Smithsonian Profiles: Experiences and Challenges of Implementing VIVO in a Non-University Setting

Kristina Heinricy, Alvin Hutchinson, Suzanne Pilsk

Keywords: bibliographic data management, government entity, accessibility, integration with other systems, automated RDF generation

TL;DR: A summary of the Smithsonian’s experience with implementing VIVO (Smithsonian Profiles) and the challenges that came with applying it to a non-university setting.

Abstract: The Smithsonian Institution began planning a VIVO implementation in 2015 and in August 2018, launched Smithsonian Profiles to the public. The Smithsonian is a research institution that comprises a network of 19 museums, 8 research centers, and the National Zoo. In addition to public programs and exhibits, staff conduct research in a wide range of domains, with over 700 scholars and their sponsored fellows authoring over 2500 publications every year. For over 10 years, the Smithsonian Libraries has been collecting and managing these publications using a home-grown system called Smithsonian Research Online, which now feeds into Smithsonian Profiles. This presentation will discuss Smithsonian Profiles and its role at the Smithsonian Institution, and will touch on the data systems it interacts with both internally and externally. There will also be a focus on the challenges presented by implementing VIVO in a non-university setting, including policy and accessibility considerations, and issues with defining identifying eligible from a pool of hundreds.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5183-4150

Submission Type: presentation proposal