Software Providers
Joint collaboration on emerging technology and applications is one of the keys to a successful alliance. Scholars Resource works with the major software providers in the field to facilitate relationship development and develop a roadmap to future integrations.
Our strategic alliances include industry-leading technology firms such as Luna Imaging (Insight), Gallery Systems (EmbARK), Ex Libris (DigiTool), DiMeMa (CONTENTdm) as well as university developed products; Madison Digital Image Database, Almagest and others.
At this point in time we usually supply flattened data in spreadsheet (Excel) form to our clients and from there we work with each customer to help them adapt that data both to the requirements of the software that they use (to import the data) and also to map to the local data set they have developed. We can map the data to all the major data standards (MARC, Dublin Core, VRA Core 3.0 or 4.0) as well as advise on locally developed fields. We can also supply data in XML as requested.
Data Import Tips
The following tips are some general guidelines to preparing data for some of the most popular systems. We are in constant communication with these vendors and are developing ways to ease the import of Scholars Resource data into these and other systems.
Insight
The Insight Studio Data Import Module enables users to import batches of content from simple delimited sources such as tab or comma-separated files or via XML.
Tab- or comma delimited files can be created with applications like FileMaker Pro and Excel. Insight Studio, like all data import tools, maintains specific rules on the structure and content of an import file prior to its import. Insight Studio can create a data import template for your collection. This template can then be populated within Excel, FileMaker, or other database applications.
EmbARK
http://www.gallerysystems.com/products/embark.html
Data from Excel is mapped to EmbARK tables through a user-friendly import wizard. Digital images are linked in a batch process and may be attached to a master “work” record. Support for importing XML data in standards such as CDWA lite and VRA Core 4.0 is in development.
DigiTool
http://www.exlibrisgroup.com/digitool.htm
DigiTool can import cataloging data and image links in several different ways, including CSV (comma separated value) spreadsheets, or as MARC XML or Dublin Core XML. The data can be imported with copyright and access restrictions appended to the cataloging data for maximum efficiency. Detailed instructions are available from DigiTool Support.
MDID
Scholars Resource is currently developing a direct XML import format of our data for MDID users. MDID supports catalog data import using specially structured XML files only. A tool is available to convert Excel spreadsheets and comma separated value (CSV) files into the required XML format. The import itself is done by uploading the data file using the web interface.
MDID is also currently developing a more flexible import mechanism that will allow the import of XML data files that have a different catalog structure than the target collection, which will greatly simplify the import of third-party data files. Data fields will be mapped automatically or manually.
Almagest
Data imports into Almagest are currently done on a case-by-case basis. Almagest administrators work with the data owners to understand and map the data into Almagest appropriately. The Almagest team is working on building an XML import tool that supports VRA Core and Dublin Core metadata standards.
CONTENTdm
Tab-delimited text files can be imported directly into CONTENTdm. The software allows you to map the imported data to collection fields during the import process. Direct XML import will be supported in the future. (XML export is already supported).
Digital Asset Management Systems
MediaBin
http://www.interwoven.com/products/dam/
