launch of the integrated archives and manuscript system (iams) bill stockting, cataloguing systems...
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Launch of the Integrated Archives and Manuscript System (IAMS)
Bill Stockting, Cataloguing Systems and Processing Manager (Scholarship & Collections)
UKAD Forum: TNA, 21 March 2012
Introduction
Development of the Integrated Archives and Manuscript system (IAMS) at the British Library over the last 5 years has touched on many of the themes of today’s forum:
An innovative data model describing the material and related contextual entities
Migration of legacy data
User interface development
Provision of access to digital versions of the material
Some success so CELEBRATION as well as looking to the future!
Unique and Distinctive Collections
Extensive collections of unique archives and manuscripts:
Manuscripts: Western, Oriental, Literary and Music
Records of India Office and its predecessors, and related private papers and manuscripts
Digitised collections from across the world as part of the Endangered Archives Programme (EAP)
IAMS Mission Statement
To deliver a powerful, flexible integrated cataloguing and resource discovery system that will unite and broaden access to the British Library’s archives and manuscript collection and will provide standards compliant data for
external co-operative projects
Catalogue System
Innovative Data Model
Project & Collections
held by
Persons, Families, Corporate
Bodiescreated by
Archives & Manuscripts
Places, Subjects, Events,Titles
have subjects
Archive institutions
acquired / funded by
Legacy Data Migration
Main phase of complex legacy migration now nearing completion – 1.5 million records migrated:
India Office Records: ISAD(G) compliant spreadsheets from A2A and other projects relatively straightforward to migrate
Western Manuscript Catalogues: A very different story...
Migrating Western Manuscripts Catalogue: Stage 1 (late 1990s)
Migration of published catalogues and indexes of Western Manuscripts...
...to Molcat : data held as WORD and converted to HTML for presentation
Migrating Molcat: Stage 2 (2009-2012)
User Interface Development
http://searcharchives.bl.uk
Supporting Access to Digitised Manuscripts and Archives
http://searcharchives.bl.uk
Success!
Much progress then to achieving our mission:
Raised profile of collections and metadata as an a asset
IAMS now defined as a Master Metadata Repository
Advantages of flexible data model seen by other collection areas – photographs and philatelic
IAMS metadata used for discovery and delivery of digital content
To do...
Celebration but much still to do:
Further legacy migration: Oriental manuscripts
Retro-conversion of hardcopy catalogues/indexes with help of online communities perhaps
Integration with Library’s infrastructure for preservation and delivery of digital content
Open access to data
Contact
Bill Stockting: Cataloguing Systems and Processing Manager (Scholarship & Collections):