My data in AMPLE

CERL aims make research data available for consultation and re-use in a sustainable and freely accessible environment. Our shared environment is called AMPLE and it allows us to make connections between datasets. The service therefore has the potential to evolve into a central data hub for research data related to historic books. Libraries, Scholars or Projects wishing to use AMPLE in their workflow, could be provided with direct, automated connections with CERL databases, such as the Heritage of the Printed Book database and the CERL Thesaurus.

AMPLE is short for Abstract Metadata Publishing Environment. It is based on Couch DB, combined with Elastic Search and PERL interface technology.

The CERL Thesaurus was the first database in the AMPLE data environment, later followed by the Material Evidence in Incunabula (MEI) database. AMPLE was subsequently adopted and expanded to include several other data sets. The Incunabula Short Title Catalogue (ISTC) became part of AMPLE in 2016 and the Short Title Catalogue Netherlands (STCN) in 2023. Plans are underway to include the English Short Title Catalogue (ESTC) in the course of 2025.

Data in AMPLE is a rich combination of databases developed and maintained by CERL (such as the CERL Thesaurus, MEI and its supporting databases), guest databases (such as Early Book Owners in Britain, the Index Possessorum Incunabulorum, the Scottish Book trade index and Siebmacher’s Armorials), research projects such as (Patrimonit, Mad-Met, databases related to the libraries of James VI and I and Hernan Colon (both not yet public)), and large internationally important resources such as the ISTC, STNC and ESTC. For a complete overview see CERL Databases.

Each database has its own, tailored search interface but CERL is also investigating the development of an integrated search index for all databases in AMPLE.

To date, every proposal for collaboration with CERL to add data to AMPLE has been different, and not all databases that were offered for inclusion have been incorporated. CERL has reviewed the process for arriving at a decision to accept or decline data. The aim is to be transparent about the process and the criteria that are used.

The result is that for each proposal, we want to gather detailed information about the dataset that is offered. A small committee reviews the proposal and prepares a short report with their findings. The final decision is with the CERL Board of Directors.

The committee weighs a number of factors:

• Crucial are: data format, funding and the overall CERL time table. CERL normally works with standard library formats. If the data set is in another data format, it needs to be reviewed how labour intensive it is to fit the data into AMPLE; it needs to be reviewed whether the project can it be slotted in the CERL time table; and whether is funding available for migration and maintenance.
• Very Important are: is the data a good match with other CERL datasets (e.g. is there potential for internal linking); is the data set an important (inter)national resource; does CERL need to make an additional investment in software or hardware?
• Important are: does the data come from a CERL member; does the CERL offering match the data owners’ expectations; is the data model a good fit with what is in place at CERL, and finally: what is the expected duration of the agreement?

If you have data that relates to European printed books that have been produced before the middle of the nineteenth century, and you would like to explore with CERL whether your data could be made publicly and freely accessible in the AMPLE environment, we invite you to fill in this form or scan the QR code below. We will then set up a meeting with you to explore your proposal in more detail.