Knowledge Representation of Photographic Documents: A Case Study at the Federal University of Pernambuco (Brazil)

Abstract

This research demonstrates that the combination of two methodologies to describe photographs — Nobrade and Sepiades — together with the contextualization and identification of the content informational model of the photograph facilitates the reconstruction of institutional memory. This exploratory research based on case study adopted a set of metadata from Nobrade and Sepiades aiming at the organization and availability of the set of information extrinsic to the 20 portraits of the rectors of the Federal University of Pernambuco from 1946 to 1971. For the contextualization of this period, some of the events that occurred in Brazil were highlighted, as they influenced the academic environments during the Democratic Period and the Military Regime. The description of the photography was made in four parts: first part was called administrative dates resulting in the photo identification information; second part was the provenance data, that is, data about its origin and context; third part was composed of the technical data of the photograph; and fourth part was composed of the image data which contains information about the content of the photograph. The second and fourth parts using context and content information enable the photograph to be understood beyond what can be seen and contribute to the reconstruction of institutional memory. This research contributes to the elaboration of a documentary system using a combination of methodologies, focusing on photographs, not only as an institutional technical activity, but also as an activity necessary for the reconstruction of the institutional memory.

Citation

Assis Pinho, F. (2017), "Knowledge Representation of Photographic Documents: A Case Study at the Federal University of Pernambuco (Brazil)", The Organization of Knowledge (Studies in Information, Vol. 12), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 71-86. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-537720170000011011