Collection Description Schema Forum

CBI Conference Centre, London

12 February 2004

Breakout sessions 2 & 3. Developing the standards

A. RSLP Collection Description Schema

Michael Heaney's analytical model of collections and their catalogues was designed without regard to any specific implementation.

The model was translated into the RSLP schema as a tool for RSLP projects to collect, store and exchange data about collections in RSLP projects. The RSLP schema uses most but not all of the entities in the Heaney model; additionally it also simplifies the way information is presented.

The database structure for SCONE was based closely on the Heaney model. The RSLP schema was still under development during the first year of the SCONE project, and so not available during the initial stages of the development of the SCONE database. The SCONE database has a richer structure than the RSLP schema and can be mapped to it by combining appropriate data elements.

Many implementations are using RSLP elements as the basis of their individual schema and then extending/modifying it. Some of the extensions have been used by more than one implementation and could possibly be used to create an extended schema, but there will be a need to consider DCMI work in these areas.

The collection description attributes of the RSLP schema also formed the basis of the Dublin Core Collection Description Application Profile. (DC CD AP).

There are also issues around the values of properties (DCMI encoding schemes - controlled vocabularies, date formats, etc.).

The relationship of the DC CD AP, the RSLP schema, the SCONE database and the Cecilia implementation is shown in diagram form.

The following lists have been compiled from existing documentation; in the time available it has not been possible to contact implementations and gather full details. Consequently the lists are not exhaustive but do illustrate the areas which (may) require further work.

Elements added by implementations

Collection	Alternative name of the collection
Definition	An alternative name or sub-title of the collection
Metadata label	dcterms:alternative
Used by	JISC IESR

Collection	Audience
Definition	A category of user for whom the collection is intended. See also: Level
Metadata label	dced:audience
Used by	Reveal

Collection	Level / Educational level
Definition	The location of the audience in terms of its progression through an education or training sector.
Metadata label	Dcterms:educationLevel [= reveal:level] Recommended by DC-Education WG as qualifier of Audience.
Used by	Reveal, JISC IESR

Collection	Copyright
Definition	Copyright statement about the collection
Metadata label	dc:rights
Used by	JISC IESR

Collection	Licence requirements
Definition	Licence requirements to access the collection.
Metadata label	dc:accessRights
Used by	JISC IESR

Collection	Logo / Branding URL
Definition	A logo for the collection or agent.
Metadata label	iesr:logo
Used by	JISC IESR

Collection	Rights to use collection
Definition	Allowed usage of data from the collection, e.g. terms and conditions.
Metadata label	dcterms:useRights
Used by	JISC IESR

Collection	Service providing access
Definition	The global identifier of a service providing access to the collection.
Metadata label	iesr:hasService
Used by	JISC IESR

Collection	Significance(s) (could be a Strength qualifier?)
Definition	Values = Local/Wales/UK/International
Metadata label	[not traced]
Used by	Mapping Wales

Collection	Star item(s) (could be a Strength qualifier?)
Definition	Individual items of significant importance within the collection
Metadata label	[not traced]
Used by	Crossroads

Collection	Size / Size and format / Extent (or Phys. Char. Qualifier?)
Definition	The (approximate) number of items in the collections
Metadata label	extent (Scottish Textile Collections)
Used by	Size: Find it in London Size and Format: Mapping Wales Extent: Scottish Textile Collections

Collection	CollectionSubjectScheme
Definition	Notes of usage of subject heading schemes in SCURL collections
Qualifier	Notes (about use of classification scheme for collection)
Metadata label	[not traced]
Used by	SCONE

Collection	CollectionClassScheme
Definition	Notes of usage of classification schemes in SCURL collections
Qualifier	Edition (of classification scheme)
Metadata label	[not traced]
Qualifier	Notes (about use of classification scheme for collection)
Metadata label	[not traced]
Used by	SCONE

Collection	Arrangement
Definition	Has any system of arrangement been imposed on the collection (e.g. chronological, by type)?
Metadata label	[not traced]
Used by	Scottish Textiles Collection

Collection	Appraisal
Definition	Has the collection been weeded or any decisions made about what is kept or thrown way?
Metadata label	[not traced]
Used by	Scottish Textiles Collection

Entity	Creator
Definition	Creator of content of item(s) in a collection
Metadata label	[not traced]
Used by	SCONE

Entity	Producer
Definition	Producer of item(s) in a collection
Metadata label	[not traced]
Used by	SCONE

Element qualifiers added by implementations

Collection	Strength (= subject strengths Research of collections Online — RCO)
Definition	A statement of the strength of the collections
Metadata label	[scone:rcoLevel?]
Qualifier	Conspectus level
Used by	SCONE

Collection	Subject (= RCO Subject groups 1 & 2)
Definition	A subject term for the collection
Qualifier	RCO Subject Group 1 (top level of hierarchy of subject terms)
Metadata label	[scone:rcoSubjectGroup1?]
Qualifier	RCO Subject Group 2 (middle level of hierarchy of subject terms)
Metadata label	[scone:rcoSubjectGroup2?]
Used by	SCONE

Collection	Subject (= Subjects)
Definition	A subject term for the collection
Qualifier	DDC21 (Dewey Classification (ed. 21) number for collection subject)
Metadata label	[scone:subject:Ddc21?]
Qualifier	DDC21 Verbal (verbal heading associated with Dewey (ed. 21) number for collection subject)
Metadata label	[scone:subjectDdc21Verbal?]
Qualifier	LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Heading for collection subject)
Metadata label	[scone:subjectLcsh?]
Qualifier	Notes (Scope notes for subject)
Metadata label	[scone:subjectNotes?]
Used by	SCONE

Collection	Legal status
Definition	A statement of the legal status of the collections
Metadata label	cld:legalStatus
New Qualifier	Legal status with regard to ownership
New Qualifier	Copyright status
New Qualifier	Collection provenance [but data here appears appropriate for rslp:custodialHistory]
Used by	Backstage

Collection	Contents date range
Definition	An indication of the certainty of a date range (cf. SPECTRUM)
Metadata label	DateRangeCertainty
Used by	Cornucopia

Location	Access conditions - qualifiers
Definition	Hours of access, permitted users, etc.
Metadata label	cld:accessConditions
New Qualifier	Hours (SCONE). Opening hours (Backstage)
New Qualifier	Access charges (SCONE), Charges (Backstage)
New Qualifier	Access restrictions (Backstage)
New Qualifier	User services (Backstage)
Used by	SCONE, Backstage

Location	Associated agent: Administrator — qualifiers
Definition	The person or service unit performing an administrative function.
New Qualifier	Customer services
Metadata label	reveal:customerServices
New Qualifier	Technical contact for Reveal
Metadata label	reveal:revealContact
Used by	Reveal

Administrative metadata elements added by implementations

Entity	EnrichUK Project
Definition	The identifier for a project within the EnrichUK programme
Metadata label	[enrich:enrichProject?]
Attribute	Title
Attribute	Description
Attribute	Launch data
Attribute	Website
Attribute	Organisation
Attribute	Telephone
Attribute	Email
Attribute	Address
Used by	EnrichUK

Agent	Reveal Partner
Definition	Identifier for an agent who is a formal partner in the Reveal project
Metadata label	reveal:revealPartner
Attribute	Organisation name [vcard:org]
Attribute	Reveal partner number [dc:identifier]
Attribute	Adds records to Reveal [reveal:addsRecords]
Attribute	Notifies intention to transcribe [reveal:notifiesIntent]
Attribute	Copyright permissions [reveal:copyrightPermissions]
Used by	Reveal

Admin	Record management [JISC IESR]
Definition	Information on the creator and modifier(s) of the collection record
Metadata label	iesr:admeta reveal:revealAdmin
Attribute	Name of person creating entry	[dc:creator] JISC IESR, Backstage [ac:name] Reveal
Attribute	Name of person modifying entry	[dc:contributor] JISC IESR [ac:name] Reveal
Attribute	Activity (= create/edit)	[ac:activity] Reveal
Attribute	Email address (of person creating/editing entry)	[ac:email] Reveal
Attribute	Record creation date Date action performed	[dcterms:created] JISC IESR [ac:date] Reveal
Attribute	Record last modified	[dcterms:modified] JISC IESR
Attribute	Language of metadata	[dc:language] JISC IESR
Attribute	Source of metadata	[dc:source] JISC IESR
Attribute	Rights	[dc:rights] JISC IESR
Used by	Backstage, JISC IESR, Reveal

Elements re-labelled OR label of equivalent elements

RSLP - Collection	Alternative label / label of equivalent element	Implementation
Identifier	Inst. name & control no. Unique identifier	Backstage Crossroads
Strength	Area(s) of interest	Backstage
Physical characteristics	Available media Format(s) of coll. Materials Physical description	Reveal Backstage Scottish Textile Collections
Type	Management information	Crossroads
Access control	Viewing the collection Access	Crossroads SCONE
Accrual status	Acquisition policy Accruals	Backstage Scottish Textile Collections
Custodial history	Collection provenance	Backstage
Subject: Concept	Keywords Subject(s) covered This collection is about Subject matter of collection	Find it in London Backstage Crossroads JISC IESR
Subject: name	Associated people/orgs	Crossroads
Subject: Place	Spatial coverage Associated places Spatial coverage of coll	Backstage Crossroads JISC IESR
Subject: Time	Associated times Temporal coverage of coll	Crossroads JISC IESR
Date: Contents	Collection time span	Backstage
Super-collection	Parent collection Parent collection Part of	Find it in London Backstage SCONE
Sub-collection	Contains	SCONE
Description or catalogue	Finding aids	Scottish Textile Collections
Associated collection	Related material	Scottish Textile Collections

RSLP - Location	Alternative label	Implementation
Access conditions	Visiting information	Crossroads
Assoc. agent: Administrator	Custodians Contacts	Mapping Wales SCONE

RSLP - Agent	Alternative label	Implementation
Agent: Owner	Owners	Mapping Wales
Agent: Collector	Original collector Principal collector	Mapping Wales Backstage
Agent history	Other information	Find it in London

Schematic view of RSLP Schema Relationships