Free access to AATA Online--addendum

The following is the second of a two-part posting about the future
of AATA and is posted on behalf of Luke Gilliland-Swetland, Head of
Information Resources, The Getty Conservation Institute. Any
questions or comments should be forwarded to the AATA Office at
aata [at] getty__edu.

The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), in association with the
International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic
Works (IIC), is bringing Art and Archaeology Technical Abstracts to
the World Wide Web as a free service to the international
conservation community. The public launch of this service--AATA
Online: Abstracts of International Conservation Literature
(<URL:http://www.getty.edu/conservation>) will be on June 8, 2002.

Another change for researchers will occur in May when BCIN, a
database managed by the Canadian Heritage Information Network on
behalf of the Conservation Information Network (CIN)--which brings
together bibliographic holdings and abstracts produced by several of
the world's major conservation centers--completes its redesigned Web
interface and becomes a free service with its own Web site
<URL:http://www.bcin.ca>. Although the GCI remains an active CIN
partner and continues to include its bibliographic holdings in BCIN,
abstracts in the last two volumes of AATA are not included in BCIN.
Therefore, researchers will need to visit AATA Online on the
<URL:http://www.getty.edu/conservation> site in order to access the
complete bibliographic holdings of AATA. In the coming months, the
CIN Board will explore ways to enhance access of the conservation
resources in the BCIN and AATA databases.

As it has in the past, the acceptance and success of AATA depends on
the participation of its dedicated volunteer abstractors and
editors. AATA remains a collaborative effort with an ongoing mission
of "by the field, for the field." Submitted by volunteer abstractors
and peer reviewed by experts in the conservation community who serve
as editors, the abstracts produced for AATA Online should further
the traditions of quality and utility that have characterized AATA.

Since AATA's inception, many abstractors have reported that
contributing to AATA has fostered their own professional development
and participation in their field. By submitting abstracts to AATA
Online, contributors will be able to share their knowledge in a more
timely manner and in a free resource with wide, international
distribution. Contributing abstracts will be made easier; updated
guidelines for abstractors will be posted on the Web site in several
languages, along with a simplified submission form.

The launch of AATA Online is part of the ongoing process of
improving AATA's service to the field. New abstracts will be added
regularly and the interface will continue to be refined in response
to user comments. Most importantly, the GCI will work to expand the
coverage of literature in AATA Online.  In addition to broadening
coverage and adding subject editors to represent newer areas of
conservation practice, the goal is to extend the network of
abstractors who identify and abstract literature, and to engage
diverse institutions, professional associations, and publishers in
contributing abstracts. With the collective efforts of the field,
AATA should continue to be an important information resource,
supporting both research and practice in all areas of conservation.

For information on how to become a contributor to AATA Online, or
for general questions and information, please contact the AATA
office at aata [at] getty__edu.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:70
                  Distributed: Tuesday, April 16, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-15-70-002
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