New Special Collection of the Journal of Open Humanities Data features dataset published in DANS Data Station SSH
In January of this year, the first data paper in a new special collection of the Journal of Open Humanities Data (JOHD) was published. The paper discusses a project to improve the accessibility of the important Fotopersbureau De Boer collection by enriching its metadata. The article, entitled ‘FAIR Photos – Transforming a Collection of Two Million Historical Press Photos into Five Star Data’ discusses the FAIR Photos project, with data published in the DANS Data Station Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in 2024.
The authors, Leon van Wissen, Nico Vriend, Antoinet Nijssen, Lars Vereecken, and Menno den Engelse, open their data paper with a summary of the project, which focused on improving researcher engagement with the Press Agency [Fotopersbureau] De Boer collection (1945–2005) – a significant archive of over two million press photos capturing approximately 250,000 events. This cultural heritage collection has significant reuse potential, containing ‘valuable material for research on current topics such as the environment, energy, and social inequality, and provides a glimpse into the everyday lives of people’.
In the data paper, it is carefully outlined how this project contributed to the reusability of the dataset by building upon the extensive administration of photo reports by the Press Agency De Boer. This metadata was enriched through processes such as normalization and reconciliation of locations and persons in OpenRefine and linking of person names to Wikidata. This metadata itself was then published in line with the FAIR Principles. The data curation project was made possible by the ‘Call for Heritage Data Research Projects 2023’, financed by CLARIAH, the Dutch digital infrastructure for humanities research. We recommend you read the paper for yourself, available open access in the JOHD: https://doi.org/10.5334/johd.271 and visit the dataset itself in the DANS Data Station SSH: https://doi.org/10.17026/SS/7VD3ME
More articles are forthcoming in this special collection, ‘Amplifying GLAM Collections: Scalable and Inclusive Data Practices’, which is co-edited by DANS Data Management Specialist Dr Deborah Thorpe. The collection focuses on GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) collections as data. The collection aims to showcase innovative approaches and practical solutions to support information professionals in GLAM institutions of any size in enhancing the organisation and accessibility of their collections as data. Watch this space for more news!
If you are interested to learn more about publishing data in our Data Stations you can visit our Depositing Manual or you can ask your question directly during our weekly Open Hour.
Foto: Novelist Harry Mulisch on the roof of the Sint-Bavokerk in Haarlem, by: Fotopersbureau De Boer, Noord-Hollands Archief / Vlakfilms, NL-HlmNHA_1478_13925B00_01
