EMII European Standards Survey - Information Management Standards

European Standards Survey

Information Management Standards - Portugal

3. Information Management Standards

Contents
	3.1	Content and Resource Description Standards - Terminology and Vocabulary Standards: Term Lists, Classification Systems, Thesauri Content and Structure Description Standards Data Content Metadata Bibliographic Description Archive Description
	3.2	Technological Standards & Protocols Data Presentation and Encoding Image Format Searching Distributed Databases Protection of Intellectual Property

3.1 Content and Resource Description Standards

3.1.1 Terminology and Vocabulary Standards
This section is concerned with standards providing lists of terms, either in alphabetical listings (e.g. term lists), or structures (e.g. classification systems or thesauri) which can be used to describe and provide access to cultural heritage

3.1.1.1 Term Lists

i. Overall Comments:

It is possible to say that, in general Portuguese museums that are undertaking the digitization of their collections are acquainted with international guidelines and standards of collections management such as the CIDOC (Guidelines for the Description of Objects of Art) or ICONCLASS or AAT that they try to adapt to their own procedures or specificity of their collections.

Nevertheless, since this presents several difficulties, museums often ask for assistance to the IPM, the institution of Central Administration who has the obligation to divulge general procedures for classification of collections, standards and guidelines for movable heritage inventory and cataloguing. The need to divulge these guidelines in the various fields of collections management amongst museums belonging to the Ministry of Culture but also to all the other museums, has been defined as a priority of action which has determined the definition of several publications aimed to collections classifications methods but also concerning procedures in cataloguing, handling and care, conservation, storage and circulation guidelines, some of which have already been published and others being elaborated with museum professionals, that will be published during the next three years.

Besides these general guidelines, there is also a strong need to divulgate other instruments, namely thesauri and vocabulary and term lists. In this particular area we feel that collaboration with other institutions that have a wider experience and production in this area will be very important in order to ensure a better access and provide wider information dissemination in Portuguese museums.

Term List Details
Name:
Dictionarium Museologicum
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
[to be confirmed]
Number of Museums:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown
Usage by Significant Collections:
Although some museums are acquainted with this publication, we cannot say that they use it in a systematic for documenting collections. We have no way of giving the numbers asked above. (figures are: Actual)

Term List Details
Name:
Reyniès' Le Mobilier Domestique
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
[to be confirmed]
Number of Museums:
20 (figures are: Estimated )
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Although 20 museums use it, they were not able to give us the number of objects documented in accordance to the referred standard

Term List Details
Name:
ISO 5127-3: Iconic Documents
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
[to be confirmed]
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Not in use in Portuguese museums

Term List Details
Name:
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
[to be confirmed]
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: )
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Not in use in Portuguese museums

Term List Details
Name:
Vocabulário Têxtil
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
396
Number of Museums:
50 (figures are: Estimated )
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Museu Nacional do Traje, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Museu Francisco Tavares Proença Júnior, Museu de Lamego, Museu Nacional do Teatro, Museu Romantico,Casa dos Patudos, Museu de S. Braz de Alportel, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian

Term List Details
Name:
Normas de Inventário - Cerâmica de Revestimento
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
82
Number of Museums:
70 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Museu Nacional do Azulejo, Museu da Cidade de Lisboa, Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro, Museu de Lamego, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas, Museu Lapidar Infante D. Henrique, Museu Rainha D. Leonor

Term List Details
Name:
Normas de Inventário - Têxteis
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
57
Number of Museums:
70 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Museu Nacional do Traje, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Museu Francisco Tavares Provença Júnior, Museu de Lamego, Museu Nacional do Teatro, Museu Romantico,Casa dos Patudos, Museu do Tesouro da Sé de Lisboa, Museu do Tesouro da Sé de Braga

Term List Details
Name:
Ourivesaria / Joalharia (lexico base)
Type:
De facto
Number of Terms:
180
Number of Museums:
50 (figures are: Estimated )
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
This is an in-house standard for the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga. The museum is not able to give the number of objects documented in accordance to this standard.

Term List Details
Name:
Normas de Inventário - Arqueologia
Type:
Evolving
Number of Terms:
0
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Because this standard is still evolving, we have no elements to complete the information asked above

3.1.1.2 Classification Systems
'The aim of Classification is to make relationships between objects, etc via their context.' 'Social History and Industrial Classification [SHIC]', 2nd Edition, mda, 1993

i. Overall Comments:

See comments at 2.1

Classification Details
Name:
Glass Subject Index for the Visual Arts
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
3,300
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Not used by Portuguese Museums

Classification Details
Name:
Vocabulary of Basic Terms for Cataloguing Costume, ICOM Costume Committee
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
[to be confirmed]
Number of Museums:
10 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Museu Nacional do Traje Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga Museu da Fundao Ricardo Esprito Santo Museu Calouste Gulbenkian

Classification Details
Name:
Iconclass
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
24,000
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Was recently acquired by the IPM for its 28 museums. For this reason we are not able, yet, to give the information above requested

Classification Details
Name:
Revised Nomenclature
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
[to be confirmed]
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Was recently acquired by the IPM for its 28 museums. Forthis reason we are not able, yet, to give the information above requested

Classification Details
Name:
Social History and Industrial Classification, [SHIC]
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
100,000
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Not in use in Portuguese museums

Classification Details
Name:
Normas Gerais de Inventário - Artes Plsticas - Artes Decorativas
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
55
Number of Museums:
100 (figures are: Estimated )
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Museu Nacional Soares Reis, Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro, Museu do Chiado, Museu de Évora

Classification Details
Name:
Normas de Inventário - Têxteis
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
5
Number of Museums:
70 (figures are: Estimated )
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Museu Nacional do Traje, Museu do Tesouro da Sé de Lisboa, Museu do Tesouro da Sé de Braga, Museu Municipal de Lagos, Casa dos Patudos

Classification Details
Name:
Normas de Inventário - Pintura
Type:
Evolving
Number of Terms:
0
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Because this standard is still evolving we have no elements to complete the information asked above.

Classification Details
Name:
Normas de Inventário - Alfaias Agrícolas
Type:
Evolving
Number of Terms:
18
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Because this standard is still evolving we have no elements to complete the information asked above.

Classification Details
Name:
Normas de Inventário - Arqueologia
Type:
Evolving
Number of Terms:
0
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Because this standard is still evolving we have no elements to complete the information asked above.

3.1.1.3 Thesauri

i. Overall Comments:

See comments at 2.1

Thesaurus Details
Name:
Art & Architecture Thesaurus [AAT], Getty Vocabulary Program
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
120,000
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Was very recently acquired and will be used by IPM 28 museums. For this reason we are not able to complete the numbers above required.

Thesaurus Details
Name:
British Museum Object Name Thesaurus
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
5,000
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections
Not in use in Portuguese museums

Thesaurus Details
Name:
mda Archaeological Objects Thesaurus in association with The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England and English Heritage
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
2,200
Number of Museums:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
unknown (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Portuguese Archaeological Museums are acquainted with this Thesaurus, but not able to quantify the number of museums that use it, or objects documented in accordance to it.

Thesaurus Details
Name:
Thesaurus of Geographic Names [TGN], Getty Vocabulary Program
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
900,000
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Not used by Portuguese Museums

Thesaurus Details
Name:
Union List of Artists Names [ULAN], Getty Vocabulary Program
Type:
De jure
Number of Terms:
120,000
Number of Museums:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Number of Objects Covered:
0 (figures are: Actual)
Usage by Significant Collections:
Not used by Portuguese Museums

3.2 Technological Standards and Protocols

3.1.2 Content and Structure Description (Metadata) Standards
'Content and structure description standards (also known as metadata standards, where metadata is understood to mean 'information about information') define and describe means of identifying and organising data content. Metadata describing a document can be: Included in the document itself Held in a separate document Transferred accompanying the document (e.g. as part of protocol headers).'
European Commission Memorandum of Understanding: Multi-media access to Europe's Cultural Heritage, final report of Working Group 1: Standards and Protocols for Interoperability of Systems.

3.1.2.1 Data Content Standards

i. Overall Comments:

Museums are not aware of this kind of standards, therefore they are not being followed in a systematic way.

3.1.2.2 Metadata Standards for Resource Discovery and Interoperability

i. Overall Comments:

Although we are aware of the developments in the use of metadata by museums, no museum in Portugal uses them as an effective standard.

3.1.3 Bibliographic Description Standards

Standard		No of Museums	No of Resources	Figures are:
ISBD(A)	Older Monographic Publications (Antiquarian)	100	24000	Estimated
ISBD(CM)	Cartographic Material	30	unknown	Estimated
ISBD(EP)	Electronic Publications	0	0	Unknown
ISBD(M)	Monographic Publications	209	2200000	Estimated
ISBD(NBM)	Non Book Materials	209	1200000	Estimated
ISBD(PM)	Printed Music	14	24500	Estimated
ISBD(S)	Serials	209	78000	Estimated

Estimated/Unknown:

These numbers were estimated through projections of a narrower universe of museums that included precise numbers for the above standards. Electronic publications were not considered, therefore numbers are unknown. The same applies to the number of resources in cartographic publications.

Please also indicate if the either or both of the following are in use in your country for bibliographic description:

Standard		No of Museums	No of Resources	Figures are:
MARC Format	Machine Readable Cataloguing	144	unknown	Estimated
AACR2	Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules	0	0	Actual

Estimated/Unknown:

AACR2 is not used in Portugal.

Other Comments:

No comments to add.

3.1.4 Archive Description Standards

Standard		No of Museums	No of Resources	Figures are:
ISAD(G)	General Rules	0	0	Unknown

Estimated/Unknown:

Although we contacted various archives, as well as the Arquivists Association, no one was able to answer this question. Nevertheless we must say that people were acquainted with this standard.

The International Standard Archival Authority Record ISAAR(CPF), also issued by ICA provides specific rules for corporate bodies, persons and families.
Standard		No of Museums	No of Resources	Figures are:
ISAAR (CPF)	Corporate bodies, Persons and Families	0	0	Actual

Estimated/Unknown:

Although we contacted various archives, as well as the Arquivists Association, no one was able to answer this issue.

Other Comments:

No comments to add

3.2 Technological Standards and Protocols

3.2.1 Data Presentation and Encoding Standards

Standard		No of Museums	No of Documents	Figures are:
HTML	ISO/IEC 15445	119	unknown	Estimated
SGML	ISO 8879	n/a	n/a	Unknown
VRML	ISO/IEC 14772-1	n/a	n/a	Unknown
XML	W3C REC 19980210	n/a	n/a	Unknown

Estimated/Unknown:

119 museums have websites all of them done with HTML language. We are not able to give information to the number of documents produced under this format

Other Comments:

No comments to add

3.2.2 Image Format Standards
Image format standards define ways of capturing, storing and compressing digital images.

Standard	No of Museums	No of Images	Figures are:
BMP	n/a	n/a	Unknown
GIF	n/a	n/a	Unknown
JBIG	n/a	n/a	Unknown
JFIF	n/a	n/a	Unknown
JPEG	110	233,000	Estimated
MPEG	n/a	n/a	Unknown
PICT	n/a	n/a	Unknown
SPIFF	n/a	n/a	Unknown
TIFF	n/a	n/a	Unknown

Estimated/Unknown:

Museums are using JPEG as the standard for digital images. BMP, GIF and TIFF are also used, but numbers impossible to get. MPEG is the standard for video, but numbers also impossible to get.

Other Comments:

IPM defined JPEG and MPEG as the standard to be used by its museums.

3.2.3 Searching Distributed Databases

Standard		No of Museums	No of Museums	Figures are:
Z39.50	ISO 23950	0	0	Actual
HTTP/CGI	ISO	0	0	Actual

Estimated/Unknown:

These standards and mechanisms for searching within different databases, have not yet been implemented by any museum or museum organization in Portugal.

Other Comments:

No comments to add

3.2.4 Protection of Intellectual Property

i. Overall Comments:

We have no notice, of technological standards and protocols for the protection of intellectual property, being used by Portuguese museums. Due to this we having nothing to fill out in this section.

Submission Details

i. Submitted by:	Isabel Cordeiro
ii. Job title:	Head of Registration and Cataloguing Department
iii. Organisation:	Instituto Português de Museus
iv. E-mail:	dsi@ipmuseus.pt
v. Date Submitted:	29/03/2000

Funded by the European Commission - DGX - Raphaël Programme