Rethinking the Potential of Documentation of Culture as a Data Gathering Practice

Authors

Tomasz Umerle, Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of SciencesFollow

Abstract

In this article, I examine the documentation of culture (DoC). This is the practice of gathering and producing the information and data relevant to intangible cultural phenomena. DoC is generally practiced by teams of documentalists generally outside GLAM institutions (i.e., galleries, libraries, archives and museums). As such, it differs from the preservation and description of concrete objects of cultural heritage done within those institutions. I examine how DoC finds it increasingly difficult to clearly define and communicate its role: a) in relation to LIS; b) to the broader academic community; and c) in digital age of information overload. In this article, I briefly outline the specificity of DoC, its main issues and possible solutions to its current problems.

Recommended Citation

Umerle, Tomasz (2017) "Rethinking the Potential of Documentation of Culture as a Data Gathering Practice," Proceedings from the Document Academy: Vol. 4 : Iss. 2 , Article 15.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.35492/docam/4/2/15
Available at: https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/docam/vol4/iss2/15

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.35492/docam/4/2/15