More on AATA Online

["Jackie Zak" <JZak@getty.edu>]

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@getty.edu .

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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 (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 (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 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@getty.edu .