EVA/Minerva 2014 XIth Annual International Conference Van Leer Jerusalem Institute November 2014 Practitioners & specialists: the role of CIDOC in establishing effective communication Nicholas Crofts, Chair ICOM CIDOC

Introduction Nicholas Crofts Chair of ICOM CIDOC MA Philosophy PhD Cultural Informatics Working in the field since 1985 Ontology administrator IOC Assistant Professor MTTU

Overview What CIDOC is Our mixed audience What we’re doing to get them to talk to each other

What is CIDOC? Comité International pour la Documentation “A neutral, international forum for the discussion of all issues relating to information management in museums” 1 of ICOM's 31 International Committees Founded in 1950 Members in >60 countries Voluntary, not for profit Free for ICOM members

Our focus What’s in a name? –Documentation of collections –Collections of documents

Information management

Governance ICOM – a French association 1901 ICOM Statutes, CIDOC by laws CIDOC board: –Chair –Vice Chair –Secretary –Editor –4 ordinary members –Ex officio chairs of working groups

Finances Annual ICOM Subsidy –core + number of members + performance CIDOC Bursary Fund Subsidies Getty Foundation “Franchised” financial liability

Impact on membership Motivated & available Access to funding Predominantly European Divided into two groups…

CIDOC’s Publics 10 Practioners Specialists CIDOC

Divergent “domains of discourse” Practical concerns...Theoretical Technophobe... Technophile Conservative... Innovation Museums...Research ICOM members... Not ICOM members

Common misunderstandings Rich mass of museum data waiting to be published... … museums don’t want to publish it Museum meta data is poor quality Why do we need new technology? Technology is ephemeral, information is perennial

What’s at stake? Innovation : –Saving time and money –Providing better services –Protecting our heritage –Getting people involved

Museum information management Acquire and conserve Research Registers, insurance evaluations, inventory Academic journals, articles, studies, reports Communicate and exhibit Catalogues, CD-ROMS, Web site

So what is CIDOC doing? Creating a network Encouraging communication Providing training Supporting the profession

Principles of Museum documentation collections without adequate documentation cannot be considered to be true museum collections –they cannot be adequately safeguarded and cared for –the museum cannot demonstrate legal accountability –their value for research and interpretation is greatly reduced CIDOC Principles of Documentation, ICOM Rio

CIDOC Conference Helsinki, Rio de Janeiro, Dresden, New Delhi, Milan Balanced programme Bursaries

Working groups 1.Archaeological Sites 2.Conceptual Reference Model SIG 3.Co-reference 4.Data Harvesting and Interchange 5.Digital preservation 6.Documentation Standards 7.Information Centres 8.Museum process implementation 9.Research Environments 10.Intangible Cultural Heritage

Committee culture

Publications CIDOC Fact Sheets: –Registration step by step –Labelling and marking objects –Recommendations for identity photographs International Guidelines for Museum Object Information Statement of principles of museum documentation The CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (ISO 21127) Annual newsletter since 1989 Bilingual French & English and low-bandwidth

analysisimplementation impact Domain of discourse Conceptualisation Technical system Information systems : theory maintenance

Museum of Texas Tech University Founded in 1929 Part of Texas Tech University & a community museum Anthropology, Art, Palaeontology, Ethnology and Textiles, History and the Natural Sciences 5,000,000 collection items 200,000 visitors annually Master’s program in Museum Science

Summer School Session

CIDOC CRM ontology

CIDOC training programme With Museum of Texas Tech University Modular - allows flexibility For newcomers & experienced staff International perspective Tutors from CIDOC and MTTU faculty Annual: –2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Texas –2013, 2014 São Paolo –

CIDOC training in Brazil

Conclusion CIDOC Networking Accessible documentation Training

Thank You Contact details: – - –CIDOC web site:- cidoc.icom.museum I would like to thank: –Millie and Susan Hazan –EVA / Minerva 2014