Challenges implementing persistent URI's in memory institutions - Following an assessment of their online catalogues and web applications, the Flemish Art Collection started the implementation of persistent URI's for collection objects in ten partner memory institutions. The project followed recommendations from CIDOC and ISA, creating persistent URI's for about 35.000 works of art in seven different museums, but also for the corresponding images, curators, artists and subjects. This presentation discusses the process of identifying 35.000 unique objects with persistent URI’s, how they were made reusable via Wikidata, but also how we ran into a series of issues engaging memory institutions recording URI's in their systems, keeping them up-to-date and eventually using them in their daily collection management work. Speakers: Alina Saenko (PACKED vzw) / Bert Lemmens (PACKED vzw)

1. Challenges of implementing Persistent URI's
in memory institutions
Alina Saenko | @PACKEDvzw
Digital Dreams 08.09.2017

3. Memory institute as an online knowledge source
1. access to trustworthy
and up-to-date
information
2. via a permanent and a
stable channel
basic condition

4. Problem 1: Linkrot
http://www.kunstenenerfgoed.be/nl/wat-doen-we-beschermen-cultuurgoederen/topstukkenlijst/portret-van-mar
gareta-van-eyck

5. Problem 2: Unambiguous identification of things online
Mona Lisa
Monna Lisa
La Joconde
La Gioconda
Portrait de Mona Lisa,
(1479-1528); dite
La Joconde
Inv . nr. 799
...
???

6. Solution: you need better links!
> this is not just a ‘technical issue’
> it is actually a question of management of:
- ‘online inventory numbers’ of your collection
- a stable channel that you use to publish data and
images of your collection items

7. Solution: you need better links! > Persistent URI
- a stable webadres
- specific rules for syntax
- assigned and managed by the memory institution itself
- gives an opportunity for the (internal and external) users to
link to objects in a sustainable way

8. 2014 http://smak.be/collectie_kunstenaar.php?kunstwerk_id=1461&l=a&kunstenaar_id=41

9. 2016 http://smak.be/collectie_kunstenaar.php?kunstwerk_id=1461&l=a&kunstenaar_id=41

10. 2016 new website and CMS > new link to this object> http://smak.be/nl/kunstwerk/7587
2019 again a new website? > again ‘Page not found’? > not a trustworthy source

11. Resolver
Persistent URI http://resolver.smak.be/collection/work/data/3385
http://smak.be/nl/kunstwerk/75872016
http://smak.be/3542019
http://toekomst.be/borremans-journey/must-see2030
resolves to ...

13. What do you have to do?
1. Make URI’s for your objects following the rules
https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/c0/7d/10/D7.1.3%20-%20Study%20on%20persistent%20URIs.pdf

14. http://obligatory
[domain]/ obligatory
[type object]/ optional
[type document]/ optional
[identification number]/ obligatory
[parameter] optional
http://obligatory
museum.com/ obligatory
work/ optional
representation/ optional
ABC-3546/ obligatory
1280x720optional
What do you have to do?
1. Make URI’s for your objects following the rules

15. 2. Install and manage a ‘resolver’ tool
What do you have to do?

16. API collection
management
systeem
Resolver
Wikidatamobiele apps website
pURI
URL(HTML)
pURI
pURI
Online catalogue
API
DAM systeem
URL(HTM
L)
URL(HTML)
ICTData manager

17. ‘Persistent identification’ projects (2013-2016)
KMSKA
Vlaamse
Kunstcollectie
portal
Groeningemuseum
MSKGent
Collectie Vlaamse
Gemeenschap
Lukasweb
images

18. https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Publicatie:Project_Persistente_identificatie
http://lukas
web.be/beel
d/001004
http://vkc.be/
data/78654
http://msk.b
e/beeld/190
7-H
http://CVG.be/id
/BK-123
http://msk.be
/data/1907-
H
http://lukasw
eb.be/data/0
01004http://vkc.
be/beeld/7
8654
http://CVG.
be/beeld/B
K-123
http://CVG.be
/data/BK-123
1: Persistent identification of artworks, images en data

19. Open source tool
https://github.com/PACKED-vzw/resolver
Example active pURI:
http://resolver.smak.be/collection/work/d
ata/3385
2: Activating pURI’s via the resolver-tool

20. RKDartists, Getty AAT, Iconclass, Wikidata, VIAF,
ODIS, Geonames ...
3. Enrichment of your data via external knowledge sources

21. 4. ‘Data manager’ manual (in dutch)
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Public
atie:Hoe_word_ik_data-uitgever%3F

22. 5. Publishing pURI’s online via Wikidata
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Public
atie:Linked_Open_Data_publicatie_m
et_Wikidata
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata
:Flemish_art_collections,_Wikidata_a
nd_Linked_Open_Data

23. 6. Sustainable links between different collections
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Publicatie:Duurzame_koppelingen_tussen_kunstwerken,_archieven_en_publicaties
Pilotproject: KIK-IPRA - Groeningemuseum >> http://balat.kikirpa.be/object/24605

24. 7. Best Practice Guide for persistent URI’s in the cultural heritage
sector
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Pub
licatie:Best_practice_gids_voor_pe
rsistente_URI%E2%80%99s_in_cu
ltureel_erfgoedsector

25. Why do you need pURI’s?
- Other institutions online try to be a knowledge source instead of you > Take matters
in your own hands! (advice of CIDOC)
http://network.icom.museum/fileadmin/user_upload/minisites/cidoc/PDF/StatementOnLinkedDataIdentifiersForMuseumObjects.pdf

26. Why do you need pURI’s?
- A sustainable link to your data and images for every object => you are a trustworthy
and well known source of information
- An easy and transparent way of spreading correct information about objects in your
collection => more and more correct information online => your duty and a
contribution to the fight against fake news!
- You can also benefit: semi-automatically enrichment of your own data with additional
information from other sources

27. Lessons learned:
1. At first sight the matter seems ‘too technical’
> but actually it is about managing your ‘online inventory
number’, so do not just hand it over to your ICT
2. No ‘digital mindset’ in the organisations
> digital infrastructure is of great importance to the institutions (everything works via
digital systems, but there is nobody in-house that is responsible for the overall
management of different digital platforms)
3. IT as an external service
> you only get the standard package (mail, server), and it is very hard to get more
personalized services and platforms, like your own persistent URI’s

28. Lessons learned:
4. Project-based results are still not a part of structural working of the partner-institutions
> the follow-up by Packed vzw is dependent on subsidy from the government >>
project-based working is not sustainable
5. The cultural sector is too much dependent on the providers of collection management
systems and is unable to ask for better platforms and give more criticism
6. Resolver-tool for persistent URI’s: open source vs. external IT-service provider
> it’s hard to create a community around an open source tool
> the choice of decentralized approach in a specific context

29. More information about the PID-projects and the results:
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Publicatie:Project_Persistente_identificatie
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Publicatie:Persistente_identificatie_en_open_cultuur_data
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Publicatie:Hoe_word_ik_data-uitgever%3F
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Publicatie:Event-based_objectbeschrijvingen
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Publicatie:Linked_Open_Data_publicatie_met_Wikidata
https://www.projectcest.be/wiki/Publicatie:Duurzame_koppelingen_tussen_kunstwerken,_arc
hieven_en_publicaties

30. Thank you!
Alina Saenko | @PACKEDvzw
Digital Dreams 08.09.2017