Presented by Merrianne Timko, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Data Standards Manager Although standardization of data is crucial to the overall functionality of TMS, convincing curators that there can be only “one” way to catalogue a similar group of works can be challenging. However, when thousands of works in TMS need to have data standardized within a short period of time and with minimal resources, launching a data clean-up program is essential. Such a program should include a proposed timeline, a delineation of tasks and responsibilities, user-friendly guidelines, and new approaches to the utilization of TMS fields for melding a variety of cataloguing preferences.

1. JUMP-STARTING DATA STANDARDS I
LAUNCHING A DATA CLEAN-UP PROGRAM
MERRIANNE TIMKO
DATA STANDARDS MANAGER
THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON

2. THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON

3. BACKGROUND
• Conversion from Quixus to TMS in 2000
• Growth and diversification of works
• 65,000+ permanent collection objects, more than 15,000
loans, etc.
• Data standards initiative began in 2009
• TMS Style Guide published in April 2011
• Photography cataloguing guidelines published in May 2011
• Upgrade to TMS 2010 in October 2012

4. COMMENTS REGARDING
APRIL 2011 TMS STYLE GUIDE
• Format too theoretical (e.g., reiteration of CCO
and Getty ULAN guidelines)
• Not enough screenshots to show how data should
be entered in TMS
• Specialized exceptions to data entry not
emphasized (e.g., Pre-Columbian and other
“unknown” creators associated with specific
cultures)
• Not enough curatorial input
• Partial implementation

5. CURRENT STATE OF DATA STANDARDS
• Evolution of 59 classifications, many with less
than 10 objects
• Variant spellings and abbreviations of terms in
the Medium field
• Uneven usage of diacritical marks in titles of
works and constituent names
• Need to focus on tracking of changes to titles
• Emphasis on usage of foreign language titles,
including noting of sources for translations

6. CURRENT STATE OF DATA STANDARDS
• Uneven approach to attributions for artists (e.g.,
Attributed to Rembrandt – separate constituent vs. use
of prefix associated with the object)
• Few guidelines regarding use of geography
• Reliance on specially designed reports to retrieve data
for many departments
• Minimal clean-up on de-accessioned and loan objects
is needed, for collections management purposes
• Need for more user-friendly documentation regarding
specific data standards and data entry procedures

7. DRIVING FORCE FOR TMS DATA
STANDARDS AND CLEAN-UP –
NEW WEBSITE INITIATIVE

8. FORMATION OF WEBSITE COMMITTEE
IN MAY 2012
• 1 curator (chairperson)
• 4 curators
• 1 curatorial assistant
• Collections manager
• Data standards manager
• Photographic and imaging
services manager
• Website lead from IT

9. PRESENTATION AT CURATORIAL MEETING
OCTOBER 2012
• TMS has been configured to suit MFAH needs
and preferences
• Incorrect data regarding objects and
constituents may date back to outside vendor’s
input of data into Quixis in 1988
• Data must be entered in the appropriate fields
in order to successfully search and extract data
• Due to the configuration of TMS, it will
sometimes be necessary to enter the same
data in more than one field – e.g., edition in the
Medium and Edition fields

10. PHASE I PHASE II
OBJECT DESCRIPTIVE
CATALOGUING CATALOGUING
• Creator • Secondary
• Object Culture classifications
(Culture of Creator) • Subject
• Medium
• Objects depicted
• Date
• Title • People depicted
• Place made • Place depicted

11. DATA STANDARDS REFERENCE SOURCES
• Direct use of Getty on-line vocabularies –
ULAN, AAT, TGN
• Internal MFAH cataloguing memos.
• Spreadsheets created with data collected
from other museum websites – e.g., British
Museum
• Spreadsheets created to track specific
issues based on AAT, Nomenclature 3.0
• Idea that spreadsheets can expedite
future development of collection-specific
controlled vocabularies and thesauri

12. VALUE OF CONTROLLED VOCABULARIES
PHASE I PHASE II
OBJECT CATALOGUING DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUING
FURNITURE PAINTING
Settee Basket chair, Bench
FURNITURE
SEATING FURNITURE

13. ADOPT USE OF “seating furniture” PER AAT

14. USE OF “seating furniture”
BY OTHER MUSEUMS

15. GROUPINGS PER AAT TO EXPEDITE CLEAN-UP
• Temporary use of Object Name/Work Type field
to create “groupings” of like objects per AAT
• Groupings will later be used in the development
of secondary classifications

16. POSITIVE APPROACH TO
TMS DATA CLEAN-UP
• Data is not inaccurate; it simply has to be
edited or reformatted for database
consistency
• Some clean-up more cosmetic and
editorial – compound words, spelling,
diacritical marks
• Some clean-up will involve moving data
from one field to another – e.g., Dynasty V
from Period field to Dynasty field

17. POSITIVE APPROACH TO
TMS DATA CLEAN-UP
• Some changes can be made on the backend –
e.g., compound words, correcting spelling
• Groupings of “like” objects based on the
Getty’s AAT will expedite data clean-up and
ensure consistency – e.g., seating furniture,
lighting devices
• Minimal disruption to usage of TMS

18. Have you ever tried
searching in TMS for all
examples of …?
Chinese export porcelain

19. INITIAL SEARCH IN TMS
CHINESE EXPORT PORCELAIN – 189 OBJECTS
CONSTITUENT AND OBJECT CULTURE FIELDS
CONSTITUENT FIELD OBJECT CULTURE
DROPDOWN LIST DROPDOWN LIST
Unknown, Chinese Export Chinese
Chinese Export Chinese Export
Unknown maker Spanish; Chinese; Mexican
Chinese Export, for Compagnie
des Indes (New Company)
Chinese Export (P.V. Mark) [No data for 65 works]

20. INITIAL SEARCH IN TMS
CHINESE EXPORT PORCELAIN – 189 OBJECTS
DATA ENTRY OBSERVATIONS
• Classification – Ceramics (188), Lighting
Devices (1)
• Geography – “place” used for only 24
objects, China (23) ; China, Asia (1)
• Period – Famille Rose (1), Qianlong (1)
• Style – No data
• Dynasty – No data
UNDERUTILIZATION OF FIELDS IN TMS

21. USE OF AAT
“Chinese export”
Canton

22. AFTER INITIAL SEARCH IN TMS …
ARE THERE MORE OBJECTS?
“CASTING A WIDER NET” – OTHER FIELDS
• Description – canton ware (per AAT clue);
other clues found include C.E.P., English market
• Date – 1700 to 1900 range
• Geography – Performed Advanced Query in
Geography for “China” + Ceramics
classification
AFTER SECOND SEARCH … 550 OBJECTS

23. COMPARISON OF DATA IN TITLE FIELD –
Selected original search results (dark grey) compared to
results from second “casting a wider net” search (orange)
Armorial Plate Dinner Plate Sauceboat
Charger Dish Saucer
Chinese Export Dinner Hot Water Dish Saucer (Teabowl)
Plate
Chinese Export Platter Plate Saucer, Part of Tea Set
Coffee Cup Plate, bearing the Arms of Saucer Dish
the City of Puebla, Mexico
Creamer Platter Side or Dessert Plate
Cup Pudding Dish Teabowl
Deep Dish Sauce Ladle Tea Bowl
Deep Dish,, Part of Mixed Sauce Tureen on Fixed Teacup
Dinner Set Stand

24. NEED TO ADDRESS
CONSTITUENT-RELATED ISSUES
• Confusion of Object Culture with culture of
where object was made
• For example, data entry for Object Culture
field associated with photographs of Helmut
Newton – American, Australian, German,
Italian (per where photographs were taken)
• Solution – changed Object Culture to
“Culture of Creator” to clarify field function

25. ENHANCEMENT OF CONSTITUENTS

26. PHASE I
TMS DATA STANDARDS GOALS
• Eliminate need to perform complicated multiple
searches to locate “all” examples of particular
objects
• Reduce uncertainty regarding whether or not
“all” examples have been located
• Data clean-up will make it easier to change or
update information in the future regarding
related objects

27. PHASE I
TMS DATA STANDARDS GOALS
• Consistent data entry will help expedite
development of website content
• Phase II of Data Standards will proceed more
efficiently once data in the targeted fields are
standardized

28. PHASE I – ROLE OF WEBSITE COMMITTEE
• Discuss and approve proposed changes
to data standards – e.g., elimination of
periods in BC and AD
• Sponsor “curatorial workshops” for all
curators and curatorial assistants to
explain new and revised data standards
• Recommend changes to expedite clean-
up
• Prioritize classifications or groups of
objects for clean-up

29. PHASE I – ROLE OF WEBSITE COMMITTEE
• Monitor status of clean-up
• Resolve problems associated with
clean-up
• Work on design of website
• Departmental assistance regarding
marketing of website

30. CURATORIAL WORKSHOPS
#1 – Titles, Dates
#2 – Creators, Culture, Geography
#3 – Medium, State, Edition
Ceramics Summit
#4 – Classifications
#5 – Physical Characteristics, Subjects
Works on Paper/Photography Summit
#6 – Exhibition History, Provenance

31. DATA CLEAN-UP STRATEGY
• Division of clean-up tasks regarding selected TMS
fields
• Curatorial
• Registration
• Volunteers
• Synergetic and collaborative approach – there will be
departmental overlaps regarding objects
• Tiered and phased approach to clean-up to
maximize resources and meet website-related
deadlines

32. PHASE I – DATA CLEAN-UP
CURATORIAL FOCUS
• Artists and Creators
• Titles
– Include original language title
– Specify source and details regarding
translation of original language title
• Medium
– Expand and simplify
– Use preferred terms
• Dates
• Note questions on a log for follow-up by
Registration staff.

33. PHASE I – DATA CLEAN-UP
REGISTRATION FOCUS
• Export of “before clean-up” data from TMS to Excel
spreadsheets when possible should questions arise
regarding data clean-up
• Link new “Unknown” creator constituent umbrellas
(e.g., Unknown African) to objects
• Make changes to “known” constituents as needed
• Change dates to reflect four digit year and the en
dash (e.g., 1799–1805)
• Move data from one field to another (Tang from
Culture of Creator field to Period and Dynasty fields)

34. PHASE I – DATA CLEAN-UP
REGISTRATION FOCUS
• Populating and standardizing certain fields
for collection management purposes – e.g.,
Edition, State, Portfolio
• Any “blanket” changes requested by
curatorial – e.g., changing “Place” option in
Geography to “Made in” for specific groups
of objects
• Note questions on log for curatorial follow-up

35. PHASE I – VOLUNTEERS
GEOGRAPHY
• Move existing data to repurposed fields
• Add data to TMS per the Getty’s TGN
approach
• Document data added to TMS in
spreadsheet to create a future more formal
scheme
• Note questions on log for curatorial follow-
up

36. PHASE I – CURRENT STATUS
• Continuing dialogue with curators
• Clean-up has begun
• Website design has begun
• Information presented at curatorial workshops
is being re-purposed for an on-line table of
contents with linked data standards
information, departmental cataloguing
preferences, and TMS screenshots
• Geography volunteer program begins in May

37. PHASE II
TMS DATA STANDARDS GOALS
• Phase II can begin once Phase I is well
underway
• Reduce existing 59 TMS classifications to
around 20 broad classifications for
collections management “object count”
• Create secondary classifications based on
AAT to improve searching across the
collection and aid in website development

38. PHASE II
TMS DATA STANDARDS GOALS
• Develop a controlled vocabulary for subject
matter
• More standardized approach to the
Geography field (rather than simply “Place,”
distinguish “Place made” or “Place depicted”)
• Explore the possibility of using volunteers to
focus on geography and descriptive
cataloguing – e.g., places, subjects, themes

39. PHASE II – WEBSITE COMMITTEE
• Assist with development of secondary
classifications for TMS, which will function as
search terms for the website
• Assist with build-out of themes and subjects
for TMS and website
• Evaluate use of volunteer program for theme
and subject information in TMS

40. Merrianne Timko
Data Standards Manager
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
mtimko@mfah.org