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Getty ULAN+
The Getty ULAN (Union List of Artist Names) is a structured vocabulary that includes names and associated information about artists. Artists may be either be individuals or groups of individuals working together (corporate bodies). Artists in the ULAN generally represent creators involved in the conception or production of visual arts and architecture. When associated with a project field, the ULAN can be used as a controlled vocabulary or data value standard. Shared Shelf Names builds from the Getty ULAN.
https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/ulan/about.html
Shared Shelf Names (SSN) builds from the Getty ULAN (Union List of Artist Names) and for most purposes, the two can be considered synonymous.
About Names
ULAN+ (as differentiated from ULAN) refers to Getty’s Union List of Artist Names is an expanded selection of names, and it includes all name records from your institution, the Getty ULAN®, and promoted name records from other Forum users.
The ULAN name record is an authority describing an entity (person or corporate body) involved in the production of material culture. Using a name record establishes a standardized record of data about the entity, which can be applied to multiple items in your project. A name record may derive from the:
- Getty ULAN®
- Another contributing institution
- A cataloger at your institution
Information contained in a name record may include:
- Name variations
- Birth/start and death/end dates
- Roles
- Nationality/cultures
- Gender
- Biography
- Bibliography
- Events
- Relationships
- Notes
About the Name Form
The name form contains the 31 fields used to describe a creator. These fields derive from the data standard used in the Getty Union List of Artist Names® (ULAN). A Preferred name and Source are required in order to save a new name record. Once the name is created and saved, all other users in this project and at your institution will have access to it. A Promoted Name is accessible by other institutions.
Name Record Field Descriptions includes a complete list of the fields included in the name form.
Getty AAT
The Getty AAT (Art and Architecture Thesaurus) is a structured vocabulary containing terms and other information about concepts. When associated with a project field, the AAT can be used as a controlled vocabulary or data value standard. Terms in the AAT may be used to describe art, architecture, decorative arts, material culture, and archival materials. The AAT contains generic terms; it contains no iconographic subjects and no proper names. That is, each concept is a case of many (a generic thing), not a case of one (a specific thing). For example, the generic term cathedral is in the AAT, but the specific proper name Chartres Cathedral is out of scope for the AAT.
https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/aat/about.html
Getty TGN
The Getty TGN (Thesaurus of Geographic Names) is a structured vocabulary that can be used to improve access to information about art, architecture, and material culture. The TGN includes names and associated information about places. Places in the TGN include administrative political entities (e.g., cities, nations) and physical features (e.g., mountains, rivers). Current and historical places are included. Names for a place may include names in the vernacular language, English, other languages, historical names, names in natural order and inverted order. Among these names, one is flagged as the preferred name. The TGN is a thesaurus, compliant with ISO and NISO standards for thesaurus construction; it contains hierarchical, equivalence, and associative relationships. Note that the TGN is not a GIS (Geographic Information System). While many records in TGN include coordinates, these coordinates are approximate and are intended for reference only.
https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/tgn/about.html