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    • This summary from the SIG CIDOC CRM meeting which took place as part of the CIDOC Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, was presented at the general assembly of CIDOC on September 13, 2006.
      Available: ppt file (74 kb)

    • The 13th joined meeting of the CIDOC CRM SIG and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 took place in Nuremberg, Germany, November 14-18, 2005. Also the 5th FRBR - CIDOC CRM Harmonization meeting took place, with representatives of the CIDOC CRM SIG and the IFLA FRBR Review Group on November 16-18, 2005.
      Minutes available: word file (247 Kb), pdf file (67 Kb).

    • The third FRBR - CIDOC CRM Harmonization meeting took place, with representatives of the CIDOC CRM SIG and the IFLA FRBR Review Group, in Imperial College in Kensington, London, February 14-16 2005.
      Minutes available: word file (117 Kb), pdf file (136 Kb)      .


    • This document is the full report of the tenth joined meeting of the CIDOC CRM SIG and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 and took place at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, Germany, December 7-10, 2004.
      Minutes available:word file (117 Kb), pdf file (136 Kb).
    • This document is the full report of the ninth joint meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 which was held in Heraklion, Greece, April 20-22 2004.
      Matthew Stiff, Report of the 9th joined meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9. Available: word file, (111 Kb), pdf file (226 Kb)      .


    • The first FRBR - CIDOC CRM Harmonization meeting was held with representatives of the CIDOC CRM SIG and the IFLA FRBR Review Group in Paris, November 12 - 14 2004.

      • Minutes available: word file (25 kb), pdf file (90 kb)

    • This document is the full report of the eighth joint meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 which was held in Oxford, UK, October 6-9, 2003
      Matthew Stiff, Report of the 8th joined meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9. Available: word file, (80 Kb), pdf file (123 Kb)      .


    • This document is the full report of the seventh joint meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 which was held at the Marble Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia, September 2 and 6, 2003
      Matthew Stiff, Report of the 7th joined meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9. Available: word file, (23 Kb), pdf file (92 Kb).


    • This document is the full report of the sixth joint meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 which was held at the Smithsonian Institutions, NMAI, Washington DC, March 25 and 28, 2003.
      Matthew Stiff, Report of the 6th joined meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9. Available: word file, (46 Kb), pdf file (89 Kb).


    • This document is the full report of the fifth joint meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 which was held in Rethymnon, Institute of Mediterranean Studies, FORTH, October 22-25, 2002.
      Matthew Stiff, Report of the 5th joined meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9. Available: word file, (109 Kb), pdf file (140 Kb).
    • This document is the full report of the fourth joint meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 which was held in Copenhagen, National Museum of Denmark, July 2-5, 2002:
      Matthew Stiff, Report of the 4rd joined meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9. Available: word File (58 kb), pdf file (106 Kb).
    • This document is the full report of the third joint meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 which was held in Monterey, February 19-22, 2002:
      Matthew Stiff, Report of the 3rd joined meeting of the CIDOC Special Interest Group and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9. Available: word file (113 Kb), pdf file (154 Kb).

    • This document is the full report  of the second joined meeting of the CIDOC CRM SIG and ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 in Paris, October 15-18, 2001:
      Siegfried Krause,Report of the Second Joined Meeting of ISO/TC46/SC4/WG9 and CIDOC CRM SIG, Nuremberg, Nov 12, 2001. Available: word file (160 Kb), pdf file (181 Kb).

    • This document is the full report of the decisions taken in the 1st CHIOS Meeting, Plaza Hotel, Barcelona, 6-7 July 2001: 1st CHIOS Meeting, Plaza Hotel, Barcelona. 6-7 July 2001 , Heraklion, July 9, 2001. Available: word file (51 Kb), pdf file (137 Kb).

    • This document is the full report of the CIDOC CRM SIG first meeting in Barcelona, July 5, 2001:
      Martin Doerr, CIDOC CRM Special Interest Group, Full report from the first meeting in Barcelona, July 5, 2001 , Heraklion, July 9, 2001. Available: word file (61 Kb), pdf file (165 Kb).

    • This document gives a comprehensive summary of the ISO standardization process and its relevance and applicability for the CIDOC CRM. It has been presented to the DSWG meeting in Ottawa August 2000. In the meanwhile, the CIDOC CRM has been accepted by ISO in stage 2:
      Nick Crofts, ISO Structure and procedures , Geneva, August 10, 2000. Available: word file (35 Kb), pdf file (127 Kb).

    • This document consists of notes on a draft specification for the CIDOC OO reference model. This draft was compiled by an ad hoc group (Nick Crofts, Costis Dallas, Ifigenia Dionissiadou, Martin Doerr) at a meeting in Crete in July 1997 on behalf of the CIDOC documentation standards working group:
      Notes on the data modelling meeting in Crete July 1997 , July 1997. Available: word file (77 Kb), pdf file (192 Kb).

    • The present document is a relatively informal collection of remarks and comments arising from work on the conversion of the CIDOC relational data model at ICS FORTH in July 1996:
      Notes on the transformation of the CIDOC relational data model, July 1996. Available: rtf file (50 Kb), pdf file (131 Kb).

    • The summary of the CRM meeting in Agios Pavlos, Crete, June 2000, which has proposed the above extensions:
      Nick Crofts (editor),CRM Agios Pavlos meeting:Report , July 2000. Available: rtf file (13 Kb), pdf file (91 Kb).

    • The CIDOC Documentation Standards Working Group meeting in Ottawa, August 2000


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    • The CIDOC Documentation Standards Group meeting in London, 1999


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    • Documentation Standards Group Report, Nuremberg 1997


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    • Documentation Standards Working Group Interim Report, April 1996

    Reports

    Minutes & Reports

    Documents
    The reference documents about CIDOC CRM produced by Documentation Standards Working Group betwwen 1996 and August 2000 can be found under Previous releases of CIDOC CRM for reasons of uniformity.

    The CIDOC Documentation Standards Working Group
    Minutes from the Meeting August 22, 2000 , CIDOC Conference Ottawa

    Acting Chair: Martin Doerr

    • The election of a new chair for the Group was postponed to the end of the meeting, until all technical implications have been clarified.
    • Pat Young informed the Group about the CIDOC Board decision to initiate an open "CRM Special Interest Group", in the following "CRM SIG".
      • This open Group of stakeholders aims at further promoting the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM) into an international standard by collaborating with the ISO Ad-hoc Working Group for the CRM expected to be formed end of September 2000, and at fostering a wide consensus in the community about the contents of the envisaged standard.
      • For that purpose the CIDOC Board will invite relevant organizations or initiatives of the wider cultural community to delegate representatives for this group. Further expressions of interest in participation are welcome. Members are in general thought to actively participate in the work program the group will set up.
      • The Group will inform the CIDOC Board about its activities.
    • Martin Doerr presented to the Group the report from Nick Crofts about the CRM submission to ISO and related ISO procedures. Major points:
      • The CIDOC CRM, product of years of engagement of this Group, has now been submitted for ballot at ISO TC46, SC4, following the proposal of the Group and decision of the Board August 1999.
      • SC4 is expected to vote for the CRM as Draft International Standard (DIS) until September 26. It is expected to enter the ISO procedures in Stage 4, "Enquiry" under the "fast track".
      • The fast track procedure will take at least two years to complete, and leaves enough space for corrections and amendments in order to properly reflect the communities requirement and consensus for the CRM. The promoters of the CRM are expected to collaborate actively with ISO.
    • Axel Ermert pointed out that the respective national interest groups of the museum and wider cultural community must confirm their interest in the CRM to the respective voting members of SC4 before September 26. SC4 voting members may not be aware whom to contact, and should be sought actively by CIDOC members for that purpose.
      • The Group asks Nick Crofts to distribute a list with the addresses of those SC4 voting members to the Group participants for the above purpose (actually it is on the TC46 Website).
      • The Group expresses the need for a compact "layman text" to promote awareness of the CRM to non-experts.
    • Martin Doerr presented to the Group the current understanding of the functional role of the CRM, its basic structure and reported the latest progress of the CRM work:
      • Presentation of the CRM as a means to explain data and metadata structures for the purpose of semantically correct data transfer, data merging and query mediation between heterogeneous sources.
      • Report on the progress of the CRM Correlation Test Project. So far, the AMICO data model, the Dublin Core Element Set with all its qualifiers, the EAD archival standard and some 90% of the SPECTRUM data fields and have been mapped successfully to the CRM. The "Agios Pavlos Extensions". The full report of the Dublin Core mapping is on the Web-site of ICS-FORTH (http://www.ics.forth.gr/proj/isst).
      • Report on the Agios Pavlos meeting (based on report by Nick Crofts). The Informal meeting of stakeholders and CIDOC members within the framework of the CRM Correlation Test Project in Agios Pavlos, Crete, June 26-30 2000, approved a proposal for a set of extensions to the current CRM, the "Agios Pavlos Extensions". They render the mappings of DC, AMICO, EAD to 100% within the scope of the CRM. It was agreed that complete mappings of the Archeological Core Data Standard (CDS), Spectrum, the CIMI Access Points and Profile will be achieved by a future extension. The process of elaborating the Agios Pavlos extensions effectively confirmed the validity of the methodology and reinforced the participant's confidence in the potential of the CRM. The full report is on the Web-site of ICS-FORTH.
      • Presentation of the core concepts of the CRM for all newcomers and as a memory refreshment for all others.
      • Introduction to the Agios Pavlos Extensions. The full report is on the Web-site of ICS-FORTH.
    • The Group discussed the scope of the CRM.
      • The CRM is thought to be primarily a tool for the museum community, that intellectually originates in the museum community, but enables an effective communication with the libraries and archives world. As such it should contain the necessary concepts to communicate, but is not required to cover those areas.
      • The CRM is thought primarily to support the data interchange of documentation. Planning events e.g. is explicitly excluded for the time being, as well as completely museum internal data handling. This does not pose however any restrictions to the wide extensibility of the CRM.
      • Rather than defining intellectual rules what should be or not be in the CRM, it seems to be more effective to define the scope of the CRM on a set of current data and metadata formats, as those already express the outcome of extensive scope discussions of the respective experts.
      • The need for a clear definition of the scope of the CRM was expressed.
    • The Group discussed application aspects of the CRM.
      • There is a need for extensive documentation.
      • Usage scenarios in simple terms and in particular data examples are regarded to be particularly valuable to render the concepts. Participants are invited to create data examples, and to let them validate by the current CRM experts.
      • The benefits of the CRM for implementers should be made clear. As the CRM is a reference rather than a prescription, it is reasonable to define a variety of different compatibility predicates. They should not create obstacles to the necessary diversity in the domain.
      • The need for recommendations for implementation, machine readable formats of the CRM etc. was expressed, and it was discussed how to relate those to the standard to come.
    • The Group agreed, that the Documentation Standards Group Web-site is transferred from Geneva to ICS-FORTH in Crete, as Nick Crofts is no longer working at that site in Geneva.
    • The Group agreed with the formation of the CRM SIG in the following manner:
      • Martin Doerr, from ICS-FORTH, acts as one co-chair of the SIG with a focus on technical issues.
      • A representative of CIMI is invited to be the other co-chair.
      • Proposed organizations so far:
        • CEMAC
        • CIDOC-ISO Liaison
        • CIMI
        • CHIN
        • EMII
        • Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuernberg
        • ICS-FORTH
        • Museum Benaki
        • MDA
        • National Museum of Denmark
        • Research Library Group California
      • Other organizations will be invited as members or may express their interest in active participation. Members are expected to have the technical possibility to participate in the respective meetings.
      • ICS-FORTH can support the SIG with the equivalent of 50% of the workload of a technician over the next two years out of its own means. The SIG members are thought to seek financial support for their work from appropriate bodies like the European Community, US Government, Canadian Government and others..
    • The Group discussed its future objectives. All participants expressed their opinion and interests. Major points were:
      • The delegation of the direct CRM work to the CRM SIG is seen as a chance for reorientation, in particular to take up important activities that could not be done in the past due to the Group's exclusive occupation with the CRM. The Group seeks to define its objectives independent from the CRM.
      • Nevertheless the whole Group is understood as an observer of the CRM activities, and the SIG will take care to keep the Group appropriately informed. Participants gave their e-mail addresses for that purpose.
      • Thesauri were regarded by many participants as a major topic, details to be defined. Besides others the relation of thesauri to other data standards and to the CRM. The need for a thesaurus of event types was mentioned, as many data formats and the CRM use explicit representations of events.
      • The Group as an information forum about practice and needs of data standards was mentioned, rather than as a standards producing organization. The Group seeks contact with the EMII initiative and expresses its interest that such work is carried further on.
      • Finally an interest in identifying the potential relations of the CRM to other activities in the community was expressed, in particular the contacts and overlaps with the archive and library community.
    • Finally the Group sought a new chair. During the session, no participant declared candidacy. Matthew Stiff was proposed by the participants to be elected if he agrees. Richard Light declared his interest in the final session.. In this situation, we are looking forward to new initiatives from Richard Light, until a new chair can be elected again. Matthew and Ifigenia Dionissiadou continue to be co-chairs for terminology and data modeling respectively.

    Edited by Martin Doerr, Ottawa, August 23, 2000
    Presented in the Annual Business Meeting Ottawa August 26, 2000.

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    The CIDOC Documentation Standards Group meeting in London, 1999

    The meeting was attended by more than thirty people. Many of them new members. Topics under discussion included:

    • Presentation of work done on the object-oriented Conceptual Reference Model (CRM) and current state of affairs re submission to ISO TC46
    • Role and organisation of the group
    • Discussion of future plans and projects, including:
      • -CRM correlation testbed project
      • -Update of terminology resources
      • -Incorporation of the International Terminology Working Group
    • Nomination of people responsible for running new projects

    Presentation of the Conceptual Reference Model

    Nick Crofts explained the current status of the model and the implications of its submission to ISO. Martin Doerr explained some of the theoretical background to the model, its role and uses as a domain ontology.
     A number of proposed modifications to the model were approved by the group. After further discussion, mostly concerning distribution rights and CIDOC's continued participation in developing the model, the group unanimously approved submission of the model to ISO. This has since taken place and the model is currently in the initial stages of evaluation under ISO's 'fast track' procedure.

    Role and organisation of the group

    As its name indicates, the group is concerned with all aspects of documentation standards relating to museums. However, partly for the benefit of members attending the meeting for the first time, the group reiterated and discussed its role and mode of operation. Four key points are worth underlining

    • The group aims to provide a forum for discussion to promote the exchange of ideas and information about museum documentation standards.
    • The group aims to identify and, where possible, provide access to sources of reference material.
    • The group aims to participate in and when necessary undertake the development of new standards relevant to the field.
    • Productive projects are generally handled by motivated sub groups who report back to the main group.

    Future plans and projects

    The group decided to set up a mailing list, cidoc-docustrd, which will be hosted by ICS FORTH. Although primarily intended for members of the group, the list will also be open to interested outsiders who may not be members of CIDOC.
     Martin Doerr is leading a testbed project to look at correlation of the CRM with existing database applications and standards such as Spectrum. The anticipated benefits of this project are better comprehension of the model and enhanced interoperability and integration. Several group members are now committed to working on this project.
     The group is intending to work on an updated list of terminology resources, based on the CHIN terminology resource guide This will be based on an online registry, providing users with references to documents, as well as the possibility of submitting and updating references, and writing comments.
     CHIN and MDA have offered to co-host the resource, though overall responsibility will remain with CIDOC. A sub group will manage the registry and deal with editorial tasks. As befits a terminology project, the editorial group is currently engaged in defining basic meta terminology to help ensure consistent use of the registry.

    Other plans

    Integration of the International Terminology Working Group as part of the Documentation Standards Group was discussed and finally rejected after an impassioned defence of the need for the group's autonomy from Matthew Stiff. The ITWG will most likely become a new CIDOC group and meet during CIDOC conferences.
     Plans for a volume of essays on terminology and for the development of terminology for sub collections and groups of objects were brought up but not sufficiently discussed.

    Nick Crofts
    Chair, Documentation Standards Group

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    Documentation Standards Group Report, Nuremberg 1997


    The documentation standards group is one of the most active in CIDOC. Following last year's conference in Nairobi, several interim meetings took place. One in London at the V&A, (reported in the August issue of the CIDOC Newsletter) and two other informal meetings in Washington and Crete. As a result we were able to meet all the major objectives set in Nairobi.

     Three meetings were held during the Nuremberg conference, each drawing a massive response (nearly 50 people). Due to the size of the group, and the number of new members, it was agreed that in future a distinction would be made between 'voting' and 'non-voting' members, along the same lines as that used by ICOM for committee membership. Voting members will be expected to participate in the group's activities on a regular basis.

     It was also agreed that constructive work could best be carried out by assigning specific tasks to small 'project-groups', who would then submit the results of their efforts for discussion and approval by the group as a whole.

     The Group's mission, as defined during the Nuremberg conference, is "the identification, creation, maintenance and diffusion of standards relating to museum documentation". Most of the group's recent work has been devoted to developing the Object-Oriented Reference Data Model. However, now that the end of this work is in sight we aim to set up a number of other project groups to undertake work on terminology, revising the current 'Guidelines for Information Categories', and for compiling a resource document identifying existing standards relevant to museum documentation. Work on the reference model will, of course, continue. Several of the group's members have also expressed interest in setting up a testbed project to evaluate the feasibility of using the reference model as a practical basis for information exchange and interoperability.

     To help co-ordinate the group's work and provide a convenient means for communication between members, we shall be making extensive use of email and a group web site. A turning point may have been reached since the vast majority of the group's participants now have Internet access.

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    Documentation Standards Working Group Interim Report, April 1996

    At the ICOM meeting in Stavanger, the Data Model Working Group and the Data Terminology Working Group merged and became the Documentation Standards Working Group. Each of the former groups presented a product: the CIDOC Relational Data Model of the Data Model Working Group, and the International Guidelines for Museum Object Information of the Data Terminology Working Group.
      Project plans of the Working Group included mapping three data standards to the CIDOC Relational Data Model: Archaeological Sites, Ethnology, and Information Categories Guidelines. The working group plans also to conduct a workshop in Nairobi, details for which are not complete at this time.
      The Working Group held an interim meeting in Heraklion, Crete, Greece, March 6 - 8 to discuss object-oriented (O-O) methods and techniques for extending and enriching the CIDOC Relational Data Model. Following presentations, demonstrations, and much discussion, the group agreed to the following:

    1. Future CIDOC data models will be developed using O-O methods, techniques, and formats. While this effort is under way, the current CIDOC Relational Data Model will be available, although it will not be modified or enhanced.
     The O-O model will retain all the related information contained in the existing relational model, and it will provide flexibility and extensibility not ossible for a relational approach. Information that is implicit in the relational model will be explicitly represented in the O-O model. Specifically, the O-O model can provide variable levels of information, from a general overview to precise detail, enabling the representation, use, and retrieval of information from multiple points of view simultaneously.
     The scope of the current relational model concentrates on the documentation of museum objects and their provenance. The O-O model will enable more specific collections management and research information to be included. Communication, interchange of information, and public access to museum information will be enhanced.

    2. The group intends the O-O model to be a 'Conceptual Reference Model' (CRM), which can be enriched by complementary, domain-specific models. The CRM is seen as a key product which will provide the intellectual and conceptual framework for defining and integrating formal compatible subsets and extensions. The role of the group is to provide a forum for the consolidation, validation, and integration of these CRM components.

    3. A first draft of the CRM will be created by a subgroup which will analyze the current relational model and convert it to an O-O format. The subgroup will report to the larger group on problems and exceptions encountered, identify the necessary transformation rules, and make recommendations for enhancing the CRM. This first version should be completed and distributed to working group members in time for the September CIDOC meeting in Nairobi.
      Future work involves testing and extending the CRM by applying it to specific applications, projects, and problem areas. This work will be entrusted to subgroups with specific interests and expertise who will report to the full working group.

    4. To complement the O-O model, the group intends to provide support material to include presentation documents, guides, transformation rules, and other information needed to understand and use the new model. The O-O model requires a different mind-set for looking at museum data: although it is more flexible and extensible, it also is more complex.

     
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