Briefing-22
Briefing-22
An Introduction to
Collection Description
An Introduction to
Collection Description
UKOLN: Supporting The Cultural Heritage Sector
UKOLN: Supporting The Cultural Heritage Sector
About This Document
About This Document
This briefing document provides an introduction to Collection Description.
This briefing document provides an introduction to Collection Description.
What Is Collection Description?
What Is Collection Description?
Collection Description is a term which is used to describe structured information about
a group of resources (a collection) that have some identifiable relationship to each other.
Collection Description is a term which is used to describe structured information about
a group of resources (a collection) that have some identifiable relationship to each other.
Where traditionally collection descriptions have been included in directories and guides
of various forms, metadata records are used in today’s digital environment.
Where traditionally collection descriptions have been included in directories and guides
of various forms, metadata records are used in today’s digital environment.
Why Use Collection Description?
Why Use Collection Description?
Collection description can be used for several reasons:
Collection description can be used for several reasons:

To provide easier high level navigation of a large resource base.

To facilitate the selection of the most appropriate collections for item level
searching.
To support effective searching across archive, library and museum domains.

To support effective searching across archive, library and museum domains.
As a tool for collection management.

As a tool for collection management.

To provide easier high level navigation of a large resource base.

To facilitate the selection of the most appropriate collections for item level
searching.


Metadata Schema Model
Metadata Schema Model
The digitisation strand of the Research Support Libraries Programme (RSLP) identified
a need to describe resources at a collection level. An entity-relationship model for
collections, created by Michael Heaney, was used as the theoretical basis for a metadata
schema for collection description for RSLP.
The digitisation strand of the Research Support Libraries Programme (RSLP) identified
a need to describe resources at a collection level. An entity-relationship model for
collections, created by Michael Heaney, was used as the theoretical basis for a metadata
schema for collection description for RSLP.
Further information on the model is available in the document “An Analytical Model Of
Collections And Their Catalogues” by Michael Heaney. This can be accessed at the
URL: <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/rslp/model/>
Further information on the model is available in the document “An Analytical Model Of
Collections And Their Catalogues” by Michael Heaney. This can be accessed at the
URL: <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/rslp/model/>
This model provides the basis for the following metadata schemas.
This model provides the basis for the following metadata schemas.
This document is available at:
<http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/documents/briefing-22/>
This document is available at:
<h ttp://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/documents/briefing-22/>
RSLP Collection Metadata Schema
RSLP Collection Metadata Schema
The key attributes of this metadata schema are:
The key attributes of this metadata schema are:

Title, description

Title, description

Resource type, collection identifier

Resource type, collection identifier

Language, physical characteristics, dates collected, dates items created

Language, physical characteristics, dates collected, dates items created

Legal status, access control

Legal status, access control

Accrual status (method, periodicity, policy)

Accrual status (method, periodicity, policy)

Custodial history, collector, owner, administrator, location

Custodial history, collector, owner, administrator, location

Subject (concept, object, name, place, time)

Subject (concept, object, name, place, time)

Sub-collection, super-collection, catalogue, associated collection,
associated publication

Sub-collection, super-collection, catalogue, associated collection,
associated publication

Note

Note
Dublin Core Collections Application Profile
Dublin Core Collections Application Profile
The key attributes of this metadata schema are:
The key attributes of this metadata schema are:

Title, alternative title, description

Title, alternative title, description

Resource type, collection identifier

Resource type, collection identifier

Size, language, item type, item format, dates collected, dates items created

Size, language, item type, item format, dates collected, dates items created

Rights, access rights

Rights, access rights

Accrual method, periodicity, policy

Accrual method, periodicity, policy

Custodial history, collector, owner, location

Custodial history, collector, owner, location

Audience, subject, place, time

Audience, subject, place, time

Sub-collection, super-collection, catalogue, associated collection,
associated publication

Sub-collection, super-collection, catalogue, associated collection,
associated publication
Further Information
Further Information
Further information is provided by the Collection Description Focus Web site tutorial
which is available at the URI: <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cd-focus/cdfocustutorial/schemas/>.
Further information is provided by the Collection Description Focus Web site tutorial
which is available at the URI: <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cd-focus/cdfocustutorial/schemas/>.
Produced by UKOLN: a national centre of expertise in digital information management
For further information see <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/>
Produced by UKOLN: a national centre of expertise in digital information management
For further information see <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/>
Jul 2008
Jul 2008