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
Places,
Subjects,
Events,
Titles
Project &
Collections
acquired / funded by
have subjects
Archives &
Manuscripts
Archive
institutions
1
held by
2
3
2
3
3
created by
Persons,
Families,
Corporate
Bodies
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):
william.stockting@bl.uk