The written requirements and recommendations for each of the content and metadata tiers explain in technical terms what is needed to achieve a quality level for an item. With our example records we illustrate what these requirements mean in practice, to show the lowest barrier to entry for each content or metadata tier. But improving content and metadata quality is not just a technical exercise. There is more that indicates how data partners are working with the EPF. There is a story to tell that goes beyond the technical quality expressed by the content and metadata tiers, to acknowledge what high quality data is. As practices vary across the domains we work with, below is a collection of records that are considered high quality by data partners for a variety of reasons. With these examples - which are the result of the transformation providers are doing on the native data - we would like to inspire data partners to deliver high quality data and also encourage data partners to make the first steps. Success is not only when data reaches content tier 4 and metadata tier C. As we work with a growth mindset, we acknowledge that everything our data partners contribute is of value and every step they make in their digital journey will have benefits.
With the goal of encouraging data partners to deliver the same quality, the examples are also available as xml.
This herbarium specimen represents a valuable record for researchers, anchoring the defining features of a particular scientifically named grouping of organisms.
The content is presented in IIIF format, supporting optimal visualisation of specimen features.
The exact finding place of the object in 1860 is indicated as geographical coordinate, which allows its display on a map.
The botanist’s name gathering the specimen, Eugène Bourgeau, is expressed via an external controlled vocabulary, opening up a rich network of linked knowledge.
The record shows a botanical drawing created during an excursion in 1866. Together with the content provider, the provider has put great effort to make it easier for users to understand and identify the object. Information that was previously only attached to describe the Web resource has been reassigned to the CHO object. The description field now depicts the transcription of the text content and is searchable as well.
Vernacular names of the specimens depicted in the drawing have been added to the metadata, opening the content even further to local communities.
The record gives the exact place where this natural sound recording was made, which is viewable on a map.
The time the recording was made adds accurate temporal information.
Simple vocabulary terms, like “animal” and “bird”, are added, as well as a huge number of local names of the bird that help local communities to find the record in the Europeana website.
This record - portraying Gino Bartali, an important Italian cycling champion - is the result of a digitisation effort contributing to the Europeana Sport project.
The image is of high resolution and freely reusable.
Richer temporal and subject information has been added via references to Getty AAT and Wikidata multilingual vocabularies, allowing better retrieval and contextualisation.
Provided by Biblioteca Județeană "Octavian Goga", the record gives proper recognition to Virginia Ruzici, the first tennis player in Romania to win a Grand Slam tournament (1978). With her, the coach Vaida Gavrilă and other tennis players from Câmpia Turzii.
The high-resolution image comes under a rights statement that allows free reuse, which gives the content the potentiality of wider reach.
Language attributes and links to external resources (Geonames, Getty AAT, Wikidata) have been added, allowing audiences to find the content more easily.
The record showcases an example of successful collaboration towards the Europeana strategy of reviving data from inactive data partners, here specifically AthenaPlus, a former EU-funded project. The providing institution has been rerouted into MUSEU aggregator.
The video has been republished with improved quality, offering users new access to this celebration of a Rugby Tournament in the City of Girona.
Granular metadata with additional LOD links extends its findability and reuse.
As new content contributing to the Europeana Sport project, the image shows Captain Krzysztof Baranowski with young people at an audience with Pope John Paul II.
Multilinguality has been improved by specifying the language of the values of the fields and by adding links to external resources for richer spatial and subject information.
The copyright status of the image allows its reuse for educational purposes.
The item shows a postcard about a district youth meeting of the workers' gymnastics and sports association in 1925. The quality of the image has been increased in the context of a joined effort to migrate into MUSEU the entire set previously provided via Athena EU-funded project.
The description of the topic, type of object and location through LOD links provides richer and more accurate context.
This 3D model represents a beautiful 12th century ivory plaque carved with scenes from the nativity, forming part of the Hunt Museum's collection. The object was digitised in 3D in 2021 as part of the Art of Reading in the Middle Ages project.
Metadata accurately expressing how the 3D model was produced and its technical characteristics are crucial to the ability to reuse the content.
This is a 3D view of the Castillo Templario en la Sierra de Irta in Castellón, Spain. The castle was digitised by AD&4D as part of a major project for la Diputación de Castellón.
Providing additional context to the user, this version of the 3D model includes a set of annotated view-points which informs a virtual visit through the monument.
The record also contains information about methods and techniques used to collect and process the data, which are extremely relevant to measuring the quality of the object.
This architect's drawing of the medieval timber framed roof at Guestern Hall forms part of an archive created by F.W.B and Mary Charles and deposited with Worcestershire County Council. The Charles archive has been digitised in high quality and deposited for long-term preservation with the Archaeology Data Service.
Linked topical information provided via Getty vocabulary makes the object easier to retrieve and more discoverable.
The House of Bahovc, Miklošičeva 22 in Ljubljana was built around 1900 in the Art Nouveau style. This high quality image forms part of a larger collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Slovenia and the Balkans.
Spatial, temporal, and topical contextual entities enrich the record with granular context.
This aerial photograph of a small village in the Czech Republic was captured by Martin Gojda for the Czech National Heritage Board as part of a long-term programme of aerial photography of archaeological monuments, landscapes and settlements in the Republic.
The image, which is available for download in high quality, was taken in 2010 and provides an invaluable record of the village and its landscape at a moment in time.
Extensive metadata with xml:lang attributes and LOD links allows greater retrieval and greater connection with other similar collections.
This digitised advertising film was provided and subtitled during the Europeana XX: Century of change project. The original 35 mm copy was scanned at high resolution by DFF - Deutsches Filminstitut und Filmmuseum and provided with a Creative Commons licence.
The record contains rich descriptive metadata and URIs to Library of Congress Subject Headings which further improve the interconnectedness with other records on Europeana and the automatic tagging for Europeana entity collections.
This short film provided by Filmoteca de Catalunya is a famous example for early cinema (the film dates from 1908) and stop motion animation. Segundo de Chomón is well known for the use of the frame-by-frame shooting technique that creates the impression of everyday objects coming to life.
Re-usability is granted by the labelling as Public Domain.
The record is richly described and was furthermore contextualised during the Europeana XX: Century of Change project by adding keywords thanks to named entity recognition.
This documentary film provided by Landesfilmsammlung Baden-Württemberg shows the city of Stuttgart, Germany in 1952 with the destruction dating from the Second World War still clearly visible.
The film was digitised and provided in Full HD and the rich descriptive metadata allows for excellent matches in the ‘explore more’ section at the bottom of the item page on the Europeana website.
This beautifully tinted and toned documentary provided by Museo Nazionale del Cinema shows colourful panoramic views and travel footage of a ride from Italy to Switzerland through the Gotthard tunnel. The extensive description gives further information on the filming techniques and their significance for the film.
This early slapstick comedy film provided by Cinemathèque Royale de Belgique dates from 1915 and is part of the World War One collection provided by The European Film Gateway and is available under a Public Domain licence.
The video was subtitled and the descriptive metadata further enriched during the Europeana XX: Century of Change project.
This contemporary artwork was created in 2018 by the Roma community and aggregated for the WEAVE project - a project co-financed by the European Union focused on rich and invaluable cultural heritage of minority cultural communities.
The extensive metadata and the many links to LOD resources (Geonames, Getty AAT, Wikidata) enable more visibility to the material of this marginalised community.
The licence applied allows its reuse in education.
This 3D model represents one of the many beautiful portraits realised with daguerreotype, the first stable technique of early photography (1850s). The 3D-digitised file is of high quality and in Public Domain.
The record was originally aggregated in 2014 and the descriptive metadata was further enriched in 2022 via automatic enrichments during the Europeana XX: Century of Change project.
Anna Bellotto (Unlicensed)
Henning Scholz