This course WILL count towards the synchronous-course requirement for the certificate programs. A minimum of two courses must be synchronous (in person or virtual).
This course will count towards the A&D certificate program (tactical & strategic tier).
The virtual course will run two half days---November 03, AND November 05, 2025, (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. U.S. central time).
An online course taught over two half-days (3 hrs each) introducing archives practitioners to the new ICA standard, Records in Contexts (“RiC”). Taught by Regine Heberlein, Archival Systems Technical Lead at Princeton University.
This course is a practical introduction to Records in Contexts (RiC), the ICA standard suite for archival description now replacing ISAD(G) and the related ICA standards. Focusing on Records in Contexts Conceptual Model (RiC-CM), the course aims to familiarize participants with the new ICA standard as a semantic web technology. It will explore what a conceptual model is and how RiC-CM fits into the landscape of Linked Data, how it differs from traditional resource description, and how it relates to domain-adjacent linked-data models in the GLAM community. We will explore what implementing the RiC-CM entails and discuss the RiC Ontology (RiC-O) as an implementation of the RiC-CM. Participants will map an archival record to RiC-CM and get hands-on practice with creating RiC data in a Wikibase environment.
Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:
- Understand how linked data works
- Understand the new ICA standard Records in Contexts (RiC-CM)
- Understand how RiC differs from other data models and LD standards
- Understand pathways to implementation
- Understand the practical impact of RiC on archival workflows, tools, and systems
Who Should Attend: Archivist Practitioner, Archivist Manager, Archivist Administrator, IT Professional, Records Manager, Municipal Clerk, Other
What You Should Already Know: This course assumes that participants will have a general knowledge of the landscape of archival standards in the context of their work. No technical knowledge of standards or linked data is assumed or required. The course covers one particular archival conceptual model, Records in Contexts. Participants interested more abstractly in the technical architecture of the semantic web should take "Linked Open Data Principles and Practices" instead.
Required Equipment for Participants:
Participants should create and test their free Miro account (see prerequisites) prior to the start of the course.
A&D Tier: Tactical and Strategic
A&D Core Competency:
2. Analyze and describe details about the attributes of a record or collection of records to facilitate identification, management, and understanding of the work.
3. Apply rules and practices that codify the content of information used to represent archival materials in discovery tools according to published structural guidelines.
4. Demonstrate an ability to manage physical and intellectual control over archival materials.
5. Create tools to facilitate access and disseminate descriptive records of archival materials.
If you intend to pursue the A&D Certificate, you will need to pass the examination for this course.
Registration Fee: Early-Bird / Regular
SAA Member: $299 / $349
Employee of SAA Member Institution: $359 / $419
Nonmember: $419 / $479