Introduction

A common challenge in digital archives for museums and libraries is the need to “properly manage the relationship between works and their creators.” Especially when a single author has created multiple works, or when multiple authors have collaborated on a single work, it is important to clearly express these relationships and make them searchable.

This article explains how to build an independent author database in Omeka S and link it with works.

Key Challenges

  1. Building an independent author database: Is it possible to create an author (creator) database separate from the works database and link the two?
  2. Supporting multiple authors: How should you represent cases where a single paper or design has multiple authors?

Solution

1. Register Authors as Independent Items

In Omeka S, you can build an author database by registering authors as independent “items.”

Steps:

Step 1: Create an item set for authors

  1. Create a “New Item Set” from “Item Sets”
  2. Set the title to something like “Author List”

  1. Store all author items in this item set

Step 2: Register author items

  1. Go to “Items” -> “New Item”
  2. Select foaf:Person as the class (recommended)
  3. Enter author information:
    • dcterms:title (author name)
    • foaf:firstName (first name)
    • foaf:familyName (family name)
    • dcterms:description (career and areas of expertise)
    • Other information as needed, such as institutional affiliation

  1. Add to the “Author List” item set you created

Set up references to author items in the dcterms:creator property of work items.

Steps:

Step 1: Edit the work item

  1. Open the edit screen for the work item
  2. Find the dcterms:creator property
  3. Select “Add value” -> “Omeka resource”

Step 2: Link the author item

  1. Click the “No selected resource” button
  2. A sidebar opens allowing item search
  3. Search for the author item you created
  4. Select the corresponding author and click “Add”

This associates the work item with the author item.

3. Supporting Multiple Authors

In Omeka S, multiple values can be added to the same property.

Steps:

  1. In the dcterms:creator field of the work item, click the “Add value” button again

  1. Select and add the 2nd, 3rd, etc. author items in the same way
  2. Repeat for as many authors as needed

Important points:

  • Dublin Core’s dcterms:creator is designed to hold multiple values
  • By linking multiple author items to the same property, you can properly represent co-authored papers and collaborative works

4. Displaying a List of an Author’s Works

From an author item’s page, you can display a list of all works created by that author.

Using Omeka S standard features:

  1. Display the author item’s detail page
  2. In the “Linked Resources” section, all items that have this author set as dcterms:creator are automatically displayed

For more advanced display:

Use advanced search features on site pages:

A→dmUisnepaadnvealnc→edSisteear→chPatgoesdi→spNleawyPoangley→itAedmds"lIitnekmesd"tboloackspecificauthor

Implementation Examples

Author item example:

TCPIilrttao---elspmeseffd::roocStaateTfiffetaoe::r:rasffmof:aisA:mr:uYPisdtaeltehmryNsoasNacrdoamranmeiLe:pi:tsTitYaoarnmo:adAadvertisingdesignresearcher

Work item example (single author):

TCPilrtao--lspesedd::rcctttCbieehierrabsmmno:ssg:::eAcdscraaetidaenet:moPir2oc:0sA2tr[4-tLWiiacnrlkeJtaopaTnaersoeYAadmvaedrat]isingDesign

Work item example (multiple authors):

TCPilrtao----lspesedddd::rcccctttttRbieeeeeierrrrsbsmmmmeo:ssssa:::::rAcccdccrrrahaeeetdaaaeoettt:nmoooirrr2Dc:::0iA2vr[[[4etLLLriiiiscnnnilkkkfeitttcoooatTHIiaacornhnoaikroYoofamSSAauaddztvauoe]k]rit]isingMedia

Summary

In Omeka S, you can build an independent author database and link it with works through the following steps:

  1. Register authors as independent items
  2. Link author items as “Omeka resources” in the dcterms:creator property of works
  3. For multiple authors, add multiple values to the same property
  4. On the author item’s detail page, all works by that author are automatically listed

This approach is a standard method for digital archives in museums and libraries, and is an implementation aligned with Omeka S’s design philosophy. It enables flexible searching and display while maintaining data integrity.

References