EuropeanaLocal – its role in improving access to Europe’s cultural heritage through the European Digital Library Mary Rowlatt MDR Partners 1 19 September.

EuropeanaLocal – its role in EuropeanaLocal – its role in improving access to Europe’s improving access to Europe’s cultural heritage through the cultural heritage through the

European Digital LibraryEuropean Digital Library

Mary RowlattMary Rowlatt

MDR PartnersMDR Partners

119 September 2008 VLDL Workshop, ECDL, Aarhus

Context and rationaleContext and rationale

One of a suite of projects building the European Digital Library One of a suite of projects building the European Digital Library (Europeana)(Europeana)

Commission’s vision:Commission’s vision: ““In the context of our i2020 Digital Libraries Initiative the EC envisages In the context of our i2020 Digital Libraries Initiative the EC envisages

the creation of a European Digital Library: a unique resource to the creation of a European Digital Library: a unique resource to Europe’s distributed cultural heritage, ensuring a common access to Europe’s distributed cultural heritage, ensuring a common access to millions of great paintings, historical writings, ancient manuscripts, millions of great paintings, historical writings, ancient manuscripts, diaries of the famous and not so famous, personal photos and important diaries of the famous and not so famous, personal photos and important national documents from Europe’s libraries, archives and museums.”national documents from Europe’s libraries, archives and museums.”

Horst Forster, European Commission’s Director of Digital Content and Horst Forster, European Commission’s Director of Digital Content and Cognitive SystemsCognitive Systems

19 September 2008 2VLDL Workshop, ECDL, Aarhus

Pre-cursor projectsPre-cursor projects eContent/eContent+:eContent/eContent+:

TELTEL TEL-ME-MOR (2005-2007)TEL-ME-MOR (2005-2007) EDL project (2006-2008) EDL project (2006-2008) TELplus (2007-2009) TELplus (2007-2009)

Managed by Managed by The European Library Office, Royal Library of The Netherlands The European Library Office, Royal Library of The Netherlands Each bringing in more national libraries and advancing technicallyEach bringing in more national libraries and advancing technically

Minerva/Minerva+Minerva/Minerva+ Michael /Micaheal+Michael /Micaheal+

FP6/ICT:FP6/ICT: DELOSDELOS BRICKSBRICKS QVIZQVIZ othersothers


EuropeanaEuropeana

11stst version of the prototype due to be launched 2 version of the prototype due to be launched 2 November 2008 – access to 2m digital objects (selected November 2008 – access to 2m digital objects (selected from what already digitised and available)from what already digitised and available)

Europeana.net (2007 – 2009)Europeana.net (2007 – 2009) Thematic NetworkThematic Network

Establish trust between the institutionsEstablish trust between the institutions Create the organisational structure for EuropeanaCreate the organisational structure for Europeana

Tackle domain interoperability issues (standards)Tackle domain interoperability issues (standards)

Propose a practical implementation of Europeana Service Propose a practical implementation of Europeana Service

IItem or object leveltem or object level

Make recommendations for future researchMake recommendations for future research


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Other eContentplus projects Other eContentplus projects supporting Europeanasupporting Europeana

Already funded:Already funded: ATHENA (museums), European Film Gateway, ARROW (public ATHENA (museums), European Film Gateway, ARROW (public

domain database), APENet (national archives)domain database), APENet (national archives)

New proposals:New proposals: Europeana Version 1.0: Europeana Version 1.0: organisation building and the organisation building and the

implementation of core and infrastructure implementation of core and infrastructure components', components', Europeana Europeana Connect: Connect: implementation of additional core functions, implementation of additional core functions,

Other proposals supported by the EDL Foundation: Other proposals supported by the EDL Foundation: ROSE (ICT), Scholarsource (ICT)’ Europeanatravel (eContent+)’ ROSE (ICT), Scholarsource (ICT)’ Europeanatravel (eContent+)’

Europeana Movies (eContent+)’ EU Screen (eContent+)., Diamond Europeana Movies (eContent+)’ EU Screen (eContent+)., Diamond (eContent+), (eContent+), Biodiversity Heritage Library Europe (eContent+)Biodiversity Heritage Library Europe (eContent+)


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EuropeanaLocal (2008-11)EuropeanaLocal (2008-11)www.europeanalocal.euwww.europeanalocal.eu

Digital content held by Digital content held by regional and locaregional and local museums, libraries and l museums, libraries and

archivesarchives Make over 20 million items available initiallyMake over 20 million items available initially

Local content infrastructure for Local content infrastructure for harvestingharvesting and indexing by and indexing by Europeana and other services Europeana and other services

Establish easy processes for making content availableEstablish easy processes for making content available OAI-PMH repositoriesOAI-PMH repositories Europe wide network of repositories/ aggregations Europe wide network of repositories/ aggregations Map to Europeana Metadata Application ProfileMap to Europeana Metadata Application Profile Local vocabularies ‘skosified’ Local vocabularies ‘skosified’

Content become part of integrated Europeana serviceContent become part of integrated Europeana service


The importance of ‘place’The importance of ‘place’ Europe as a geographic and political region = Europe as a geographic and political region =

Coherent user view onto cultural contentCoherent user view onto cultural content Logical way to provide such a viewLogical way to provide such a view

Users very interested in place or localityUsers very interested in place or locality Life of a person/family very often closely linked to placesLife of a person/family very often closely linked to places Family historyFamily history House/village historyHouse/village history

High proportion of the cultural content has a spatial elementHigh proportion of the cultural content has a spatial element Much of the available content about places also Much of the available content about places also resides resides in a in a

particular place particular place Locally held content often important to complete the partial Locally held content often important to complete the partial

picture created by treasures and content held at national levelpicture created by treasures and content held at national level


EuropeanaLocal - goalsEuropeanaLocal - goals

Ensure content held at local and regional level is Ensure content held at local and regional level is represented alongside national contentrepresented alongside national content

Bring together and link up content from museums, Bring together and link up content from museums, libraries, archives and a/v archiveslibraries, archives and a/v archives

Which is complementary in terms of:Which is complementary in terms of: ThemesThemes LocationLocation TimeTime

Make possible services with greater richness and Make possible services with greater richness and complexitycomplexity

Thus add value for usersThus add value for users


DescriptionDescription

A Best Practice Network, Funded under eContentplusA Best Practice Network, Funded under eContentplus Started 1 June 2008 for 3 yearsStarted 1 June 2008 for 3 years Have already identified over 20 million itemsHave already identified over 20 million items If extrapolate to all the cultural institutions in Europe (in the If extrapolate to all the cultural institutions in Europe (in the

context of continuing and growing digitisation activities) - context of continuing and growing digitisation activities) - shows the potential of local organisations and the scale of shows the potential of local organisations and the scale of Europeana’s ambitionsEuropeana’s ambitions

Will put in place infrastructure to increase amount of Will put in place infrastructure to increase amount of content available to Europeanacontent available to Europeana

And – enhance the skills, expertise and motivation required And – enhance the skills, expertise and motivation required for local organisations across Europe to contribute their for local organisations across Europe to contribute their contentcontent


What sort of content?What sort of content?

All public domain to start with, in-copyright laterAll public domain to start with, in-copyright later Wide variety of formatsWide variety of formats

Images (higher in the mix than Europeana)Images (higher in the mix than Europeana) FilmFilm SoundSound TextText

Treasures held at local or regional level, specific local Treasures held at local or regional level, specific local collections held by libraries, museums and sound archives, collections held by libraries, museums and sound archives, public records (more ‘cultural’ at local level)public records (more ‘cultural’ at local level)

Very broad range of subjects – likely to be of interest to Very broad range of subjects – likely to be of interest to other sectors other sectors E.g. tourism, education, family history, humanities, publishing, media E.g. tourism, education, family history, humanities, publishing, media


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EuropeanaLocal partners – EuropeanaLocal partners – analysis analysis

EDL Foundation EDL Foundation 1 Ministry of Culture 1 Ministry of Culture 2 national libraries (as aggregators of local content)2 national libraries (as aggregators of local content) 2 national museums2 national museums 3 national cultural agencies3 national cultural agencies 5 regional cultural authorities5 regional cultural authorities 7 public libraries 7 public libraries 1 local museum1 local museum 1 research foundation1 research foundation 1 regional digital library provider1 regional digital library provider 7 private sector organisations7 private sector organisations


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EuropeanLocal partnersEuropeanLocal partners

11 Sogn og Fjordane County MunicipalitySogn og Fjordane County Municipality22 Stichting European Digital LibraryStichting European Digital Library33 MDR Partners MDR Partners 44 Public Library 'Pencho Slaveykov' (Public Library of Varna)Public Library 'Pencho Slaveykov' (Public Library of Varna)55 Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation 66 Cross Czech A.SCross Czech A.S77 Roskilde Kommune Roskilde Kommune 88 City of Helsinki City of Helsinki 99 Zentral- und Landesbibliothek BerlinZentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin1010 Veria Central Public LibraryVeria Central Public Library1111 Békés County Library & Human Service CentreBékés County Library & Human Service Centre1212 An Chomhairle LeabharlannaAn Chomhairle Leabharlanna1313 Regione Marche Regione Marche 1414 National Library of LatviaNational Library of Latvia1515 Dizi (Lithuania)Dizi (Lithuania)


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EuropeanLocal partners (2)EuropeanLocal partners (2)

1616 AcrossLimits Technologies LtdAcrossLimits Technologies Ltd1717 MDA (Europe) MDA (Europe) 1818 Instytut Chemii Bioorganicznej PANInstytut Chemii Bioorganicznej PAN1919 Fundacao Museu Nacional FerroviarioFundacao Museu Nacional Ferroviario2020 Biblioteca Judeteana "Octavian Goga" ClujBiblioteca Judeteana "Octavian Goga" Cluj2121 Slovenské národné múzeum (Slovak National Museum)Slovenské národné múzeum (Slovak National Museum)2222 Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnicaNarodna in univerzitetna knjižnica2323 Stiftelsen Länsmuseet VästernorrlandStiftelsen Länsmuseet Västernorrland2424 EEA s.r.o.EEA s.r.o.2525 Asplan Viak Internet AS Asplan Viak Internet AS 2626 Angewandte Informationstechnik Forschungsgesellschaft mbHAngewandte Informationstechnik Forschungsgesellschaft mbH2727 Provincie LimburgProvincie Limburg2828 Eesti Rahva Muuseum (Estonian National Museum)Eesti Rahva Muuseum (Estonian National Museum)2929 Conseil Général de la GirondeConseil Général de la Gironde3030 Stichting Brabantse Regionale GeschiedbeoefeningStichting Brabantse Regionale Geschiedbeoefening3131 Ministry of Culture, SpainMinistry of Culture, Spain3232 ABM Utvikling, NorwayABM Utvikling, Norway


Challenges to be addressed (1)Challenges to be addressed (1)

Huge variety of digital content, very widely distirbuted, Huge variety of digital content, very widely distirbuted, held in variety of media, many different formats and held in variety of media, many different formats and described by a wide variety of metadata schemesdescribed by a wide variety of metadata schemes

Multiple and complicated aggregation levelsMultiple and complicated aggregation levels Objects and collections simply made available through websitesObjects and collections simply made available through websites Autonomous digital libraries/collections are federated or Autonomous digital libraries/collections are federated or

accessed through unified interfacesaccessed through unified interfaces Managed approaches where metadata and/or objects aggregated Managed approaches where metadata and/or objects aggregated

in one or more portals or services (+ service agreements)in one or more portals or services (+ service agreements)

Means we need to establish a clear and direct route for Means we need to establish a clear and direct route for institutions at local level to contribute content to institutions at local level to contribute content to EuropeanaEuropeana


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Contributing content – not Contributing content – not straightforwardstraightforward

Content

XML/HTTP

Resources

Collections

Metadata harvesting

Legacy databasesStandards

Items

IPRMetadata

OCRMiningCommission

EDLocal

Michael

EDL Foundation

Committee of Regions

National Cps

Ministries of Culture

Local Cps Regional CpsNational initiatives

Thematic networks

MinervaTEL

Tagging

Folksonomies

Ontologies

OWL

RDF

OAI-PMH

SemanticWeb

Meta noise

Taxonomies

Collabularies

Search engines

Geography

Deep content

Web Services

Web 2.0

Future services

Syndication/RSS/Atom

XML/HTTP

WIKIs

Participation

Blogs

Open Source

Multi-lingual services

Business modelsAJAX

IPR

EDLnet

Application profiles

Authentication

Controlled vocabularies

Payment

i2010

Google

TELplus

TEL-ME-MOR

Europeana

Fedora

DSpace

Greenstone

SKOS


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Content migration process Content migration process stepssteps


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Variable starting pointsVariable starting points

Advanced practice in implementing digital libraries, Advanced practice in implementing digital libraries, portals, OAI-PMH etc portals, OAI-PMH etc France, Norway, Poland, Spain, UKFrance, Norway, Poland, Spain, UK

Limited progress Limited progress Bulgaria, Greece, Romania etcBulgaria, Greece, Romania etc

Gamut from somewhat centralised to very regional/local Gamut from somewhat centralised to very regional/local

Phased approachPhased approach


EuropeanaLocal - outputsEuropeanaLocal - outputs

In short term will make content available from a variety of In short term will make content available from a variety of cultural institutions from at least one locality or region in cultural institutions from at least one locality or region in each Member State (x Lux initially, + Norway)each Member State (x Lux initially, + Norway)

Will put in place, test and promote use of a consistent Will put in place, test and promote use of a consistent Europeana compliant execution environmentEuropeana compliant execution environment

technical infrastructure, tools and metadata etctechnical infrastructure, tools and metadata etc and governance structures (sustainability)and governance structures (sustainability)

to enable local organisations across Europe to easily to enable local organisations across Europe to easily contribute content in futurecontribute content in future


Challenges to be addressed (2)Challenges to be addressed (2)

Need to create the conditions for building on the Need to create the conditions for building on the thematic richness and geographic diversity of Europe’s thematic richness and geographic diversity of Europe’s cultural traditions and social identitiescultural traditions and social identities

Volume of content + language issuesVolume of content + language issues Will support and benefit from intelligent semantic and Will support and benefit from intelligent semantic and

geographic exploration and retrieval (beyond simple or geographic exploration and retrieval (beyond simple or federated keyword search)federated keyword search)

Likely technologies include RDF, OWL and SKOSLikely technologies include RDF, OWL and SKOS EuropeanaLocal content will provide an important test EuropeanaLocal content will provide an important test

bed + real world conditionsbed + real world conditions


Europeana – future Europeana – future developmentsdevelopments

Nov 2008 – launch prototypeNov 2008 – launch prototype Institutions/aggregators use Europeana Semantic Elements v2 till Institutions/aggregators use Europeana Semantic Elements v2 till

(metadata elements) ... (hand mapped)(metadata elements) ... (hand mapped)

Scalability requires machine transformation either at local aggregator or Scalability requires machine transformation either at local aggregator or central level central level

Europeana Ver 1.0 (new project) delivers first release early 2010Europeana Ver 1.0 (new project) delivers first release early 2010 Object data and metadata as well as abstractions and other elements Object data and metadata as well as abstractions and other elements

aggregated into rich 'surrogates' according to high level aggregated into rich 'surrogates' according to high level functional / functional / technical specification D2.5technical specification D2.5

Surrogates are linked to each other and to Semantic Web nodesSurrogates are linked to each other and to Semantic Web nodes Details of underlying object model to be worked out in EuropeanaDetails of underlying object model to be worked out in Europeana 1.0 taking into account CIDOC CRM, DCMI Abstract, OAI ORE1.0 taking into account CIDOC CRM, DCMI Abstract, OAI ORE Data may need to be reindexed by EuropeanaData may need to be reindexed by Europeana


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Europeana prototype metadataEuropeana prototype metadata

No Europeana application profile proposed yetNo Europeana application profile proposed yet

Data used with existing schemas Data used with existing schemas

So far received in So far received in TEL application profileTEL application profile DC (simple, qualified) DC (simple, qualified) MODSMODS METSMETS EADEAD proprietary proprietary

Mapping and conversion done in-house at EuropeanaMapping and conversion done in-house at Europeana


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Europeana Semantic Elements Europeana Semantic Elements (ESE)(ESE)

For the Prototype launched to European Commission, Council of For the Prototype launched to European Commission, Council of Ministers, 19/20 November 2008 (and until Europeana 1.0 delivers Ministers, 19/20 November 2008 (and until Europeana 1.0 delivers in 2010)in 2010)

Metadata defined to match specific functionality of prototype Metadata defined to match specific functionality of prototype Used for search and displayUsed for search and display Facet - defines if used for search refinement and type of facet (who, Facet - defines if used for search refinement and type of facet (who,

what, when, where)what, when, where) Timeline – defines if used in the timeline browse functionTimeline – defines if used in the timeline browse function Advanced search – defines if used in advanced searchAdvanced search – defines if used in advanced search Full search result display – defines if content is displayed in full result Full search result display – defines if content is displayed in full result

displaydisplay + all elements used for simple search+ all elements used for simple search


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ESE…ESE… Mixture of DC (qualified) plus 5(?) new elementsMixture of DC (qualified) plus 5(?) new elements

‘‘Shown by: (ie URI)Shown by: (ie URI) ‘‘Shown at: a way of showing object in full context (needed e.g. for Shown at: a way of showing object in full context (needed e.g. for

archives, ‘treasures’ which may be embedded not just jpeg) archives, ‘treasures’ which may be embedded not just jpeg) User Tag: public tags created by registered usersUser Tag: public tags created by registered users Unstored: (‘bucket for useful stuff not mappable elsewhere)Unstored: (‘bucket for useful stuff not mappable elsewhere) Object : (internal use – identifies where to get thumbnail)Object : (internal use – identifies where to get thumbnail)

MandatoryMandatory Date (of creation of original object – not of digitisation)Date (of creation of original object – not of digitisation) Shown by (URI of link to digital object)Shown by (URI of link to digital object) Source (name of organisation holding object)Source (name of organisation holding object) Title (title of the original object) Title (title of the original object) Type (Text, Stillimage, Movingimage, Sound) – used in searchType (Text, Stillimage, Movingimage, Sound) – used in search


Project structure & phasesProject structure & phases

2 x operation of the project2 x operation of the project Project management & co-ordination (WP1)Project management & co-ordination (WP1) Evaluation & progress monitoring (WP6)Evaluation & progress monitoring (WP6)

1 x publicity & operating/business model1 x publicity & operating/business model Dissemination and awareness raising (WP5)Dissemination and awareness raising (WP5)

1 x preparatory1 x preparatory Metadata survey & content analysis (WP1)Metadata survey & content analysis (WP1)

2 x doing stuff with content2 x doing stuff with content Content harvesting & aggregation (WP3)Content harvesting & aggregation (WP3) Implementing Europeana standards & tools (WP4)Implementing Europeana standards & tools (WP4)


Preparatory workPreparatory work

Relatively brief survey to determine:Relatively brief survey to determine: range of available contentrange of available content Metadata schema and approachesMetadata schema and approaches Metadata harvesting activityMetadata harvesting activity Repository aggregation levelsRepository aggregation levels

Will be related to Europeana findings and recommended Will be related to Europeana findings and recommended architecture to arrive at workable approach architecture to arrive at workable approach

Identification of pan-European and cross-border ‘themes’ Identification of pan-European and cross-border ‘themes’ of interest to users and prioritisation of new content to of interest to users and prioritisation of new content to Europeana serviceEuropeana service


Content harvesting and Content harvesting and aggregationaggregation

Establishment of a central test environment (consistent Establishment of a central test environment (consistent with and linked to) Europeanawith and linked to) Europeana Content suppliers can ‘plug in’Content suppliers can ‘plug in’ Modifications can be testedModifications can be tested Will enable planned and phased harvesting operations to be Will enable planned and phased harvesting operations to be

tested and understoodtested and understood Will establish a central service to manage and synchronise the Will establish a central service to manage and synchronise the

network of OAI-PMH serversnetwork of OAI-PMH servers Will provide central repository services and indexingWill provide central repository services and indexing

End Users – will be involved in user testing in each End Users – will be involved in user testing in each region, at each stageregion, at each stage


Tools and standards adoptionTools and standards adoption

EuropeanaLocal will adopt Europeana tools and EuropeanaLocal will adopt Europeana tools and standards as they are developed and released according standards as they are developed and released according to Europeana timescalesto Europeana timescales

EuropeanaLocal will:EuropeanaLocal will: provide an opportunity to adapt these to content providers provide an opportunity to adapt these to content providers

needs in a concerted manner, Europe wideneeds in a concerted manner, Europe wide Especially - deal with the problems of configuring OAI Especially - deal with the problems of configuring OAI

repositories to serve up data that is not in one of the major repositories to serve up data that is not in one of the major domain recognised formats in its native formdomain recognised formats in its native form

Test Europeana tools in a real world environmentTest Europeana tools in a real world environment Seek to identify gaps and find suitable tools to fill themSeek to identify gaps and find suitable tools to fill them


Training and technical supportTraining and technical support

Training workshopsTraining workshops Help desk and guidance materialsHelp desk and guidance materials Site visitsSite visits Covering best practice in e.g: Covering best practice in e.g:

Installation of repositoriesInstallation of repositories ConfigurationConfiguration Database conversion Database conversion Metadata mappingMetadata mapping Collection level descriptionCollection level description Vocabulary conversion through SKOSVocabulary conversion through SKOS Rights expressionRights expression Semantic enrichmentSemantic enrichment


Dissemination and awareness Dissemination and awareness raisingraising

Important element of the projectImportant element of the project Promote the results and availability of EuropeanaLocal servicePromote the results and availability of EuropeanaLocal service Encourage wider take-up and participationEncourage wider take-up and participation Address governance and roll-out processes for EuropeanaAddress governance and roll-out processes for Europeana

Agree straightforward administrative and technical procedures for new Agree straightforward administrative and technical procedures for new organisations joiningorganisations joining

E.g. Any subscription charges, service level agreements, roles and E.g. Any subscription charges, service level agreements, roles and responsibilities, other costs or conditions of joiningresponsibilities, other costs or conditions of joining

Likely to include establishment in each country whereby this is handled Likely to include establishment in each country whereby this is handled by aggregators of various sorts and at various levelsby aggregators of various sorts and at various levels

Agree how content providers get a voice in Europeana developments Agree how content providers get a voice in Europeana developments and governanceand governance


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ContactContact

[email protected]@mdrpartners.com

www.eauropeanalocal.euwww.eauropeanalocal.eu


EuropeanaLocal – its role in improving access to Europe’s cultural heritage through the European Digital Library Mary Rowlatt MDR Partners 1 19 September.

Documents

aarhusvldl workshop

europeana version

european library office

national libraries

europes libraries

digital objects

integrated europeana

diamond econtent