RESTORE

Data integration tool & services

The RESTORE Data Integration Suite is a toolbox supporting Memory, Cultural, Research institutions and citizen scientists with an interest in historical sources from archives, libraries, and museum collections in the creation of a FAIR digital ecosystem for Humanities Research, fostering semantic interoperability of cataloguing standards and research data opening and sharing. RESTORE will make available different tools to collect, align, merge and transform heterogeneous datasets from different research fields within Digital Humanities and Heritage Science (e.g.: material history and culture, archaeology, history of art, literary studies and philology, restoration and conservation studies) with the aim of producing integrated and interoperable data, representing different aspects of the tangible and intangible dimensions of Cultural Heritage.

The RESTORE platform

RESTORE is a tool-pack that will help cultural heritage and heritage science professionals, institutions and researchers to successfully accomplish recovery, integration, accessibility and reuse of multi- format and standardized digital resources, based on FAIR data principles.

The RESTORE workflow consists of the main following steps:

from native data formats, such as XML-EAD and EAC, ICCD, and TEI (to name a few) to a custom exchange format, with data represented in a tabular form;
from the custom tabular format (CSV), used to map the partners’ data and align the common core entities, to the RDF/TTL serialization;

Partnership with GLAMs → Data Ingestion → CKAN
Data conversion, XML to CSV→ Parsing → Python Algorithm (custom)
Data mapping and modeling to CIDOC-CRM entities and properties
Data parsing, CSV to RDF → Python Algorithm (custom) + 3M (Mapping Memory Manager)
RDF triple import → VIRTUOSO Endpoint SPARQL (custom script)
Documentation of data processing → Gogs + JupyterLab
Final visualization and data browsing → VIRTUOSO Facets + LodLive View + EVT

Such a digital ecosystem will allow users to get open access to a unique data lake, where both the original resources and their triples (RDF), could be visualized and, if needed, downloaded.

fitsKey features

Data ingestion, data mapping, data storage;
Multiple inquiries information integration;
Customized data parsing (data conversion from the XML format to CSV; conversion of selected tags into triples; export of selected data in the RDF (TTL) format (logic complies with CIDOC-CRM and with catalographic standards’ articulation);
Data dissemination and browsing through user-friendly interfaces.

Benefits

Application of advanced ICT in the Cultural Heritage and Heritage Science domains, for data integration and management in a digital ecosystem;ù

Creation of a user-friendly and innovative access to data fruition establishing conditions for data understanding, integration and possibility of their fruitful reuse in public, science and research environments;

PROJECT STRENGTHS:

Unique Data lake → clear Use case ̈ Data Management
Data Mapping
Data Browsing
(multiple) Data visualization strategies: (Lod)view, EVT, original datasets

More Information

Who made the tool

RESTORE is a tool developed by the team of the CNR - OVI (Istituto Opera del Vocabolario italiano). The CNR - OVI Institute also coordinates the POR-FSE 2014-20 RESTORE project, co-funded by the Regione Toscana. The approach, the software components and the technological solutions developed for the POR-FSE 2014-20 RESTORE project are products of the SSHOC T9.4, which developed the digital infrastructure needed. In terms of user communities, the task pilot involves people and datasets coming from the following institutions: Archives (Prato State Archives); Museums (Museo di Palazzo Pretorio, Prato); OVI (Istituto Opera del Vocabolario Italiano) - Cnr (IT); Superintendencies (The Archival and Bibliographic Superintendency); Coordination Agencies (Central Institute for the Union Catalogue of Italian Libraries, ICCU); Multiple research institutes in the field of Heritage Science and SSH, both within academic departments or research infrastructures active at a national level.