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AMICO Annual Members Meeting 2001
Final Report


Editorial Committee Meeting Report

  1. Field Usage Guidelines

    2. The Editorial Committee reviewed the revised the AMICO Data Specification and Data Dictionary (Version 1.3) and discussed questions of field usage. Issues raised included: the use, or lack thereof, of subject terms; where to include object notes that do not seem to fit into existing fields or that cannot easily be parsed; how to enter geographical information in a meaningful way (hierarchical or by repeating the fields Object Creation Place (OCP) and Creator Active Place (CAP); how to deal with places where names have changed; and how to enter more complex creation information for objects with multiple place-related items such as where minted, designed, manufactured or modeled, etc. Also mentioned were the question of the appropriate form for Asian names and how to deal with unidentified artists.

    Members were encouraged to include dates and geographical access points to facilitate indexing. Members indicated interest in what fields are used by distributors in indexing.

    Clarification was also sought on the question of non-displaying fields, and members were informed that while distributors could display all fields in a very full layout, those such as Creator Name (CRN), Object Creation Start (OCE), and Object Creation End (OCE) were intended primarily for indexing. These are unlikely to appear in the standard lists of The AMICO Library works.

    ACTION:

    • AMICO staff to survey the members via the Editorial Committee Discussion List about parsing geographical terms, date ranges for dynastic periods, how unidentified artists and place name changes are dealt with, formatting for Asian names, and entering complex creation information.
    • Members should send questions about information they have that does not fit in The AMICO Library data structure to the Editorial Committee email List.
    • AMICO staff to follow up with individual members to address specific questions, such as where to include complex object notes and source information.
    • Members are encouraged to expand the range of information contributed, and particularly to include fields that facilitate access to information requested by users such as geography, dates, creator name and culture.
    • AMICO staff will solicit details from Distributors regarding which fields are indexed where in their applications.

  2. Data Dictionary Revisions

    3. The two fields new to the Data Dictionary, Creator Authority ID (CID) and Creator Display Text (CTT), were introduced and their purposes outlined. Other fields that have been revised, including Creator Culture (CRC), Owner Place (OOP), AMICO Library Year (ALY), Media Metadata Deletion (XDL), and Media Metadata Library Year XLY were also reviewed.

    ACTION:

    • New fields are available for use now.
    • AMICO staff to send summary of Data Dictionary changes to Editorial Committee Discussion List.

  3. Creator Reference File
    4.

    The Editorial Committee reviewed and discussed the purpose and function of a creator reference file and reviewed a working draft of the data dictionary for such a file.

    Appropriate published resources for researching creators were mentioned. Members expressed a desire to incorporate data directly from their own internal reference files. (Some such as George Eastman House have offered specialized biographical files.) Members sought clarification on their role in the creation of the file.

    Members will not be required to make a separate contribution to the Creator Reference File. It will be compiled from information submitted in catalog records. Members may input data into a Creator Reference File if they choose, and would have access to it as a resource.

    ACTION:

    • Committee members to send comments on the draft version to the Editorial Committee Discussion List and/or to AMICO staff.
    • AMICO staff to make electronic version of the Creator Reference File available by September 30, 2001.
    • AMICO staff to post a list of possible published resources to the discussion list for comments.

  4. Style File
    5.

    AMICO will also begin design of an external file to manage information about Styles and Periods of works of art. This project will follow the creation of the Creator Reference.

    ACTION:

    • AMICO Staff to design a reference file for styles and periods.
    • AMICO Staff to make preliminary specifications available for members' comments.

 


Last modified on  October 10, 2001