Michael J Wright Archive Documentation

Curator's Guide - Michael J Wright Digital Archive

Audience: Curators (primary) · Technical support (secondary)

Use this guide when you need to: understand the archive's content types, naming conventions, metadata expectations, and day-to-day curation workflow.

Related:

Introduction

Welcome to the Michael J Wright Digital Archive, a digital humanities preservation platform for cataloging and providing access to the works of Australian artist Michael J Wright. This guide is designed for curators, archivists, and academic library administrators responsible for managing the collection.

System Overview

What This Archive Does

The Michael J Wright Digital Archive preserves and publishes metadata + low-resolution, watermarked access copies for public scholarship, while keeping original/full-resolution master files outside Fedora and referencing them from Fedora metadata when needed:

  1. Public Scholarly Access: Provides free online access to low-resolution, watermarked images suitable for research, teaching, and non-commercial use
  2. Preservation: Maintains comprehensive metadata following Dublin Core standards with JSON-LD semantic web enrichment
  3. Discovery: Enables finding aids through standardized metadata, controlled vocabularies, and future OAI-PMH harvesting
  4. Rights & Licensing: Full-resolution originals are stored elsewhere and handled via separate storage/licensing workflows; Fedora records the references

Technical Foundation

Understanding the Collection

Content Types

The archive preserves four distinct types of creative works:

Type Description Special Considerations
Paintings Oil, acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media works Requires dimensions, medium, condition notes
Drawings Sketches, prints, and mixed media works on paper Medium and technique essential
Sculptures Three-dimensional artworks in various materials Requires dimensions (H×W×D), material, installation notes
Photographs Both analog prints and digital photographs Technical metadata (camera, film, print process) essential
Poems Literary works in various forms Language, line count, publication history
Notebooks Field journals, sketchbooks, personal writings Multi-page documents; may contain mixed content

Catalog Organization

Items are organized by:

Example Hierarchy:

Paintings
  └─ Coastal Studies Series
      ├─ MJW-P-1987-042: "Coastal Landscape at Dusk"
      ├─ MJW-P-1988-015: "Storm Approaching Byron Bay"
      └─ ...

Access & Master Storage Policy

What Lives in Fedora

Fedora is used to store:

What Does Not Live in Fedora

Full-resolution originals/masters are not stored in Fedora. They are stored in separate systems (e.g., offline archive storage, institutional storage, or a licensing system). Fedora metadata may include references/identifiers pointing to those external records.

Practical Implications

Metadata Standards for Curators

Required vs. Optional Fields

Every item must include:

Every item should include when available:

Controlled Vocabularies

Why We Use Them: Consistency in terminology enables better search, discovery, and interoperability with other systems.

Key Vocabularies:

Where to Find Terms: See docs/controlled-vocabularies.md for complete lists

Adding New Terms: If you need a term not in the vocabulary, consult with lead curator to maintain consistency

Catalog ID System

Pattern: MJW-{TYPE}-{YEAR}-{NUMBER}

Components:

Content Type Codes:

Type Code Example Collection Path
Painting P MJW-P-2024-001 /paintings/
Drawing D MJW-D-2024-001 /drawings/
Sculpture S MJW-S-2024-001 /sculptures/
Photograph PH MJW-PH-2024-001 /photographs/
Poem PM MJW-PM-2024-001 /poems/
Notebook NB MJW-NB-2024-001 /notebooks/

Examples:

Why This Matters: Permanent, unique identifiers enable citation in scholarship and linking across systems

Your Curation Workflow

High-Level Process

  1. Acquire source material (master files, documentation, provenance)
  2. Catalog by creating metadata record from template
  3. Prepare web preview image (resize, watermark, compress)
  4. Archive full-resolution master to external storage
  5. Ingest metadata + web preview into Fedora repository
  6. Verify that record displays correctly and is discoverable
  7. Document any special handling or curatorial decisions

Detailed Steps for Visual Works (Paintings/Photographs)

Step 1: Receive Master File

Step 2: Create Web Preview

Using image processing software (ImageMagick recommended):

Quality Check:

Step 3: Complete Metadata Record

Curatorial Decision Points:

Step 4: Archive Master File

Store full-resolution master in external archive:

Institutional Note: Coordinate with IT/Digital Preservation team on storage infrastructure

Step 5: Ingest into Fedora

Using repository API (command-line or scripted):

Technical Assistance: See docs/curation-workflow.md for detailed command examples

Step 6: Quality Assurance

Review the ingested record:

Workflow for Text Works (Poems/Notebooks)

Poems:

Notebooks:

Access Control & Permissions

User Roles

Role Username Capabilities Use Case
Curator curator1 Create/edit resources, upload files, update metadata Day-to-day cataloging work
Administrator AdminRob All curator capabilities + system configuration, user management Technical maintenance

Current Curator Credentials

To Change Password:

  1. Contact system administrator
  2. Update config/runtime.env file with new FEDORA_CURATOR_PASSWORD value
  3. Restart Docker containers to apply change

Authentication Endpoints

Environment URL Authentication
Local Development http://localhost:8080/fcrepo/rest/ HTTP Basic Auth (curator1/password)
Production (Public) https://data.michaeljwright.com.au/fcrepo/rest/ Automatic via Cloudflare Worker

Note: For curator-specific actions (create/edit), work at localhost:8080. Public production URL uses automatic authentication and may not support individual curator logins without modification.

Copyright & Rights Management

Standard Rights Statement

All works use this copyright notice:

Copyright © Michael J Wright. All rights reserved.

When to Modify:

Licensing Workflow (Overview)

  1. User browses public archive, finds work of interest
  2. "License full-resolution image" link redirects to external licensing portal (managed separately from Fedora)
  3. User selects license type (editorial use, commercial print, exhibition, etc.)
  4. Payment processed; usage agreement signed
  5. Time-limited download link provided for master file
  6. Transaction logged for rights tracking

Curatorial Role: You maintain links to licensing portal in metadata; actual licensing transactions handled by separate system

Fair Use Considerations

Public web previews support fair use:

Not fair use:

When in doubt about use requests, consult institutional legal counsel.

Quality Standards & Best Practices

Metadata Completeness Levels

Minimal (acceptable for preliminary cataloging):

Standard (target for regular cataloging):

Comprehensive (ideal for significant works):

Data Entry Best Practices

Dates:

Measurements:

Descriptions:

Keywords:

Consistency Checks

Before finalizing records, verify:

Preservation Considerations

File Formats for Longevity

Visual Works:

Text Works:

Embedded Metadata

Always embed metadata in master files:

Why: If files become separated from repository, embedded metadata preserves provenance

Version Control

Fedora automatically versions resources using Memento protocol:

Curatorial Best Practice: Document significant changes in dcterms:provenance field

Discovery & Access

How Researchers Find Materials

Primary Discovery Methods:

  1. Browse Collections: Navigate hierarchy by type → series → individual works
  2. Keyword Search: Query subject terms, titles, descriptions (future implementation)
  3. Federated Search: OAI-PMH harvesting by academic aggregators (planned)
  4. Direct Citation: Scholars cite works using catalog ID and URL

Enhancing Discoverability

Rich Metadata: More keywords = more discovery paths
Controlled Vocabularies: Matches researcher search terms
Series Groupings: Related works easier to find together
External Links: Exhibition history, publications create cross-references

Future Enhancements

Planned Features:

Collaboration & Governance

Syndication (Partner Integrations)

Syndication access is collaboration-only.

Curatorial Decisions Requiring Consultation

Documentation

Maintain curatorial logs for:

Stakeholder Communication

Stakeholder Role Communication Needs
Artist/Estate Rights holder Approve rights statements; consult on biographical details
IT/Systems Infrastructure Storage capacity; backup verification; system updates
Legal Counsel Rights management Fair use questions; licensing terms; copyright status
Researchers End users Access support; citation guidance; use permissions

Getting Help

Documentation Resources

Document Purpose Location
Metadata Standards Field definitions, requirements docs/metadata-standards.md
Controlled Vocabularies Approved term lists docs/controlled-vocabularies.md
Image Resolution Strategy Technical specs, access tiers docs/image-resolution-strategy.md
Curation Workflow Step-by-step procedures docs/curation-workflow.md
Curator's Guide This document docs/curators-guide.md

Technical Support

System Administration: Contact AdminRob for:

Cataloging Questions: Consult lead curator or cataloging committee for:

Training Resources

Recommended Background:

Self-Study:

Appendix: Quick Reference

Common Tasks Checklist

Cataloging a Painting:

  1. Assign catalog ID (MJW-P-YYYY-NNN)
  2. Create watermarked web preview (1200px, < 300 KB)
  3. Archive master file externally
  4. Complete metadata from template
  5. Select 3-7 keywords from controlled vocabulary
  6. Upload to Fedora via API
  7. Verify display and accessibility

Updating Metadata:

  1. Retrieve current record
  2. Make edits in JSON or via SPARQL
  3. Add dcterms:modified timestamp
  4. Document reason for change in notes
  5. Verify updated display

Responding to Access Request:

  1. Clarify intended use (research vs. commercial)
  2. For research: direct to public web preview
  3. For commercial: direct to licensing portal
  4. For fair use questions: consult legal counsel

File Naming Reference

Item Type Master File Web Preview
Painting MJW-P-YYYY-NNN_master.tif MJW-P-YYYY-NNN_web.jpg
Photograph MJW-PH-YYYY-NNN_master.dng MJW-PH-YYYY-NNN_web.jpg
Poem MJW-PM-YYYY-NNN.txt (metadata only)
Notebook MJW-NB-YYYY-NNN_p001_master.tif MJW-NB-YYYY-NNN_p001_web.jpg

Metadata Template Quick Start

{
  "dc:title": "Work Title",
  "dc:creator": "Michael J Wright",
  "dc:date": "YYYY-MM-DD",
  "dc:type": "Painting|Drawing|Sculpture|Photograph|Poem|Notebook",
  "dc:format": "Medium description",
  "dc:rights": "Copyright © Michael J Wright. All rights reserved.",
  "dc:subject": ["Keyword1", "Keyword2", "Keyword3"],
  "dc:identifier": "MJW-TYPE-YYYY-NNN"
}

Conclusion

This digital archive represents a commitment to scholarly access while respecting commercial rights. Your work as a curator ensures that Michael J Wright's artistic legacy remains accessible to researchers, students, and the public, while protecting the artist's intellectual property and enabling sustainable preservation funding through licensing revenue.

Core Principles to Remember:

Thank you for your careful stewardship of this collection.

Document Version: 1.0
Last Updated: November 3, 2025
Contact: curator@michaeljwright.com.au (example)