relating to individuals among distributed resources
• Archival and bibliographic data from US, UK (Library and Archives Hub) and France (BNF) merged to single EAC-CPF record for each entity with links to open data sources such as VIAF
• Enhanced prototype due to be available by March 2014 with more data and enhanced visualisations of personal networks
Site: http://socialarchive.iath.virginia.edu/
Prototype: http://socialarchive.iath.virginia.edu/xtf/search
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Cataloguing Issues:
• Important to note that SNAC based on real catalogue data - warts and all:
– all normalisation automatic
– no extra detailed cataloguing or transcription
• But portals such as SNAC need rich, consistent and well structured metadata so compromises...
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Legacy Data
• SNAC can’t use the specificity the Library gives for role in creation of material – simply ‘creator’ not ‘author’ and ‘editor’ etc
• Library CPF authority data has deficiencies:
– Duplicate records– No life dates– No links to NRA or VIAF– No links to places or subjects– Persistent identifiers in
development
• So work to do!
www.bl.uk
New Cataloguing• The Library’s new cataloguing better
for sharing with portals such as SNAC
• Developing authority file descriptions unaffordable – not MPLP?
• No – a workflow rather than a resource issue:
– Necessary research done anyway during cataloguing
– Biographies can focus on material being catalogued – not necessarily whole life history
– Save thinking time in forming ‘perfect’ name by links to open data such as VIAF
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Any Questions?