1. Launch of the Integrated Archives and
Manuscript System (IAMS)?
Bill Stockting, S&C Cataloguing Systems and
Processing Manager
UKAD Forum, TNA, 21st March 2012

2. Introduction
We will look at:
 Background to the IAMS project
 Success:
 IAMS cataloguing system, data model and standards
 Legacy data migration
 Challenges
 Search Our Catalogue: Archives and Manuscripts – SOCAM
 Access to digitised and born digital material
 Data exchange and open data

3. Unique and Distinctive Collections
Extensive collections of unique
archives and manuscripts
managed in separate
collection areas:
 Manuscripts: Western,
Oriental, Literary and Music
 Records of East India
Company and its
successors, and related
private papers and
manuscripts
 Digitised collections from the
Endangered Archives
Programme (EAP)

4. IAMS Mission Statement
To deliver a powerful, flexible integrated cataloguing and
resource discovery system that will unite and broaden
access to the British Library’s archives and manuscript
collection and will provide standards compliant data for
external co-operative projects

5. IAMS: Cataloguing

6. IAMS System
Internal development has allowed us to
build a system and data model:
 Not a flat system - contains hierarchies
and relationships
 Different dates, calendars and era’s;
quotations in any language or script
 Best of both from traditional practice:
archives and manuscripts!
 Ensures consistency
 Makes best use of our legacy data
 Navigate as well as search the
catalogue
 Build on others’ experience
 Latest developments in modelling and
description standards

7. IAMS: Data Model
Project &
Collection
s
held by
Persons,
Families,
Corporate
Bodies
created by
Archives &
Manuscripts
Places,
Subjects,
Events,
Titles
have subjects
Archive
institutions
acquired / funded by

8. IAMS: Standards
IAMS standard based system and data model:
 Structure: International Council on Archives Standards for Archival
Description and related entities (ISAD(G), ISAAR(CPF), ISDF, ISDIAH)
 Content: no UK equivalent of AACR2  IAMS Cataloguing Guidelines are
a melding of local, national and international standards and practice,
including NCA Rules for names (not LC/NACO); ISO standards for
languages, scripts etc.
 Communication: XML schema for capture, display and exchange of
archival and manuscript descriptions: EAD, EAC, TEI (cataloguing)

9. IAMS Project Timetable: Remaining Challenges
Remaining parts of vision to be achieved by integration with other
Library systems
 October 2010: Public interface 1st
cut - SOCAM
 201?: Seamless requesting
 201?: Access to digitised and born digital archives
and manuscripts
 201?: Data Exchange and Open data

10. What Next: Resource Discovery
http://searcharchives.bl.uk

11. What next: integrated access to digitised archives and
manuscripts
http://searcharchives.bl.uk

12. Where Next: Data Exchange and Open Data

13. Contact
Bill Stockting: S&C Cataloguing Systems and Processing
Manager: william.stockting@bl.uk
Wieke Avis: IAMS Officer: wieke.avis@bl.uk