Recording, Documentation & Information Management Initiative

Development of case studies, professional resources, and a professional network focused on using recording and documentation tools in conservation

Project Details

Group holds up a light and reference image to a wall painting

About

Goal

Drawings, images, surveys, and historic research of a structure or archaeological site, known in the field as "methods of documentation," are essential for good conservation planning. The Recording, Documentation, and Information Management Initiative (RecorDIM) aimed to improve heritage professionals' ability to gather, create, manage, and interpret documentation information, so that subsequent conservation decisions could be made with better and more accessible documentation information.

Outcomes

  • Five publications, ten articles, and a bibliography that was incorporated within AATA Online
  • Recording, Documentation, and Information Management for the Conservation of Heritage Places, with an international focus, was published by the Conservation Institute in two volumes: Guiding Principles, which is directed toward heritage managers and outlines strategies for integrating research and investigation into conservation activities, and Illustrated Examples, a series of eighteen short case studies on successful projects around the world where documentation was crucial to the conservation of various sites.
  • The third publication, Guide to the Use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at Cultural Heritage Sites, was a report developed by the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, and is directed toward expert users of GIS software.
  • A fourth report, Guide to Creating Inventories of Cultural Heritage Places for India, was printed on a limited basis and made available in India.
  • The fifth and final publication, a handbook on using metric survey tools and techniques, was created by English Heritage.
  • The final three works are available upon request from their respective creators and the articles produced as a result of the project are included in the online bibliography.

Background

Partners

ICOMOS, CIPA Heritage Documentation, English Heritage, World Monuments Fund, Heritage Conservation Directorate of Public Works & Government Services Canada, ICCROM, India National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, Université du Québec à Montréal, Comité International des Itinéraires Culturels (ICOMOS-ISC), Comité International de Formation (ICOMOS-ISC) Politecnico di Torino, University of Pennsylvania, World Heritage Center