Publications

The Bulletin of Japan Art Documentation Society No. 11 (Mar. 2004)


RESUMES

Developing a Collections Management System at the POLA Museum of Art

KAWAGUCHI Masako - No.11, p.3-14. 2004.

RESUME: This article describes the development of a computerized collections management system at the POLA Museum of Art, which was inaugurated in 2002 in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture. After presenting current conditions in Japanese museums, some of the motivations for developing a new collections management system are outlined. Major considerations are the importance of photographic reproductions in art history research, as well as the key role of collections documentation in various areas of museum work. The system allows repetitive information to be stored for future use and its digital images serve as a fundamental resource in the realization of all aims of the museum, from scholarly to educational.

Construction of the Costume Culture Image Database System

TAKAHASHI Haruko and YAMAMOTO Hiroki - No.11, p.15-23. 2004.

RESUME: This paper describes the process of construction of costume culture image database system. Now, this database is dealing with 20,000 costume image data in about 100 year Japan since Meiji restoration. The basic image data adopted is a picture and a photograph in the concerned period. This database is useful for the study and the education of ethnology and art. And it is also useful for making the scene of movie and stage. First, the view of an image index is described. Second, the retrieval items and the thesaurus <costume concept code table 2003> developed from the thesaurus <costume concept code table 2001> are described. One of the characteristics of this code table is to have the codes for retrieve the 'costume in a scene'. Lastly, retrieval system is described and retrieval process is presented.

How to Make an Efficient Art Web Site: In Construction of the Web Site Use Excel VBA

FUKUDA Hiroatsu - No.11, p.24-37. 2004.

RESUME: In this paper I attempt to clarify the following: first, the proper data collection range for a fine-arts related web site, and second, a good method for constructing a web site which efficiently displays the information which should be exhibited. Many web sites move or disappear. How should a fine-art related web site, which must treat such changing information, be constructed? I propose the following method is a good one. That is, it is a method for bringing together the data transferred, using the database function of Excel in one place, and maintaining only the data. Next, it is changing the CSV data into an HTML file using VBA.
I explain the reason for making it an HTML file, using not XML but VBA. Finally, an example of a JADS site describes the procedure of data conversion.

Construction and Practical Use of Information Resources in Art Museums in the United States

MIYAZAKI Motoko - No.11, p.38-48. 2004.

RESUME: The author visited art museums in the United States from December 16, 2002 to March 15, 2003, as a recipient of a generous grant from the Japanese government that allows staying in the United States for three months in order to research the digital initiatives of various American cultural institutions. During this research, the author examined various information/computerization projects, especially with regard to research, education, and other cultural activities in art museums. Moreover it was investigated that the method of accumulation and succession of the information resources in art museums, and developing the many-faceted presentation of information and knowledge which can convey charm and worth of cultural properties to broad groups of people.
Especially this paper describes the situations in three characteristic organizations, and reports the projects of the standardization that is considered deeply concerned with this theme, and art museum cooperation.

Data Modeling with the CIDOC CRM

MURATA Ryoji - No.11, p.49-60. 2004.

RESUME: The CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM) is a formal ontology to enable information integration and exchange for cultural heritage data. Today's museums' disparate, localized information can be transformed into global information resource by using ontology such as the CIDOC CRM. But museum experts may find ontology is not familiar to them. This paper introduces the key concepts and functions of the CIDOC CRM, and shows how to model museum information with examples.

Constructing the Database of The University Art Museum, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music

MURATA Ryoji - No.11, p.61-73. 2004.

RESUME: The University Art Museum, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music has developed a Web based database of the collection. This paper reports on purposes of the database and its functionality, with an explanation on the concrete development process and data structure. By describing technical aspects of this system, it also aims to discuss some guiding principles to construct museum collection databases.

Practical Aspects of Constructing an Art History-related Photograph Database

TSUTSUI Yayoi - No.11, p.74-84. 2004.

RESUME: This article reports how the donated items were organized to be documented and digitized based upon the presentation at JADS 40th workshop in Kumamoto on June 7, 2003. It also discusses the difficulties in the process of documentation and database construction such as notation system, translation, and intellectual property issues. This collection by Dr. Shigeyasu Hasumi includes more than a thousand photos of ancient Japanese sculptures and Asian paintings, especially focused on Sesshu. It now belongs to the University Museum, the University of Tokyo, where the author did her internship as a candidate of Museum Studies Certificate program at Harvard University.

The Person Who Connects Art to People: As a Librarian in a Museum

GOTO Junko - No.11, p.85-90. 2004.

RESUME: Nowadays, with the arrival of lifelong learning, a museum is expected to be an important social educational institution, and the demand for public information presentation, and educational activities has been increasing. In order to utilize effectively limited resources (personnel, equipment, money, etc.) and to offer the maximum service to users (the public, researchers, curators, staff, etc.), it is necessary to share information, to make a team and to advance activities efficiently. It is important that the librarian who works in a museum also grasps the demand of the users positively as an informational specialist, and provides information.

Reviewed Art Reference Books: an Abridged List of Items in 'Reviews' of ARLIS/UK & Eire's Art Libraries Journal (1976-2003)

MIZUTANI Takeshi - No.11, p.91-105. 2004.

RESUME: 'Reviews' of ARLIS/UK & Eire's Art Libraries Journal is very important and valuable for art librarians to get information on current art reference books. More than 300 items were reviewed in the journal since 1976. The author compiled the simple list of the reviewed items based on the classification of ARNTZEN & RAINWATER's Guide to the Literature of Art History (1980) and surveyed the holdings of the items in four major art museums' libraries and NACSIS Webcat. Four art museums' libraries are as below:
Art Library, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Research Library, The National Museum of Western Art
Art Library, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo
Art Library, Yokohama Museum of Art

Report from the JADS 42nd Lecture: Development and Cultivation of Profession of Information Specialists at Museums and Archives

- No.11, p.106-139. 2004.

RESUME: Report of lectures and a panel discussion with Mr. MIZUSHIMA Eiji, Mr. ANDO Masato, Ms. NAKAMURA Setsuko, Mr. HATANO Hiroyuki and MIZUTANI Takeshi (chairperson) held at Keio University on 15th November, 2003.

List of Articles on Art Documentation in Japan 2003

Comp. by JADS Clearinghouse (TAKAHASHI Haruko, HIRAI Noriko and OHE Chojiro) - No.11, p.140-149. 2004.