archival collections management systems presenter: veronica martzahl, mlis, ma, ca march 31, 2015...
TRANSCRIPT
Archival Collections Management Systems
Presenter: Veronica Martzahl, MLIS, MA, CAMarch 31, 2015©2015 Society of American Archivists
Basis for this seminar
Original webinar by Lisa Spiro delivered in 2009
Report issued by CLIR (Council on Library and Information Resources) to support its Hidden Collections program, available at http://clir.org/pubs/reports/spiro2009.html
Report issued by CLIR (Council on Library and Information Resources) to support its Hidden Collections program (http://clir.org/pubs/reports/spiro2009.html)
Web seminar originally presented in 2009
Updated web seminar presented by Rachel Onuf in 2014
2
Understand what an Archival Collections Management System (ACMS) is (and is not)
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Evaluation of your institution to determine requirements
Considerations for selecting a system
Comparison of systems
Goals for this seminar
•ERS/EDS/ERMS•DAM•TDR/TIS/PR•DL•ACMS
Alphabet Soup
Electronic Records SystemElectronic Documents SystemElectronic Records Management System
• Enable organizations manage documents and records through the life-cycle from creation to destruction
• Often indicate in their sales documentation that they can “archive” records also, but aren’t referencing archival standards
ERS/EDS/ERMS
Digital Asset ManagementSub-set: Media Asset Management
• Software system that support ingesting, cataloguing, storing, retrieving and distributing digital files
DAM
Trustworthy Digital RepositoryTrustworthy Information SystemPreservation Repository
• A computer application designed to create, store, and retrieve data according to well-documented processes that ensure records based on those data are authentic and reliable
TDR/TIS/PR
Digital Library
• A collection of information resources in electronic format
• A service that uses information technology to provide services similar to traditional libraries, including selection and acquisition, cataloging, reference, and preservation, to provide access to information in electronic format.
DL
Primary focus is on individual file or record management and description
What do all of these systems have in common?
Archival Collections Management System
• A type of software that typically provides integrated support for the archival workflow, such as appraisal, accessioning, description, arrangement, publication of finding aids, collection management, and preservation
ACMS
Archival Collections Management System
• Manages information about the records or collection materials, not the items themselves
• Supports higher levels of description• Collection/Record Group• Series• Creator information
ACMS
Archival Collections Management System
• Place to manage the metadata for various Content Standards
• DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard)• RAD (Rules for Archival Description)• RDA (Resource Description and Access)• ISAD(G) (International Standard Archival Description
(General)
ACMS
Archival Collections Management System
• Export metadata to various Structure Standards
• XML• EAD (Encoded Archival Description)• EAC-CPF (Encoded Archival Context – Corporations,
People and Families)• MARC
ACMS
Challenges
• Time and expense in selecting, installing and maintaining the system
• Difficulty adjusting archival workflows to accommodate new system
• Importing existing “legacy” data can be challenging
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Benefits
• Raise the profile of your archives• Increase use of your collections• Minimize Data Silos• Streamline workflows• Minimizes replication of data & effort• Reduces difficulty locating information• Utilize Standards-based data collection
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Benefits
• Addresses versioning problems• Allows for reports, analyzing patterns in data• Makes archival information (e.g. finding aids)
available to larger community
Less time spent creating, searching, and manipulating metadata means more time can be spent connecting people to your materials…and
doing everything else!
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Questions?
What types of collections do you have?
• Mostly institutional records• Mostly manuscript collections• A lot of artifacts or individual objects• Traditional paper, hybrid collections or
growing digital content • Digitized vs. Born Digital
Evaluating your institution
How are you currently managing your collection information?
• Is the information in some digital form?• If it is already in a system, can you get it out
in a useful format?• Can you crosswalk the data over easily?• Do you have staff who are comfortable with
this process or will you need to rely on outside help?
Evaluating your institution
What is your technology infrastructure?
• Does the system have to work in a specific server environment?
• Do you have internal support or do you need to rely on a vendor?
• Is your institution open to using a hosted solution?
• Are there other systems your ACMS needs to be able to talk to?
Evaluating your institution
Lisa Spiro asked archivists to describe features of their “Dream Tool”:
• Easy to use• Easy to import & export data• Provides remote access• Integrates different types of archival information• Publishes to the web• Standards-based• Flexible in accommodating different workflows• Generates statistics & reports
Consideration for selecting a new system
Needs assessment
• Involve stakeholders (archivists, IT staff, administration, end users)• Establish a project plan with clear milestones and areas of responsibility• Conduct a needs assessment:
• Do you really need new software, and is now the best time (given available resources, current projects, etc.) to pursue it?
• What kind of information is captured, by whom, when, and for what purposes?
• What are the weaknesses of your current system for handling • archival information?
• Produce a weighted "features checklist”• Interview current users of software you’re considering; see it in action
through a site visit, if possible• Demo the software & ask lots of questions
Consideration for selecting a new system
What kind of information is captured, by whom, when and for what purpose?
• Consider how many levels of hierarchical description you need
• Do you need additional add-on modules?• Accessioning• Space Management• Conservation Activities
• How does the system handle multiple manifestations of an object?
Consideration for selecting a new system
Multiple Manifestations – Functional Requirement for Bibliographic Records (FRBR)
• In a nutshell: There is the idea of a thing which is the Work and it is represented by multiple Manifestations
• Example: A student’s thesis exists as multiple manifestations - a physical document, a Word .doc and a preservation pdf/a file
• How would this look in your ACMS?
Consideration for selecting a new system
User Access to Collection Information
• Is it integrated into the system?• How much programming is needed?• Can it be customized?• Do you need a hosted option?• Do you need/want digital surrogates?• Can you print out a finding aid?
Consideration for selecting a new system
10 minute break and then
Questions?
Terminology
• Open Source vs Commercial• Hosted vs Locally Installed• Web Publishing
Comparison of Systems
Open Source vs. Commercial
Open Source Commercial
License Cost Free Varies
Customization You can customize Vendor typically offers customization
Security “Many eyes make all bugs shallow”
Vendor responsible for fixing security holes
Support & training
Community provides Vendor provides
Sustainability Minimize risk of vendor collapse or lock-in
Open Source projects may disappear; vendors can make assurances of long-term support
Hosted vs. Locally Installed
Advantages of Hosted Advantages of Local
Vendor purchases & maintains hardware
Archives retain control over their data
Vendor responsible for ensuring security of and access to data
Archives can more easily customize presentation of data themselves
Archives don’t have to rely on their own tech staff for support; may be good option for small archives
Many ACMS are designed to be easy to set up and maintain
Data available, backed-up at a different site than archive
Long-term access to data even if vendor fails
Vendors have expertise with software
Local likely cheaper than hosted service
Web Publishing Capabilities
Advantages of Web Publishing Features
Disadvantages of Web Publishing Features
Make it easy to get information to the public
Web publishing may entail additional cost
Reach broader public without investing in additional publishing system
Archive may already have system for publishing info online
Make information accessible quickly
It may be difficult to customize how the data is presented
Archivist Toolkit
• Open Source• Works in Windows/Mac/Linux environments• Hosted option not available
• http://www.archiviststoolkit.org/
Comparison of Systems
Archon
• Open Source• Works in Windows/Mac/Linux environments (although
Windows server is not recommended)• Hosted option not available
• http://www.archon.org/
Comparison of Systems
ArchivesSpace
• Open Source• Works in Windows/Mac/Linux environments• Hosted option available from Lyrasis
• http://www.archivesspace.org/
Comparison of Systems
The navigation panel on the left side of the ArchivesSpace staff interface provides a snapshot of the major high-level sections of an ArchivesSpace record.
An ArchivesSpace record is a linear document, and, while scrolling through a record, the highlighted section of the navigation panel will change to keep the staff user oriented to the current position within the record.
ArchivesSpace Record template
A Customized Public Interface
Axiell CALM
• Commercial• Windows based• Hosted option through Axiell• Integrated with Preservica preservation repository
software
• http://www.axiell.co.uk/calm-for-archives
Comparison of Systems
Axiell CALM
Comparison of Systems
CIDER – Collection Information and Description Environment
• Open Source• Linux environment preferred• Hosted option not available• Flexible export of metadata for use in other systems
• https://github.com/TuftsUniversity/cider
Comparison of Systems
CIDER
Comparison of Systems
CIDER
Comparison of Systems
CollectiveAccess
• Open Source• Mac or Windows environment• Hosted option not available
• Two components:• Providence: core cataloguing and data management application
• Pre-configured with several library and archival standards including DACS, PBCore, Dublin Core, VRA Core
• Pawtucket: optional "front-end" publication and discovery platform
• http://www.collectiveaccess.org/
Comparison of Systems
CollectiveAccess
CuadraSTAR Archives Management (SKCA)
• Commercial• Windows or Linux environment• Hosted option through CuadraSTAR• Suite of products for museum and image collections
• http://www.cuadra.com/products/archives.html
Comparison of Systems
CuadraSTAR Archives Management (SKCA)
Comparison of Systems
Eloquent Archives
• Commercial• Windows environment• Hosted option through Eloquent cloud
• http://www.eloquent-systems.com/products/archives/
Comparison of Systems
Eloquent Archives (https://vimeo.com/55974157)
Comparison of Systems
ICA-AtoM
• Open Source• Windows/Mac/Linux environment• Hosted option through Artefactual Systems• Integrated with Archivematica and new ArchivesDirect
service
• https://www.ica-atom.org/• http://www.artefactual.com/
Comparison of Systems
ICA-AtoM
Comparison of Systems
Minisis M2A
• Commercial• Windows environment• Hosted option not available• Suite of Library and Museum modules
• http://www.minisisinc.com/pages/products-m2a.html
Comparison of Systems
Minisis M2A
Comparison of Systems
PastPerfect
• Commercial• Windows environment• Hosted option not available
• http://www.museumsoftware.com/
Comparison of Systems
PastPerfect
Comparison of Systems
Re:Discovery Proficio
• Commercial• Windows environment• Hosted option not available
• http://www.rediscov.com/archives.aspx
Comparison of Systems
Re:Discovery Proficio
Comparison of Systems
Re:Discovery Proficio
Comparison of Systems
The Museum System (TMS)
• Commercial• Windows environment• Hosted option through Gallery Systems
• http://www.gallerysystems.com/products-and-services/tms/
Comparison of Systems
Free software… Fee-based consulting: Whirl-i-Gig, CollectiveAccess's
development team, works directly with end-users who require assistance in realizing their projects Data migration or new feature development, or a full project
lifecycle from design to implementation to publication Work-for-hire plowed back into the application
All work is performed under GNU General Public License v3, ensuring that contracted development becomes part of upcoming software releases
An increasingly common model
• Many good options for managing, describing and publishing archival collections are available
• Which system you choose depends on:• Desired features, depending on your users and the
nature of your holdings• Available resources (especially money and technical
support)• And many other factors specific to your institution
• Consult with the user community for an ACMS to determine what system is best for your institution
Conclusions
• Archivist Toolkit http://www.archiviststoolkit.org/• Archon http://www.archon.org/• ArchivesSpace http://www.archivesspace.org/• Axiell CALM http://www.axiell.co.uk/calm-for-archives• CIDER https://github.com/TuftsUniversity/cider• CollectiveAccess http://www.collectiveaccess.org/• CuadraSTAR
http://www.cuadra.com/products/archives.html• Eloquent Archives
http://www.eloquent-systems.com/products/archives/ https://vimeo.com/55974157
Resources
• ICA AtoM https://www.ica-atom.org/ http://www.artefactual.com/
• Minisis M2A http://www.minisisinc.com/pages/products-m2a.html
• PastPerfect http://www.museumsoftware.com/• Re:Discovery Proficio
http://www.rediscov.com/archives.aspx• The Museum System
http://www.gallerysystems.com/products-and-services/tms/
Resources
• SAA’s Collection Management Tools Roundtable http://www2.archivists.org/groups/collection-management-tools-roundtable
• Documentation Portalhttps://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-0a277FLP36b2hxX1JFb1Ywd00&usp=drive_web
Resources
Questions?