Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
  1. Home
  2. Publications
  3. Publishing partners
  4. Facet Publishing
  5. Content Listing

Refine listing

Refine listing

Access:
Content type:
Publication date:
Apply   From and To filters
Subject: Show more
Journals Show more
Publishers: Show more
Societies Show more
Series: Show more
Collections: Show more

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

6023 results in Facet Publishing

Page 234 of 302

  • 4 - The semantic web: the RDF vision

  • David Stuart
  • Book:
    Facilitating Access to the Web of Data
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 July 2011, pp 77-100

  • Summary

    Introduction

    In comparison to the data in data silos discussed in the previous chapter, the semantic web is often seen as less concrete and more difficult to comprehend. It does not fit neatly in a little box, but spreads out across the web like some untameable beast. Even the language that is used to describe it is alien and unwieldy, and is filled with acronyms meaningless to most library and information professionals: RDF, RDFs, OWL and RIF. As such, most library and information professionals seem happy to leave the semantic web to the computer scientists. However there is an increasing amount of data being published in RDF, and if all this data is going to be used to its full potential, and reach the people who need it, then library and information professionals cannot leave the semantic web to the computer scientists, but must start engaging with it. They must help people both access the data that is available as part of the semantic web and put their data online in the most suitable fashion.

    This chapter provides an introduction to RDF, the World Wide Web Consortium's vision for a semantic web, for the library and information professional. It introduces the concepts and the terminology so that they can understand the advantages of having data made available as RDF, the work that has already been done and the steps that still need to be taken. The semantic web requires a number of standards to become formalized before the original vision of a semantic web can be realized. The chapter starts by looking at what is meant by RDF and the associated term Linked Data, the necessary steps that need to taken to reach a semantic web as depicted in the ‘semantic web stack’, before going on to look at the stages that have already come to pass, and which the library and information professional can engage with, in more detail.

  • 1 - What is collections management?

  • from Part 1 - Collections management: overview and principles
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 3-10

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Caring for our cultural history is both a delight and a privilege. Whether we are owners of historic objects, curators in major museums or volunteers in heritage sites, we have in our care precious and unique objects which describe the history of the world. With this trust comes the responsibility to manage our collections to the best of our ability and to care for the objects so as to ensure their preservation.

    Collections management is fundamental to any collection of cultural objects. As well as basic inventory, it encompasses information, preservation, movement, documentation, exhibitions and access. These areas of activity should be addressed for every collection, whether large or small, public or private. Collections management can be summed up as: know what you have and where to find it. This knowledge provides owners and managers of cultural collections with the information they need in order to locate and care for the objects entrusted to them and to plan strategically for the future.

    Know what you have and where to find it

    Any collector of art must have some knowledge of what he has acquired and where it is. This can be as simple as recollections of where things came from, or the most detailed record keeping. The collector may simply have notes on the artists and the titles or cultural classifications of the objects he has collected, or he may keep detailed records of dates, places, invoices and other information. As to location, most collectors know where their objects are, even if they are distributed around one or several buildings, while, at the other end of the scale, the precise location of a museum object is usually noted and re‑documented each time it is moved.

    Any method of keeping records of a collection of cultural objects can be called a collections management system. It usually has two parts, containing information on:

  • What is in the collection – what was purchased; received as a gift, donation or bequest; or acquired in some other way.

  • Where the objects are now – their present locations; or a record if they have left the collection through sale, donation, transfer, loss or destruction.

  • 8 - Acquisitions

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 145-168

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Acquisition is receiving a new object or group of items that will become part of the collection. The object can be accepted into the collection formally or informally, as explained below. The paperwork accompanying an acquisition can range from a simple letter to a detailed legal contract.

    All items entering a collection are ‘acquisitions’. The term ‘accession’ is generally taken to mean the official entry in the organization's register where the object's acceptance is formally documented. Acquisitions can be permanent (into the collection) or temporary (for loan or deposit). Thus all accessions are acquisitions – but not all acquisitions are accessioned. Accessions should always be clearly distinguished from temporary acquisitions.

    The term ‘object entry’ is also used and often appears on entry and exit forms. An ‘entry’ could be for any purpose and the term can be used for short or long‑term loans as well as for acquisitions.

    Many museums have formal acquisition records, including the accession numbers allocated, going back to the time of their foundation and these form a valuable source of knowledge about the objects and the circumstances of their entry into the collection.

    Policy

    Any collecting organization should have an acquisitions policy. This may also be called the collecting remit or the collections development plan. Whatever its name, it states the type of collection, its aims and purposes, and the types of objects the museum holds and may acquire in the future. It may also define the types of objects that will not be acquired, e.g. ‘Italian decorative art up to 1800, but not ceramics or glass’.

    Purpose of the policy

    The purpose of an acquisitions policy is to inform visitors, researchers and staff on the types of items that will be accepted into the collection. If an object is offered by gift, the museum can consider if it fits the collecting remit and, if not, can more easily refuse the gift. Likewise, a potential donor who has an object to give can identify the museum that is best placed to receive it. Lack of clarity on acquisitions policy has led in the past to many cases of unwanted objects being accepted that are not in line with a museum's purpose and that have been left unused.

  • 5 - Documentation

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 67-94

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Information is held in many different formats. Most museums have a collections database but smaller or volunteer‑led museums may use simple spreadsheets or still rely on paper records. Any form of paper records such as entry ledgers, acquisiton registers or card indexes should be retained and may have to be consulted from time to time even if most of the information has been transferred to a database. Certain functions of collections management will always require paper records, for example, contracts, receipts or title deeds, all of which require signatures and may be legally binding. In any case, all paper records can act as a back‑up to the electronic system. The guidelines for data entry, maintainance and preservation are the same whatever the format of the information.

    The responsibility of any collecting organization is not just to collect objects but to ensure that information about them is gathered, preserved and increased. Information about an object can range from as little as its title or description to a complete history, including where and when it was found, its usage and any previous owners. No matter how much or how little information is available, it is vital to record and preserve the details, usually these days in the form of an entry in a specialist database management system, or DBMS. An item separated from its information loses much of its identity and its value is greatly reduced in both cultural and financial terms. At the most basic level, any museum must maintain the following information on the objects it holds:

  • • what the object is – name or description

  • • where it came from – provenance or history

  • • how it should be cared for – materials, handling, storage, display

  • • current location – where it is at any given time.

    • The museum must be able to account for all the objects in its care and must keep records of any item entering the premises, the exit of any item and the locations of all objects that it holds. Information contributes to knowledge and enjoyment of the objects. It can help make connections between objects, classifications and entire collections, can aid research and enriches the visitor experience.

  • 11 - Access

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 229-244

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Most museums welcome the chance to share their collections as widely as possible. Access to objects that are not on display is fundamental to increasing visitors’ opportunities to enjoy and learn about cultural collections. Apart from exhibitions, museums can make their objects available to the public in other ways such as the internet, special events, publications, talks and educational programmes. Public access to stored objects can include the following:

  • • study room or reading room where the objects are brought to the visitor

  • • visits to storerooms where the visitor is escorted to the object

  • • virtual access in the museum and via the internet.

    • Most museums, and public museums in particular, have access to stored collections as part of their remit. They have a responsibility to make all objects in their care available for visitors. Information on access arrangements should be readily available. Receiving visitors to storerooms and study rooms, however, can be significant in terms of time and staff resources. It is therefore important for a museum to have a policy on access to stored collections and to be clear about the services it can provide.

    Options for providing access

    Allowing access to stored items is part of the public service of great collections and should be undertaken with the care, safety and comfort of the visitor in mind. Information on how to request a visit and on opening and closing hours should be clearly displayed on the premises, in publications and online. Access for visually impaired and disabled visitors should be part of the overall access remit and should be in line with disability access legislation and guidelines, such as those provided by the MLA.

    There is, of course, a careful balance to be achieved between care of the objects and access by the public. Close collaboration between curators and conservators is needed in order to understand, agree on and devise an access policy. If there is no in‑house expertise on collections care, advice should be taken on how to keep the stored collection safe while allowing maximum public access. Each collection is unique and has different challenges and resources. Some items may not be suitable for handling, even under supervision, while others should be kept in controlled environmental conditions or are difficult to unpack, move, or prepare for visitors.

  • Preface

  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp xi-xii

  • Summary

    Collections management is a relatively new term in museums and cultural heritage. It has grown from the need to develop professional practice in looking after culturally significant objects and their associated information. It covers a range of activities, including documentation, care, storage, movement and loan and applies to organizations ranging from national galleries to small local museums.

    Caring for cultural collections today requires knowledge of legal and ethical considerations. Recent developments in the areas of sustainability, security and economics are also part of day‑to‑day collections administration. These areas, as well as the practical aspects of collections care, are covered in this book with samples of actual documents, step‑by‑step procedures and suggestions on where to go for further reading and advice.

    It is hoped that this book, intended primarily for museum staff and museum studies students, will be of use to anyone with responsibility for caring for items of cultural significance. The information is based on fine art museum collections but represents guidelines rather than rules and can be adapted to a wide variety of collection types.

  • 4 - Practical aspects

  • from Part 1 - Collections management: overview and principles
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 43-64

  • Summary

    Fundamentals of collections care

    Care of collections is the primary duty of any collecting organization and is the shared responsibility of everyone it employs. It consists of a range of activities from providing sound premises with good environmental conditions to ensuring that all the necessary procedures are in place and are understood and followed. Collections care should be the first consideration when devising policies and when planning any operation around significant objects.

    Collections care includes the physical care of the objects: creating sound, watertight, environmentally stable buildings with suitable storage and display facilities. It also includes sustainability in the use of energy for operations and in the sourcing and use of archival‑quality materials for both buildings and interiors. Security of the objects is an essential part of collections care and includes having suitable measures and systems to prevent theft, loss or damage, as well as ensuring their

    proper environmental protection while on display, in storage and in transit. Optimum environmental conditions for temperature, relative humidity and light should be established for all objects and monitoring should be carried out to ensure that the correct conditions are maintained. Any particularly fragile or susceptible objects should be flagged and continually monitored. Light‑sensitive material should be protected by reducing light levels, the use of blinds and window screens and by a managed rotation of objects from display into storage.

    Collections care includes the operations of the organization. This means having policies and procedures that are fit for purpose and suitable to the individual characteristics of the objects and their use.

    Policy

    A good collections care policy is useful for describing the organization's intentions in caring for its objects, the methods it will use and the guarantees it will give. A collections care policy may contain the following:

  • A statement of the purpose and remit of the collection.

  • A statement that the collections will be cared for, preserved and protected from loss or damage.

  • Any legal obligations to care for and preserve the collection, either national or specific to the collection.

  • A commitment to gather, maintain and preserve information on the collections.

  • A commitment to establish and maintain a risk management programme.

  • A conservation programme with details of condition survey, research, scientific investigation, advice, remedial and preventive conservation.

  • An integrated pest management programme.

  • 6 - Movement

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 95-122

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Cultural objects can be old, fragile, valuable and often irreplaceable. Handling should be planned with care, and movement should be kept to a minimum in order to reduce the risk of damage or breakage. The necessity of any handling or movement should always be questioned.

    Objects can often be condition‑checked, studied, photographed or inven ‑ toried without being picked up. The same applies to moves. Objects are often moved from one place to another only to be moved back again, when careful inspection in situ might suffice. Museum objects are often brought from store to gallery to be selected for display, most of them being returned and only a few exhibited. This unnecessary movement may cause stress from unwrapping and handling, vibrations during movement and exposure to light. Objects are often transported to the conservation or photography studio, when it would be safer, cheaper and more sustainable for the conservator or photographer to come to the object.

    Museums should be clear about the reasons for handling or moving any object. Some items may present significant difficulties, such as very large or heavy pieces. In such cases, the time and resources required for a safe move should be considered before the decision is made to move them. It may be that the object doesn't have to be moved after all, or that it would be too costly or too risky.

    The majority of moves are, however, for good reasons: for exhibition and display, for loan, conservation, photography or study, or to re‑house an object in better facilities. Handling can be done safely with no risk to the object and a move, if carefully planned and carried out with the appropriate time and equipment, should result in a well‑executed operation and the safety and security of all concerned.

    For moves of particularly large, heavy or complex objects or of a large number of items, a museum may have in‑house expertise or it may need to contract an external fine art transport company. The principles are the same and the museum should be clear about the job to be done before negotiating the details. Be realistic about how long the move will take and the fact that the objects may be unavailable for some time.

  • 3 - Ethical considerations

  • from Part 1 - Collections management: overview and principles
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 31-42

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Museums and cultural collections operate within an environment of national and international ethical standards. They are self‑monitoring and can choose whether or not to endorse the various codes of practice. Acting in accordance with these codes, however, is essential for good faith and good reputation, particularly if an institution is in receipt of public money. It is a sign that the organization takes its role seriously as an objective research establishment, and the organization is more likely to be respected and regarded favourably in terms of loans, exhibitions and fundraising. Many museums choose to publish their endorsement of specific codes of ethics on their website or in their publications. General and specific codes are outlined below. This chapter also provides a detailed discussion of the ethics of deaccessioning and disposal, due diligence and provenance.

    General codes

    ICOM published its Code of Ethics in 1986, with amendments in 2001 and 2004. This remains the main international code on how to acquire and manage collections of cultural material and establishes a minimum standard. It lists the key principles of collections management as well as general ethical guidance. It encourages self‑regulation in accordance with high public expectations and allows individual countries to create their own professional standards. It covers all areas of ethics, including the physical protection of objects, preservation, the professional training and standing of staff, acquisition and disposal, due diligence, research and the uses of collections.

    The Washington Principles on Nazi‑confiscated Art, 1998 address the sale, purchase, possession and exchange of art looted in German‑occupied Europe between 1933 and 1945. These are non‑binding principles which are an agreement by the signatories to work together to trace the art, to research its provenance and to seek and circulate information. It calls for a flexible and just resolution of claims.

    The Terezin Declaration, 2009 is another non‑binding agreement whose signatories agree to take steps to implement national programmes addressing the issue of looted property according to best‑practice principles for restitution and compensation.

    In the UK, the Museums Association Code of Ethics, 2008 covers much of the ground of the ICOM Code and puts it into a UK context.

  • 10 - Exhibitions and displays

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 201-228

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Exhibition and display are perhaps the most crucial means of access to and enjoyment of our cultural history. They are an essential part of owning and caring for cultural collections and allowing them to be seen to their best advantage. Knowing how and when to display objects so that they can be easily accessible is an important skill. However, knowledge of best practice in handling and display methods is critical to ensuring the safety and security of items at all times. For public bodies, exhibiting as much of their collection as possible is a civic duty. For private owners, good display, safely managed and with no risk to the exhibits, contributes to the longevity of their collections.

    Displays, whether of permanent collections, temporary exhibitions or privately owned objects, all follow the same rules for careful handling, good environmental conditions and the safety and security of both people and artefacts. Sustainability should be built into the exhibition at the planning stage, with an examination of how to reuse materials and adopt low‑carbon alternatives. There are many organizations that can advise on sustainable exhibitions, such as the Sustainable Exhibitions Group.

    When objects are being selected for display, questions should be asked about each object, its position in the gallery or building, the display method, the environmental conditions required and the length of time the object will be on view. The safety and security of objects are always crucial, but when it comes to display, these have to be carefully balanced against the needs of visitors for good access, good lighting and the very best view of the exhibits. For loans in, the wishes of the lender and any stipulations from insurance or indemnity policies have to be adhered to.

    For loans into the collection or temporary exhibitions, most museums have an exhibition policy stating what they will and will not borrow and how they will exercise the highest standards of care in looking after the objects.

    Due diligence policy for loans

    Many exhibition policies also include a section on ethics, stating that the institution will not borrow any item of doubtful ownership or provenance.

  • 7 - Storage

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 123-144

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    In most collections of cultural objects there are more items in store than on display. This applies to all types and sizes of collections. The primary uses of some collections, however, such as biology or geology, are for research and study, and items in such collections rarely leave storage. Good storage is essential to the safekeeping and preservation of all types of collections. Safe and secure buildings and stable environmental conditions are essential, whatever the reasons for storage and whatever the length of time the items will be in the store.

    Storage buildings

    Cultural goods not on display are stored in many different types of building and in many different ways. Whatever the types of objects or reasons for storage, collections should be kept safely in secure buildings and stable environments.

    Most museums have storage areas close to their exhibition galleries, often in cupboards or basements. More recently, there have been moves to create new, purpose‑built storage facilities away from the museum building, often housing a variety of facilities associated with collections care, such as conservation and photography studios and workshops.

    There are also examples of museum stores adapted from former uses, such as underground military bunkers or salt mines. These can provide high security and stable internal environments but may be located in less accessible places. They are ideal for large or oversized items whose accommodation in a city might be costly per square metre of storage space and for items which are rarely used.

    The ideal site for a storage facility will be sufficiently large to allow a clear space between the building and the perimeter fence that can be easily monitored.The building should be free‑standing and have good security and good access. It should not be in a flood‑plain area or close to rivers or canals.

    A building connected to others or forming part of a larger block might be more at risk if there were to be a fire, flood or security breach in neighbouring premises. Few museums do in fact have the benefit of separate, purpose‑built storage buildings, and most museum stores are in city centres, which can pose difficulties in terms of both access and emergency response.

Page 234 of 302