VRA Core Home

https://www.loc.gov/standards/vracore/schemas.html

Tools

XML schemas for downloading (if you use an XML editor)

• VRA Core (4.0):
  
• unrestricted version:
  (basic structure of the schema)
  *http://www.loc.gov/standards/vracore/vra.xsd
  
  
• restricted version (including ):
  (basic structure of the schema + controlled type lists + date formats)
  *http://www.loc.gov/standards/vracore/vra-strict.xsd
  
  

Best practices

• VRA Core 4.0 Element Description and Tagging Examples
  http://www.loc.gov/standards/vracore/VRA_Core4_Element_Description.pdf
  
  
• Cataloging Cultural Objects (CCO)
• * *Access the entire Cataloging Cultural Objects book below:
  * * * https://www.vraweb.org/cco
  PDFs available at the above page, or directly download from:
  * https://www.vraweb.org/s/CatalogingCulturalObjectsFullv2.pdf
  
  
• Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms Manual
  PDF on page http://www.loc.gov/aba/publications/FreeLCGFT/freelcgft.html
  
  

VRA Core 4.0 Exercises

Task 1. Analyze VRA Core 4.0 record examples

• http://core.vraweb.org/vracore_examples.html
• Select any two items, compare the records in: Display format, Full format, and XML format

Task 2. Describe Frank Lloyd Wright' Fallingwater architecture and a representative image.

• for WORK: Describe Frank Lloyd Wright' Fallingwater architecture, use the information on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallingwater.
  You may also visit the official Fallingwater website at: http://www.fallingwater.org/
  
  

• for IMAGE: Describe This photograph used in the Wikipedia article (treat as an image).

Task 3. Create an XML record

• Alternative 1. Use Oxygen software to create a record.
  
  
• Alternative 2. Use WORD or Spreadsheet to present your record, XML is required.
  
  

Tips for your first VRA Core 4.0 exercise:

How to find a 'refid':

• Before putting a record together, locate reference identifiers (refid) of
  • persons (use ULAN),
  • places (use TGN), and
  • subjects (use AAT or LCSH) as well as
  • the terms from the controlled vocabularies listed at the end of this page.

How to provide a descriptive title for the photo

• See CCO Chapter 1. Object Naming
• Consulting a CCO Chapter is always highly recommended:

Front Matter	7. Class
Introduction	8. Description
Part One - General Guidelines	9. View Information
Part Two - Elements	Part Three - Authorities    A1 Personal Corporate Name
1. Object Naming	A2 Geography Place
2. Creator Information	A3 Concept
3. Physical Characteristics	A4 Subject
4. Stylistic, Cultural and   Chronological Information	Bibliography
5. Location and Geography	Glossary
6. Subject	Contributors and Index

Additional exercises:

1. Convert the existing exhibition records into VRA Core records

• Building: The Pantheon
  
• http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications /cdwa/examples/33_pantheon_building.html

2. Discuss titles of photographs:

1. Go to Google Images and search "Fallingwater", make sure you see the real Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright, not other falling water images.
2. Use the information available for the first 10 (ten) Fallingwater photographs.
   
3. Discuss: Are those titles help to distinguish different photographs of the Fallingwater? Can you give better descriptive titles?
   Hint: consult * CCO Chapter 1 : Object Naming (Work Type/Title); also compare with the LOC collection described in the above exercise.

3. Create a set of records for a photograph COLLECTION

• Go to Library of Congress Collections http://loc.gov/collections
• Search photos with the term "Fallingwater".
• Choose the one entitled as
  "Fallingwater, State Route 381 (Stewart Township), Ohiopyle vicinity, Fayette County, PA".
  Have a look at the metadata about this collection.
• Choose "View 96 images in sequence" or go to:
  http://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.pa1690.photos?st=gallery
• Create a VRA Core 4 record for the COLLECTION
  
  

VRA Core 3.0 Exercises

4. Analyze VRA 3.0 records

• VRA Core (Visual Resource Association (VRA) Core Categories) 3.0 Sample records
  http://www.loc.gov/standards/vracore/VRACore3_Examples.pdf
• Ref: VRA Core 3.0 Element Description
  http://www.loc.gov/standards/vracore/VRACore3_ElementDescription.pdf
  

Use LC controlled vocabularies for graphic works

• Library of Congress vocabularies
  https://id.loc.gov/ [or https://authorities.loc.gov/ ]
  --> Choose a vocabulary (e.g., Thesaurus for graphic Materials, or, LC Subject Headings, or, Library of Congress Genre Form Headings)
  
  
• [alternative to LC Subject Authority File]:
  FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology)
  FAST adapted the LCSH with a simplified syntax.
  *Current search interface: http://fast.oclc.org/searchfast/
  
  
• Thesaurus for Graphic Materials (TGM)http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/tgm/
  
  
• Library of Congress Genre Form Headings
• Website: http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/genreformgeneral.html
  
  

Use Getty vocabularies for cultural objects descriptions: materials, subjects, styles and periods, agents, places

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)
  http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/
  Explanation of AAT fields:
  http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/aat/about.html
  
  
• The Union List of Artist Names (ULAN)
  http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/ulan/
  Explanation of ULAN fields:
  http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/ulan/about.html
  
  
• The Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (TGN)
  http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/tgn/
  Explanation of TGN fields:
  http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/tgn/about.html