From Curatorial Files to Linked Open Data: Cataloging the Art Collection at Columbia University

Abstract

Columbia University is relatively unique among American educational institutions with regard to its art collection. Rather than being housed in a traditional museum environment, artwork instead is organized as a special collection within Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. Overseen by the Art Properties department, the collection of over 12,000 works of art encompasses all time periods, cultures, and media. This paper presents a case study in which item-level records for the collection were exposed in the library’s online catalog and, in just five years, evolved from being an unsearchable resource to becoming an international model of linked open data for records for works of art. The first part of this presentation describes the original museum-style documentation used for organizing the collection, and the library cataloging standards implemented in recent years