What is the Minimum Record Recommendation?
Museums and collections want to share the objects in their depots and exhibition spaces with the public and make object information digitally accessible. In addition to presenting their own online collections, there is also the option of taking part in cultural portals.
The FAIR Principles show how to improve the discoverability, connectivity and reusability of information about collection objects. The use of standards in structuring data, as well as the use of standardised vocabularies and common cataloguing regulations, are of crucial importance here. Especially institutions with limited resources hesitate to meet these supposedly (too) high requirements. The Minimum Record Recommendation shows them where they can start to ensure the sustainability and future viability of their data.
The Minimum Record Recommendation therefore specifies the most important data elements for the online publication of object information from museums and collections and provides information on how these elements should be filled in. The "Minimum Record" is the smallest possible intersection of relevant data elements that ensures a minimum level of data quality across most disciplines and museum types. In-depth cataloguing can build on this if required. The practical implementation of the Recommendation leads to a consistent coverage of the most important data elements for the identification and description of objects, as well as for the most frequently used search criteria.
The CARE Principles focus on the ethical aspects of publishing cultural heritage data. The cataloguing specifications of the Minimum Record Recommendation refer to the CARE Principles where appropriate. These apply in particular to data on collection items from colonial contexts.
What are the objectives of the Recommendation?
The Minimum Record Recommendation is intended to pave the way for smaller and larger museums and collections to publish their data online and to communicate relevant standards in an easy-to-understand, low-threshold approach. The aim is to raise awareness of data quality in cultural institutions and support them with online publication. The recommendation is intended for practical application in everyday museum work.
The Minimum Record Recommendation is intended to support museums in setting the course for more consistent and higher-quality data right from the start. It assists them in gradually integrating controlled vocabularies into their documentation and publication practice, thus preparing their valuable data sets for up-to-date Linked Open Data scenarios.
Who is behind it?
The Recommendation has been developed by the Minimum Record Working Group. It was initiated in 2022 by the Museum and Media Desks of the German Digital Library (DDB), the Working Group on Digitisation of the Konferenz der Museumsberatungsstellen in den Ländern (KMBL) and digiS Berlin. Members of the working group include representatives from the Institute for Museum Research - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin - Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, the Fachgruppe Dokumentation of the German Museum Association (DMB), the Coordination Centre for Scientific University Collections in Germany, digiCULT-Verbund eG, museum-digital Deutschland e. V., NFDI4Culture, NFDI4Objects, NFDI4Memory, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and Übersee-Museum Bremen.
Both during the development of the beta version (2023) and the finalisation of the first full version of the Minimum Record Recommendation, which was published in May 2024, representatives from various stakeholder groups, including museum staff, persons working in consultancy and education, software providers and representatives from various cultural heritage portals, were involved and asked for feedback.
Feedback welcome!
Comments and suggestions for changes are very welcome. They will be considered by the Minimum Record Working Group and may be included in the next version of the Recommendation.
Please send your comments to: info@minimaldatensatz.de
You are welcome to subscribe to our newsletter for useful information and the latest news about the Minimum Record: https://newsletter.museen-in-bayern.de/f/102943-392139/
Data element set
Data elements (cataloguing)
Data elements that are usually populated during data entry:
- Object title or name (mandatory)
- Object type or designation (mandatory)
- Classification (recommended)
- Inventory number (mandatory)
- Object description (recommended)
- Materials (recommended)
- Techniques (recommended)
- Measurements (recommended)
- Event in object history [element set] (mandatory)
- Subject keyword (recommended)
- Media file [element set] (mandatory)
Data elements (export)
Data fields that are usually populated during or after export from the local database system:
- Record ID (mandatory)
- Record language (mandatory)
- Record type (mandatory)
- Repository of object (mandatory)
- Institution providing record (mandatory)
- Media file: type of media file (mandatory)
- Usage rights of metadata record (mandatory)
- Link to published metadata record (recommended)
- Record date (recommended)
FAQs etc.
