The American Art Collaborative Linked Open Data Initiative is a consortium comprised of thirteen museums and one archive. With generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and a leadership grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, AAC members (see list below) have been learning about Linked Open Data (LOD) and converting collection information to LOD.  AAC has been particularly interested in using LOD to interconnect content about American artists across their collections and explore new research opportunities http://americanartcollaborative.org

 

AAC recently published over 200,000 LOD object records drawn from the collections of the institutions. Each AAC partner has or is in the process of creating a webpage with links to their museum’s LOD as well as the entire AAC LOD. There is also a link to a browse prototype that was developed by the Washington DC-based consulting group, Design for Context.  As part of their objective to learn more about LOD, AAC invites developers to use the data and share results with AAC.

In addition, an AAC guide (Overview and Recommendations for Good Practices) aimed at helping the broader museum community understand and engage in LOD is available on the AAC website under the Resources, Publications, and Tools Section: http://americanartcollaborative.org/tools/

The guide includes an overview of LOD essentials, project approach and lessons learned; good practices recommendations; and LOD FAQs which include such questions as How much time does it take to create LOD; What skills are needed to engage in LOD; Should our institution have a digital policy in place, etc.


Partners:

•Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Katherine Moloney
•Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Karen Weiss, Michelle Herman, Toby Reiter
•Autry Museum of the American West, Rebecca Menendez
•Colby College Museum of Art, Charles Butcosk
•Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Shane Richey
•Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), Shyam Oberoi, Brian MacElhose
•Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) / Newfields Lab, Stuart Alter, Heather Floyd, Samantha Norling
•Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art, Diana Folsom
•National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Sue Garton
•National Museum of Wildlife Art, Emily Winters
•Princeton University Art Museum, Cathryn Goodwin
•Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), Rachel Allen, Sara Snyder, Richard Brassell
•The Walters Art Museum, Will Hays
•Yale Center for British Art, Emmanuelle Delmas-Glass

 

Yours,

 

Eleanor E. Fink

AAC Founder and Manager