Integrations Defined
Some kind of coupling that doesn't rely on manual intervention.
Characteristics:
- We're most interested in integrations that are generalizable and shareable. Strictly speaking, we're not interested in purely local integrations.
- A plugin can be an integration, shuttling data between different sources can be an integration, and changes to the data model in various ways are integrations.
- We're looking for minimal manual intervention to qualify as an integration. That is, integrations do not have a manual step through, even if that step through is automated. For example, a script that, at a given interval, checks to see what Resources have been updated in ArchivesSpace, and automates the export of MARC records to a watch folder that an ILS checks periodically and uses to import and overlay existing MARC records, while involving separate systems, is not an integration.
Tiers:
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A functional coupling between ArchivesSpace and another software application to act as a coordinated whole. Regardless of the complexity of a particular integration (see Tiers), a defining characteristic of all integrations is communication, or seamless data flow--without a manual, intermediary step--between systems. For our purposes, an integration should also be generalizable for the ArchivesSpace community.
Tiers
Tier 1
The highest level of integration, this level of integration includes data flowing into and out of the integrated systems and would require changes to the ArchivesSpace core code to work, a change in the ArchivesSpace data model, or significant migration of legacy data existing in the system. Currently there are no examples of tier 1 integrations.
Tier 2
The is middle level of an integration. This level may require adding and initializing a plugin in your local ArchivesSpace repository, but no changes to the core code or database. Some examples of this level of integration include the Bentley’s work with Archivematica, the Rockefeller Archive Center’s work with Archivematica, and the current Preservica-ArchivesSpace integration. These integrations involve leveraging the ArchivesSpace API to allow another system to create description in ArchivesSpace, and data flows both into and out of the system. For example, you can view ArchivesSpace components in Archivematica and then use Archivematica to write to ArchivesSpace.
Tier 3
This level merely pulls information for possible inclusion into ArchivesSpace or another system. No data model changes are necessary, and generally no new description is created in ArchivesSpace. In this tier 3, data is either pushed or pulled from one system only, and no writing to either system happens. An example of this would be the ArchivesSpace to Drupal integration created by the American Academy in Rome.
Roles of the Integrations Sub-team
Mission Statement
The Integrations subteam supports the ArchivesSpace community by taking a transparent approach to documenting the integration of systems with the ArchivesSpace application. We facilitate this by:
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