This document discusses interoperability in Europeana, a digital platform for cultural heritage institutions in Europe. It examines Europeana's approach based on the FAIR principles of findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable data. Europeana provides common technical infrastructure and standards to help cultural heritage institutions make their data interoperable online. The document also considers future properties for interoperability, such as intelligent artifacts, self-connecting networks, and multilingual availability.

1. Dieppe, église Saint-Jacques-PM 07139, PMR Maeyaert, CC-BY-SA
INTEROPERABILITY
A EUROPEANA CASE STUDY
Andy Neale, Technical Director

2. LA FRANCE TRAVAILLE. LE RAIL, FRANÇOIS KOLLAR, EIFFEL GUSTAVE ING CONS FRA, Public Domain

3. Schiphol Airport expands, Polygoon-Profilti, CC BY-NC-ND

4. A small boy stands by a fire hydrant, Wellcome Collection, CC BY

5. Oracle, Museon, CC BY

6. 22.0 IBM - Modell 360 / 370, Telemuseet, CC BY-SA

7. Források elemzési adatainak táblázata, Kozák Miklós, CC BY-NC-SA

19. .CSV FILES
INTEROPERABILITY PROPERTIES
1. Data can be identified e.g. .CSV filetype
2. Clear data structure rules e.g. separated by a comma
3. Well understood knowledge representation e.g. ASCII

20. We support cultural heritage institutions in
their digital transformation

21. Europa [Material cartográfico] : Nach den vorzüglichsten Hülfsnitteln, Götze, Johann August Ferdinand, 1773-1819 Biblioteca Digital de Madrid Spain, Public domain
3,700
CHIs across Europe

22. EUROPEANA COLLECTIONS
58m
Cultural heritage records
Europa [Material cartográfico] : Nach den vorzüglichsten Hülfsnitteln, Götze, Johann August Ferdinand, 1773-1819 Biblioteca Digital de Madrid Spain, Public domain
2.5bln
Information items

23. 1.Common Tech & data architecture
Europeana
Data Model +
Metis

24. 2. Common policies & standards
Europeana
● Licensing
Framework
● Publishing
Framework

25. 3. Websites & APIs
Europeana
Collections

26. Nottingham Goose Fair, Nottingham City Museums and Galleries, CC BY-NC-ND

27. USABLE MUTUAL RELIABLE

28. Findable
Accessible
Interoperable
Reusable
USABLE MUTUAL RELIABLE

29. FINDABLE
F1. (Meta)data are assigned a globally unique and persistent
identifier
F2. Data are described with rich metadata (defined by R1 below)
F3. Metadata clearly and explicitly include the identifier of the
data they describe
F4. (Meta)data are registered or indexed in a searchable
resource
?
✓
✓
✓

32. FINDABLE
F1. (Meta)data are assigned a globally unique and persistent
identifier
F2. Data are described with rich metadata (defined by R1 below)
F3. Metadata clearly and explicitly include the identifier of the
data they describe
F4. (Meta)data are registered or indexed in a searchable
resource
?
✓
✓
✓

33. ACCESSIBLE
A1. (Meta)data are retrievable by their identifier using a
standardised communications protocol
A1.1 The protocol is open, free, and universally
implementable
A1.2 The protocol allows for an authentication and
authorisation procedure, where necessary
A2. Metadata are accessible, even when the data are no longer
available
✓
✓
✓
?

37. ACCESSIBLE
A1. (Meta)data are retrievable by their identifier using a
standardised communications protocol
A1.1 The protocol is open, free, and universally
implementable
A1.2 The protocol allows for an authentication and
authorisation procedure, where necessary
A2. Metadata are accessible, even when the data are no longer
available
✓
✓
✓
?

38. INTEROPERABLE
I1. (Meta)data use a formal, accessible, shared, and broadly
applicable language for knowledge representation.
I2. (Meta)data use vocabularies that follow FAIR principles
I3. (Meta)data include qualified references to other (meta)data
✓
✓
✓

39. Representing performing arts metadata in EDM, Julia Beck, Marko Knepper, University Library Frankfurt am Main

41. Entity
Collection

42. INTEROPERABLE
I1. (Meta)data use a formal, accessible, shared, and broadly
applicable language for knowledge representation.
I2. (Meta)data use vocabularies that follow FAIR principles
I3. (Meta)data include qualified references to other (meta)data
✓
✓
✓

44. DIGITAL CULTURAL HERITAGE
INTEROPERABILITY PROPERTIES
1. Data is available and understood e.g. as EDM, not just online
2. Data can be identified by type and context to maximise
usability
3. Use of vocabularies to support shared knowledge
representation
4. Translatable to support shared understanding across cultures
5. Linked to other related datasets to maximise the ability to follow
connections

45. REUSABLE
R1. Meta(data) are richly described with a plurality of accurate
and relevant attributes
R1.1. (Meta)data are released with a clear and accessible
data usage license
R1.2. (Meta)data are associated with detailed provenance
R1.3. (Meta)data meet domain-relevant community
standards
?
✓
✓
✓

47. Statements for works that are
not in copyright
Statements for works where the
copyright status is unclear
Statements for works that are in
copyright

48. REUSABLE
R1. Meta(data) are richly described with a plurality of accurate
and relevant attributes
R1.1. (Meta)data are released with a clear and accessible
data usage license
R1.2. (Meta)data are associated with detailed provenance
R1.3. (Meta)data meet domain-relevant community
standards
?
✓
✓
✓

49. Findable
Accessible
Interoperable
Reusable
USABLE MUTUAL RELIABLE

50. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
FUTURE INTEROPERABILITY PROPERTIES?
1. Intelligent artifacts that encapsulate their own context
2. Part of a self-connecting network
3. Multilingual by default
4. Non-consumptive availability

55. PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
1. Make your data available
2. Build technical flexibility
3. Invest in staff capability
4. Share multilingual training data

56. Europa [Material cartográfico] : Nach den vorzüglichsten Hülfsnitteln, Götze, Johann August Ferdinand, 1773-1819 Biblioteca Digital de Madrid Spain, Public domain
europeana.eu
@EuropeanaEU
With thanks to Antoine Isaac, Hugo Manguinhas,
Dasha Moskalenko, Henning Scholz,
Ash Marriot, and Valentine Charles.