ARK Identifiers
ARK (Archival Resource Key) identifiers are unique and persistent identifiers for items in a collection. Below, we explain how ARK identifiers work and how an organization can get started with them.
What is an ARK Identifier?
An ARK identifier consists of at least three parts:
- ARK Label: This is a prefix; all identifiers start with
ark:/. - NAAN (Name Assigning Authority Number): A unique number assigned to an organization by ARK.
- Record Identifier: An identifier defined by the organization itself that points to a specific record.
An example of a complete ARK identifier is as follows:
ark:/12345/collect/100001
Here, 12345 is the NAAN,
and collect/100001 is the assigned item number.
Requesting a NAAN
To use ARK identifiers, an organization must request a NAAN. This can easily be done through this form available on the ARK website. This registration is completely free of charge.
When applying for a NAAN, the organization specifies the web address where the collection can be found. This is registered by ARK, and a unique number is returned. This is the NAAN for the organization. It is usually sufficient to request a single NAAN per organization, but it is also possible to have a separate NAAN registered for large departments within the organization.
How do we work with ARKs?
In our approach, we combine two simple elements from a record to create an item number: the name of the database and a record number. This results in a unique combination that identifies each object in your collection.
For example, for a record with number 100001 in a database called
collect, the ARK would look like this:
ark:/12345/collect/100001We also store this ARK identifier within the record itself, so it remains available should the database name or record number ever change. This ensures that the identifiers continue to work.
Our ARK implementation is a standard feature of Collection Publisher, Collection Manager, and the Collection API. No extra configuration is required for this. However, a one-time update process is performed for registering the ARK identifiers in existing records.
ARKs and URLs
An ARK identifier is a unique key, but on its own, it is not a usable link. To work with it, the ARK is linked to a web address. We do this using a resolver, such as N2T.net (Name to Thing), which converts the ARK identifier into a working URL.
Example
Suppose you have this ARK identifier:
ark:/33862/collect/500000
When you enter this at N2T, you get a usable URL: https://n2t.net/ark:/33862/collect/500000
This link automatically redirects to the museum’s collection page: https://collectie.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/ark:/33862/collect/500000
If the web address of the collection page changes, a modification can be requested via the ARK request form. This ensures that the ARK identifiers, in combination with N2T, will always point to the correct collection page.
Meer weten?
Do you have questions or want to know more about the implementation of ARK identifiers? Visit arks.org for detailed information and guidelines.
Sources
– Ark
https://arks.org/