Photographic Collections Management - Safeguarding the Past and Illuminating the Future of Cultural Information

Abstract

Our epoch, having so many changes and rapid evolutions in information environment, has to deal with the challenge to protect and bring out unique cultural objects, as photographs are. Photographs consist a source of great significance, as they capture and reflect various dimensions of human life and the activities of mankind. Indicatively, we refer to several events with social, political, educative, historical and cultural interest, which are stamped on photographic materials through time. Libraries, archives and generally information and cultural institutions possess photographic collections, which are well organized and handled with one goal: the preservation of access to a rich information treasure for end users and researchers. In order to achieve this upper goal, recognized photographic metadata standards are exploitable, such as Sepiades, VRA Core, CDWA, and Dublin Core. These are used for the documentation and the digitalization of photographs as well as the creation of eminent photographic digital archives and institutional repositories. The principal goal of the poster is the inspection of the above-mentioned standards and the documentation of a specific photographic collection under the implementation of the worldwide-recognized standard, Sepiades. Especially, the documentation constitutes a creative process, because it shows off the endless importance and proof of culture and history through photos. Concluding, the main aim of this poster is to enlighten the greatness of photographic information management, and furthermore to show that standards are a substantial aid in the area of Libraries, Archives and Information Science, concerning knowledge access.